The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-19
ENTERING The HARBOR
With the American Fleet After
the Surrender.
MINES ARE ALL EXPLODED
ForttfcationS Weak and Ord
nance Ineffective.

de Cuba, July IT. 3 p. m. via Playa Del
Este. Province OF Santiago de Cuba July
II, delayed in ransmission@)-At exactly
9 o'clock this morning the Spanish flag
was lowered from the staff browning the
| heights upon which battered Moro Cas-
tie spreads half way. The lowering of
the emblem of the defunct sovereignty
messed by few Spanish and American
troops on shore and by the Brooklyn.
New York, Vixen and Vesuvius. lying
within a few hundred yards of the har-
| Dor
Almost Immediately after the flag was
hauled down steam launches commanded
by Lieutenants Hobson and Palmer enter
ed the harbor, penetrating as far as the
firing stations of the submarine mines.
The mines were judged not 10 be so for
midable as expected and later IN the af-
ternoon they were exploded under the
supervision of the Vixen.
II was seen that two mines had been
! exploded at the time of the entrance of
| the Merrimac into the channel OF Sand-
| ago harbor but it is not thought that
either of them had anything to do with
the sinking of the craft.
Six or seven steamers in the harbor as
prisoners TO the army and navy. The
| Spanish gunboat Alvarez had already
been taken possession Of by a prize crew
from the New York. The other vessels lie
| at the ot1ler end of the harbor, at San
! tiago proper.
Soon after noon Commodore schley with
| "a ~ no
ant ]. H. Sears the flag lieutenant, Lieu
| tenant B. w. Wells, the flag secretary and
three invited correspondents of the Asso-
cated Press went into the harbor on a
steam launch which moved slowly in or
der 10 make close observations of the
Spanish forts and batteries.
Everyone expressed satisfaction at the
| fact that MORO Castle was not demolish-
ed by the bombardment, Captain Cook
saying:
I'VE need FL MORO as an object les
son, and America is rather shy on ruins,
| anyhow
The old fort stands on the bluff, ter
race fashion. From the waters edge to the
cliff there are numerous caves formed by
action of the waves. and around the base
and in the superstructure are not a few
caves made by the navy's projectiles. 1t
would appear, however that only one
Bastion was knocked TO pieces. while the
queer little sentry boes, dating back to
the sixteenth century, escaped almost in
tact.
Moro Castle is the only imposing forti-
fication in the harbor and it is only so in
appearance, since not a gun is mounted
within or on the crumbled walls. In fact,
all the batteries, masked and open. dwin-
died in theft terror-inspiring qualities as
the inspection grew closer, browning the
hill on the west side of the entrance were
the famous 6-inch rapid-fire guns rom
the Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes. These
We're ugly looking and dangerous, while
below on big foundations on the western
shore of the entrance were some revolving
guns. These were the ones which poured
such a bitter fire into the Merrimac.
Directly east of MORO Castle, on the
crest of the plateau-like cliff, were six
big guns, one or two of which were dis
mounted.
The Estrella battery and small neigh
Dor further in, showed no guns, while
the famous Cay Smith filed the islet with
blue, white and yellow houses situated in
groves Of flowing trees, some Of the build
ings looking as if they had been the re-
sorts Of pleasure seekers in happier times.
Others were humble enough in appear
ance for fishermen's houses. All were de-
serted, and strange to say, not one. ap-
parently mad been touched by a hostile
rrojectile.
On the inside OF the slope and hill to
the westward some hastily constructed
but very comforting classmates were seen,
into which the Spanish gunnners were
wont 10 retire when our shops opened
fire When the firing ceased the gunners
had a few steps only to climb 20 their
G-inch rapid-ire guns which almost al
ways fired a few spiteful farewell shots.
At Punta Gorda there were two 4-inch
guns. one above the other neither pro-
tected even by sand or earth. These com
manded the harbor entrance pretty wei.
but they could have been silenced by one
well directed heavy shell.
Commodore Schiey has over and over
again expressed the belief that our feet
probably could have entered the harbor
without the loss OF a single ship. The
mines might have stopped ingress by
sinking the leading ship. bu. this Is the
chance Of war and not 50 grave as many
taken during the civil strife. nor as ser
ious as would have been ne situation had
there been good batteries, properly man
ned. in the harbor.
Commodore Schsy's party first steam
Cd around tue wreck OF TIE Reins Mer-
cedes which lies with her bow pointed
toward the city. She bad a list 70 stsr-
board and rested on a reef near TIE foot
Of Moro cIih. The cruiser vas sunk TO
the upper deck. on which ono s-Iach gun
remained. one torpedo tube vas loaded
and che auxiliary battery seemed n place
Evidently the crew of the Re5na Aer-
ce5eS left her IL hurry. This So less 20
b wondered az when Il = noted that raere
were graz gaps in ne- sides. showing
where tEo = and l3-Inca shells had struck
her.
The sea washed through tas after czai5
which vas decorated II old fashioned
style ard tie wiad autte-ed a red six
curlain watch could be plainly seea over
Al inner door. AZ the launch steamed BY
About SO yards ahead % ;hs Re.nz
MERCEDES ard almost n Ire win Der
was the wreck cf tae &srr5rnac lying fl
fully SIX fatho-us - Ezser o. me very
edge Of re cazu1s1.
Had 1ot she current swung ths doomed I
snip aIoaEs31s instead % zthxzrr. IRE
caa11si. me lz.:e- zous3 have Der block 4
-. Whea Assam. Naval Constructor /
Eo5so1 fook tas collier izto eta rarhor 1
re Eas huz-nz f5r four fasno-1 $50. /
aB6 5n4y missed ~ fsE kuu5re1 yards I
~ ne firing station on TIE wess k.se /
ws1ra Commodore SchseE inspected e 1
persoz- ne American pa--y net a Spar