The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-11
Lively CdnnOnade From the Five
Vessels.
SPANIARDS RUN TO SHELTER
Doubt as to Whether Any of Them
Were Hit.

Copyright 1898, by the Associated Press.
On Board the Associated Press Dis
patch Boat Kate Spencer, off Cardenas.
May 9, via Key West, May 1O--The lit
tie torpedo boat Winslow yesterday morn
ing precipitated -the frst naval engage
ment fought in Cuban waters.
On a reconnaissance in Carnedas har-
Dor she drew the fire of three Spanish
coast guard vessels and a lively vest
pocket sea fight followed with the tiny
boats.
The Winslow was decidedly in minority.
She ran for the open sea, where her big
station mate, the gunboat Machias, who
had been called up by the firing, took a
hand in the game with her 4-inch rifles
and tossed several shells over the low
sand spit. behind which the Spanish boats
were sheltered 1t was impossible to see
whether any of these landed.
The Winslow was not touched, but she
claims to have knocked a few splinters
out of the larger coast guard boat.
The most important result of the Wins
lows reconnaissance was the discovery
that Cardenas harbor is mined. If there
were any batteries on shore, the spaniards
did not think it worth while to disclose
their position.
That there are mines in the channel Is
important, in view OF the report that 1t is
Cardenas and not Matanzas where the
landing of United States forces will be
made.
The fight with the guardia costas oc-
Cured yesterday morning Cardenas is
one of the largest bays along the coast,
the little town of the same name lying at
the southern end.
From the western shore Iclcas Point
reaches out like a long index finger, al
most touching Piedras Key light, which
in peaceful days beaconed the harbor en-
trance. The lighthouse has been in dark
ness and deserted for many nights.
Feeling safe in the desolation of the
lighthouse and the silence ashore, the lit
tie Winslow crept quietly in under the
early morning haze for closer inspection
of the harbor.
There had evidently been lookout
among the dunes along the sand pit for
the Winslow was allowed to feel her wav
into the harbor, taking notes of changed
designed a
hostile feet on to torpedo fields.
But suddenly there was a puff of smoke
from among the mangrove clumps along
one of the inlets and a six-pound shell
screeched ort of the bushes. Crack came
another from the shelter of tiny key
in the bay, and third from further down
the coast Then the coast guard boats
darted from their cover under a full head
of steam like big gar pike after a min
now. The Winslow's crew jumped to the
two~pounders fore and aft, and let the
Spaniards have it, port and starboard,
as they chased in. The little gunboats
came along shooting, but after the usual
Spanish fashion, hit nothing but the ad-
jaGent scenery.
Then the Winslow scuttled along for the
open sea, using her after gun as a stern
chaser and defiantly shooting as she went
along.
The Spanish boats wasted about sixty
shots and the biggest boat, mounting
12-pounder, kept up the bombardment as
long as the Winslow was in range. The
Spaniards. who had probably heard the
news from Manila, were evidently as mad
IS a nest Of hornets, and kept up the chase
until all four of the little craft were rock
ing.in the swell past Piedras keys.
Just then there was crash and a roar
to seaward, and the Machias, bearing In
under a canopy Of smoke, sent a shell
smashing into the pursuing fleet. The lit
tie patrol boats spun about like water
spiders and ran to shelter beyond the sand
spits.
The Machias sent a few shells skipping
in between the sand dunes, but with what
effect could not be seen.
At any rate there are three prospective
additions TO our mnsouito feet bottled up
in Cardenas harbor waiting shipment.