Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-06-03
His Fire Directed at Moro Castle
and Other Batteries and the
!. Spanish Ships.
All the Advantage, 1t Is Said,
Seems to Have Been with the
American War Vessels.
The Story Comes in Meager Dis
patches from Cape Hayden
and Port au Prince.
No Omctal News of the Engagement
Reaches Washington, and Re-
port Is Discredited There.

Cape Haytien, Hayti, June 1.-Advices
from Havana say that since two o'clock
Tuesday afternoon the American fleet
at Santiago de Cuba has been cannon
aiding the batteries of Moro Castle, La
Zacapa and Punta Carda. At the same
time, it is added, the American ships
have been engaged with the Spanish
warships. The firing was extremely
heavy. AT 3:45 p. m. the cannonading
became less heavy against the fortifi-
cations, but was more accentuated in
the locality where the fleets We're en-
gagged.
The cable is still working from San
tiago. Private messages intimate that
there has been severe fight between
the American fleet and the outer for
tifications and the Spanish feet. The
fight lasted the greater part of the aft
ernoon. The advantage appears to have
been with the Americans. According
to the latest advices the combat is still
In progress.
Persons who climbed Lookout noun
tain, at the entrance of Cape Haytien
harbor, Monday morning, declare that
they heard cannonaaing, low, but dis
tinct, to the west and to the north be-
yond Tortuga island.
MORO Castle is at the entrance of the
harbor of San tiago de Cuba; La Zacapa,
also shown on the maps as Lazecapa
castle, is short distance inside the har-
Dor entrance, and Punta Carda is stu
ated on point well inside the harbor
of Santiago de Cuba, showing that the
American fleet has entered the harbor,
according to the Havana advices via
Cape Haytien, and has engaged the
Spanish fleet in those waters.
From Spanish Source.
According to advices from Spanish
source, IA American warships and two
torpedo boats We're engaged in the COM
bat at Santiago. Avery careful fire was
directed against the batteries of MORO
Castle, until 3:46 p. M, when discharges
of cannon began to be heard at sea off
the port. These discharges continued
until four o'clock and then entirely
ceased. From the Spanish account, it
ii impossible to judge as to the exact
merits Of the encounter.
story from Port Au Prince.
Port au Prince, Hayti, June L.
About two o'clock Tuesday afternoon
an American squadron composed of IA
warships, of which the cruiser New
York displayed the flag of Rear Admiral
Sampson, and a number of torpedo
boats, began bombardment with
heavy guns of the forts and the harbor
OF Santiago de Cuba. The American fire
was directed principally against the
forts and the harbor. The forts of
MORO Castle, La Zocapa and Punta
Carda suffered especially. The cannon
aiding was very persistent and cannot
have failed to be destructive. 1t lasted
until 3:46 p. m. The town, which is sit
uated near the inner end of the harbor,
escaped damage. At 3:45 p. m. the can
nonade diminished. About three
o'clock cannon discharges were heard
at a distance presumably at sea), con-
tinuing for some time, when the firing
ceased completely. The Spanish au-
thorities maintain strict silence as to
the number of victims, who were APP
parently numerous.
Disoredited at Warrington.
Washington, June Naval officials
absolutely disoredit the news from Cape
Haytien to the effect that Commodore
Schley forced the entrance to Santiago
bay and engaged the Spanish fleet in the
harbor. While no official advices have
been received from Commodore Schley
since the battle is reported to have oc.
CURED, the naval officials declare with
positiveness that it is not only improb
able but in the circumstances, almos,
impossible that an attempt should have
been made by the American com
mander to force an entrance to the bay
The latest official advices received
from Commodore Schley were con
tanned In cablegram which came lat,
Tuesday afternoon, and in that the com
modore gives no indication of an in
tentlon to try to enter the harbor o
Santiago. While the contents of the dis
patch were not made public, the bulle
Elm issued upon it by the navy depart
ment, indicates that Commodore Schley
Is still endeavoring to determine JUS
what Spanish vessels are in the harbor
The bulletin follows: Commodore
Schley's feet has sighted another yes
sci of the Vizcaya class in Santiago har-
bor."
The naval officers declare that Schley
would not endeavor to force his way
into the harbor in view of the great
difficulties of navigation which would
have to be surmounted in the effort.
The entrance to the harbor is channel
nearly three-quarters of mile in
length and at one point only about 100
yards wide. While the channel has
plenty of water to float the ships 1t L.
tortuous and at places dangerous. At
one point it twists sharply to the left
as vessel enters, and naval officers say
that it might become necessary at some
stages of the tide, for ship to come
almost, II not quite, to a full stop as she
made the turn. Shore batteries line
both sides Of the channel and vessel
running it would afford a target that
not sven Spanish gunner could fail
TO hit.