Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-06-02
SANTIAGO SHELLED.
Advices from Hayh State That
Sehley cannonaded the Batteries
s DIScREDI1ED At WASHINGTON.
unoosd States Naval O@cisls Dscssrs fhes
Oommodors schiey Would Not Force
His Way Into the Harbof BE-
cause Of tho Danger

CAPE HAYTIEN, Hayti June LAD
vices received from Havana say that
dnce two o'clock yesterday afternoon,
the American feet at Santiago de Cuba
has been cannonading the batteries of
MORO castle, La Zecapa and Punta
Gorda At the same time, II Is added,
the American ships have been engaged
with the Spanish warships The firing
was extremely heavy. At 3;S5 p m.
the cannonading became less heavy
against the Notifications, but was more
accsntuated In the locality where the
hech were engaged
Private messages intimate that there
has been severe fight between the
American feet and the outer fortihca-
tons and the Spanish fleet The fight
lasted the greater part OF yesterday
afternoon. The advantage appears To
have been with the Americans
MORO castle Is ut the entrance OF
the harbor Of Santiago de Cuba; La
Zecaps, also shown on the maps as
Lsxecapa castle, Is short distance In.
side the harbor entrance, and Punta
Gords is situated on q point well In.
side the hsrbor Of Santiago do Cuba
indicating that the American feet has
entered the harbor, according To the
Havana advices, and hes engaged the
Spanish feet In those waters
According TO sdvices from Spanish
source, "a American warships and two
torpedo boats were engaged In the
combat at Santiago A very careful
Ere was directed against the batteries
Of Moro castle until 81, p m. when
discharges Of cannon began TO be
heatd at sea of the port These dis.
charges continued until four o'clock,
then entirely ceased. From the Span.
ish account II Is impossible To Judge
~ 10 the exact merits OF the en-.
counter.
1xr0Rr DlsCREDlTED AT WASHINGTON.
WARRINGTON, June Naval officials
absolutely discredit the news from
CAPE Haytien to the effect that Com.
modore Schley forced the entrance 10
Santiago bay and engaged the Spanish
Aeet In the harbor. While no official
ndvices have been received from Schley
aimee the battle Is reported 10 have oc.
Cured, naval officials declare with
positiveness that II Is not only improb.
able, but, In the circumstances, almost
impossible, that an attempt should
have been made by the American COM
msnder TO force an entrance To the
by; ~. -
from Commodore Schley were con.
tanned In cablegram which came late
yesterday afternoon and in that the
commodore gives no indication OF On
intention TO try TO enter the harbor of
Santiago While the contents Of the
Dispatch were not made public, the
bulletin Issued upon 1t by the navy
department indicates that Commodore
6chley Is still endeavoring 10 deter.
mine just what Spanish vessels are In
the harbor The bulletin follows:
Commodore Schley's fleet has sighted
another vessel Of the Vi@aya class in
Santiago harbor."
The naval officials declare that
.6chley would not force his way into
the harbor, In view Of the great diff.
culties Of navigation which would
have to be surmounted In the effort
The entrance TO the harbor Is chan.
mel nearly three-quarters of a mile
long and at one point only about 100
yards wide. While the channel has
plenty of water to float tho ships II Is
tortuous and at places dangerous At
ono point 1t twists sharply to the left
- vessel enters and naval officers
cay that 1t might become necessary at
eome stages Of the tide for q warship
70 come almost II not quite, to a full
sop as she made the turn Shore bat.
tories line both sides Of the channel
and . vessel running II would afford
target that even a Spanish gunner
could not fall To hit