The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-01
Defences
Santiago

I Santiago Bay 10 equally impregnsbls to
assaults from enemies on the sen a. II
Havana. Two hills that look ~ II
nature had intended they should meet
precipitately end within 500 feet Of each
.pthor at the entrance to the harbor. One
bnay stand ON one side OF the channel
and converse with another ON the other
side 1t is Of narrower width than the
entrance to Havana bay. The points
widen gradually for 800 yards. and then
the eye gets full sweep Of the blue bay
that seems to sleep like q tired child.
Just how many guns there are at the
entrance no one bat those in Spain 3 ma
val employ have accurate knowledge. In
1896 two immense Krupp guns were
landed and added to Moro Castle. At
the time Consul Hyatt informed q re-
porter that there were as many cannon
inside the fort then as Grant used In
Smelling vicksburg. Many Of them are
of ancient make, however.
p50 feet high sits back Of the fortifca-
lions, In which there are always observ-
prs with farreaching glasses just
Rcross the channel from MORO Is an un-
finished castle that in an emergency
could be utilized. Blanca battery is 10
Gated inside the bay and has something
like 30 cannon. This battery was placed
there In 1868, and intended for use In
the event Of local uprising against
the crown. It's numerical strength in
the way Of officers and men is about
1000. Military camps ore just to the
north Of Blanca battery, where at most
seasons body Of from 5000 to 8, 900
troops is always stationed.
The city Of Santiago do Cuba is some
six or seven miles from the entrance to
the bay. It is built on hillsides and is
laid out in irregular style. Narrow
streets wind in and about, seeming to
start from nowhere and ending abrupt
~ at similar places OF all spots on the
Island Santiago is the most to be de-
spised by persons fearing unhealthy cli-
mate, lazy men, insulting soldiers and
.treacherous stilettos. Such conditions
abound throughout all the city's ram
,ffications.
Z, Looking out toward the sea from one
, Of the most prominent eminences in the
( city, Mr.. Hyatt remarked one day, "As
DR.. Ben Jonson once said, God AL
mighty in his infinite wisdom and su-
perlative strength might have made q
better berry than the strawberry, but
he never did, which reminds mo that
The same power that makes straw berries
might have, IL he wished. made o more
veritable saturnalia Of vice and crime
than Santiago but / haven't heard Of
his doing it."
For an American feet to lombard
The city it would first have to silence
the guns Of Morro, which could only be
Hone by the demolition Of the castle.
And this would be difficult The castle
is made Of stone dug from the noun
tains thereabout. The thickness Of the
walls protecting the guns vary from 10
10 40 feet. Some Of the cannons are sup
piled with disappearing apparatus. The
big ones are stationary.
1t was said by member of Consul
Hyatt's staff that 20 shots could be
simultaneously thrown q distance Of IL
miles The guns are SO arranged that
they can be pointed to any direction
seaward. The castle resembles some an
tiquated church cathedral. 1t rises up 80
feet above the earth, and it's interior
mechanical arrangements are such that
guns may be lifted to the roof, where
better range is obtained.
The castle contains subterranean cells,
harrow and gloomy passageways, where
sounds Of ever dripping water never
leave the ears Of those imprisoned there.
The capacity Of the prison is about
1000. The full complement of naval
officers, military commandants and men
is about 900. Communication between
the governors Office which is located
some distance away, is Of hourly occur
renee even during times Of peace.
There may be political as well as mill
tary prisoners. Passes to the fortifica-
tions are never given to those not di-
rectly connected with the crowns serv-
Sce.
The bay spreads out, making V like
entrance to the land. The waters are al
ways calm and placid. They are too far
away from the convulsive sea to be af-
fected. The aristocracy Of the city some
times sail about in the basin in dingy
colored yachts and 60 home with empty
stomachs. The aroma from the accumu-
lated filth that daily finds it's way to the
bottom Of the bay is sickening.
An American feet sailing toward San
tiago could not observe the fort or the
mountains surrounding them until
within rife shot distance. The atmos-
phere is always heavy and hard for the
eye TO penetrate. Indeed it is difficult
to distinguish objects 100 yards away.
A sickly green haziness pervades the
air. Sound travels until It is lost far
away, but the lines of vision are cir
cumscribed. It is supposed that nature
intended this as wise provision that
the rascality Of one could not be observ-
cd by his neighbor.
Historically, Santiago de Cuba cuts
On important part in the affairs of the
island The city was incorporated as far
back as 1922 and for many years was
the capital of Cuba. It is now the cap