The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1898-08-25
A PARTING SHOT
The Havana Batteries
Opened Fire on
the Fleet.
SAN FRANCISCO WAS STRUCK

Large Hole Torn In the Cruisers Stern
NO Ono Aboard Ship Was Hurt
American Vessels Steamed Out OF
Range ~ Rapidly ~ Possible.
Key West, Fla, Aug. 16.-The flag
ship San Francisco, the monitor Mian-
tonomoh, and the auxiliary yacht Sill
via, were fred upon by the Havana
batteries shortly before O'Clock yester-
day morning. One 10 and two l2-inch
shells struck the San Francisco's stern
as she turned to get away out OF range,
and tore hole about foot in diam
eter, completely wrecking Commodore
Howell's quarters and smashing his
bookcases into fragments. No one was
injured, and, being under orders not to
attack the batteries. the ships departed
as fast as their engines would carry
them.
The flagship and the Silvia lay
parallel to each other, not more than
mile from Moro castle, and separ-
ated from each other by three-eighths
of mile. The Miantonomoh lay about
three-quarters of mile to the rear of
the others. All were within range of
the Spanish batteries, and the tempta-
ton was too strong for the Spanish to
resist.
The first glimmer of dawn was break
ing through the eastern skies when.
without an instant's warning, the look
out on the flagship saw a Jet of smoke
puff from one OF Morro's big guns. Al
most before he could pull himself to-
gether sufficiently to make report of
the incident, 10 and 12-inch shells were
screaming all around. The Spaniards
had the range, and apparently were
grimly in earnest in their last efforts
to wreck injury on their too mighty
enemy. Shells fell between the San
Francisco and the Silvia. Some fell
short, few went over them. The
flagship signalled the Silvia to get out
of range without delay, and both ships
swung around and made for the sea.
It was then that the shell struck the
San FraEcisco's stern. Commodore
Howell was on deck with Captain
Leary when the shell struck. With
the utmost speed the feet moved out
about three miles. Here the men on
the flagship patched up the ragged hole
In the vessels stern. All the shells
fred at the vessel fell around the ships.
One OF the Silvia's men stood calmly
on the deck of the yacht, watch in
hand. and counted them.
Moro castle fred several Of the mis-
siles, but how many is not known.
The others came from two sand bat
teriee near Moro. The firing lasted
20 minutes.
The one-sided engagement had scarce
ly ended when the men of the Silvia
were treated to another surprise. The
little yacht gunboat is manned by the
New York naval militia. Her crew
had barely recovered from the excite
ment when the flagship called the yes s
sci over. and Captain Boilers was given
q packet OF private documents, which
he was ordered to take into Havana
under flag of truce. The white flag
was hoisted over the Silvia, and she
started towards the guns which had
just given her such noisy greeting. As
the Silvia approached to within mile
of Moro, the character of the flag float
ing from her foremost. was discerned
and the castle signalled:
''What is your purpose?"
To this the Silvia answered: I'VE
have papers to deliver"
MORO did not resume the converse
ton and for some little time the gum
boat rocked on the waters almost under
the still-smoking cannon Of the enemy.
Presently. however, Spanish gunboat
drew out of the harbor and came close
to the Silvia. It was the Martin y
Pinzon, and carried much stronger
battery than the American ship. The
customary formal salutations were ex-
changed, and Lieutenant William q.
Ford, the executive officer of the Silvia.
boarded the Pinzon and delivered tho
documents.
The ceremony occupied no more
time than the physical act involved.
The American officer returned to his
ship, and the vessels went on their re-
spective ways.
Ran into . Washout.