The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-17
the Assnciated .Press.l

(COpSFlShI ny tHe -ASSOCIdleu LcSo'l
On board the Associated Press dis
patch boat Dauntless, off Santiago de
Cuba, Thursday, June 1G, noon, via
Kingston, jamaica, Thursday, June lG.
8 D. m.-Rear Admiral SIMPSONS
fleet bombarded the batteries at Santa
go de Cuba for the third time at a.:
light this morning For hours the ships
pounded the batteries at the right and
left Of the entrance, only Sparlng El
MORO, where Lieut.. HobsOn and his
companions are i'll prison. The Western
batteries against which the main assault
was directed, were badly wrecked. One
was utterly destroyed. In others many
guns were dismounted.
At first the Spaniards replied pas
sionately and wildly, but impOtently.
Then most of the guns were deserted.
Not a ship was struck, nor Il man i'll
iured on the American side.
1t is believed that the enemy's loss Of
life was heavy.
As a preliminary to the hammering
given the batteries the dynamite cruiser
Vesuvius last night at midnight WAS
given another chance. Three two hum
dred and fifty pound charges of gun cot
ton were sent over the forts at the en-
trance. The design was to drop them in
the bay around the angle, back of the
eminence on which lei MORO is situated,
where it was known that the Spanish
torpedo boat destroyers were lying. Two
charges went through. but as no re-
ports were heard-a popularity of the
explosion of gun cotton in water
whether the destrOyers were demolished
is not known: but the destructive area
of gun cotton is large, and it would not
be surprising if it is subsequently, ascer-
tanned that one or both were destroyed
The third charge exploded with terrific
violence on Cayo Smith. From where the
feet lay the entrance to the harbor look
ed in the black night like n door opening
into the livld fire of Il Titanic furnace.
Admiral Sampson issued the orders.for
the bOmbardment last night. Coffee was
served to the men at halft past three
this morning and with the first blush
of dawn were called quietly to quarters.
The ships steamed in five knot speed TO
Il 5000 yards range, when they closed
up, broadside on, until distance of
three cable lengths separated them.
They were strung out in the form of
a crescent. the heavy fighting ships i'm
the center, the flagship on the right flank
and the Massachusetts on the left flank
The line remained stationary throughout
the bombardment The Vixen and ScOr-
piOn took up positions on opposite hankS.
close in shore for the purpose of en-
5ading any infantry that might fire upon
the ships.
When the ships got in position it was
still too dark for any firing. The Admi-
raj Signalled the ships not to fire until
the muzzles of the enemy's guns in the
embrazures could be seen. Fifteen min
utes later-5:15 a. IN. The New York
opened with Il broadside from ner mann
battery. at the works on the east of the
entrance to the harbor All the ships
followed in red strcaks of flame. The
fleet enveloped in smoke, pelted the hills.
and kicked up dirt and masonery. 1t
was magnificent spectacle. from
where the Dauntless lay. Though the
gun captains had been cautioned not
to waste ammunition, but to fire with
deliberatiOn, the fire was so rapid that
there was an almost continuous report
a strong land breeze off the shore car
ried the smoke of the ships seaward,
while it let down thick curtain in
front of the Spanish gunners.
The dons responded spiritedly ut first.
but their frenzied, half crazcd fire could
not match the cool nerve, trained eyes
and skilled gunnery of the American
sailors. Our fire was much more effec-
tive than in preceding bOmbardments.
The admiralss ordnance expert had given
explicit directions to reduce the powder
charges. and to elevate the guns so as
to shorten the trajectory and thus to
secure plunging fire. As the shells
in the preceding bOmbardments dropped
with the almost straight traiectories Of
projectiles with full charges. it was al
most impossible to plant them. They
would shoot into the air, encircling the
batteries, owing to the high elevation,
and fall far over the Notifications. The
effect of the reduced charges was
In fifteen minutes one western battery
Was completely wrecked. The Massa !
chusetts tore gaping hole in the en-
placement with thousand pound pro-
jectile and the Texas dropped a shell
into the powder magazine. The explo- !
sion wrought terrible havoc.
The frame was lifted the sides were
blown out and a shower Of debris flew !
in every direction. One timber, carried |
out of the side of the battery, went tum- |