The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-11
gJNB|)AIS N ACTION
Nice Little Game of Hide-and-
Seek at Cardenas.
TWO VERSIONS SENT OUT
Neither is Complimentary to
Spanish Tactics.

4 New 4OTk, May IVA OASPGtNAA ~ N1AO
World from Key West says:
The torpedo boat Winslow engaged three
Spanish gunboats off Cardenas bay Sun
day afternoon. She disabled one and came
out unscratched.
Lieutenant Bernard. Ensign Bagley and
the men Of the Winslow thought odds Of
three TO one fair and their one-pounders
a match for the Spanish aggregation Of
six-pound rifles. 1t was brilliant minor
| engagement.
The Wlnslow and the gunboat Machias
were on the blockade off Cardenas yes
terday. The harbor is thickly strewn with
mines and torpedoes. In the entrance TO
the channel three small gunboats have
been bottled up since the beginning of the
war. Occasionally they have stolen OUT
towards the sea, but never venturtng be-
yond the inner harbor, running like rab-
bits at the sight of American ships. Tor
pedo boats have tried 10 draw the enemy
out, but they came out as far as safety
allowed, scouting about within full sight
of the city. A few days ago buoy was
moored by the Spaniards inside the en-
II dIlCo VI t4lC Ddy " main I1io POoiNiOAA
for entrance of the gunboats. A signal
station on the shore opposite was in
structed to notify the gunboats inside
when the torpedo boats were within the
limit distance marked by the buoy.
The scheme was that the gunboats
could run out. open fire at the one-mile
range thus marked off for them and re-
treat without the chance OF being cut off.
The men OF the Winslow eyed this buoy
and guessed itg purpose. On Sunday
afternoon the Machias stood away to
eastward for a jaunt, and the Winslow
was left alone to maintain the blockade.
The Winslow steamed in nearly to the
range buoy when three gunboats slipped
their cables and ran TO their safety limit
Three six-pounders were trained at 5000
yards. In few minutes shore signals told
the Spaniards that the torpedo boats were
within range.
The three six-pounders cracked and
three shells threw waterspouts around the
Wlnslow. But She was not struck. In
stead Of running away she drove ahead.
attacking the boats.
Lieutenant Bernardo no sooner saw the
guns than he gave the word and the two
forward one-pounders dropped shells in
the middle of the hotilla- On plunged the
Winslow TO within 1900 yards of the gum
boats, while the row raised by the fire
OF the one-pounders was like rafting
tattoo. The Spanish were apparently
staggered at this fierce onslaught single
handed and fired wildly.
The Winslow was now swung around
broadside 10 bring her two afterguns to
bear as the Spanish feet scattered and
lost formation The Winslow soon man
euvered so TIA: she was peppering at all
three gunboats at once. The sea was very
heavy, and the torpedo boat rolled SO
heavily that it was impossible to do good
gun practice from her decks. but the
rapidly of her fire and remarkable ef-
fectiveness of her fire under the circum
stances demoralized all three of her OPP
ponents, which, after the Winslow had
fired about fifty shells, began to gradually
to work back toward the shelter of the
harbOr.
They were still hammering away with
their six-pounders, but after the first fire,
we're wild. Several shells passed over the
Winslow, and one exploded within one
hundred feet astern.
At last a one-pound she'll from the Win
slow struck the hull of the gunboat Pin
IONA a little after midships. apparently
exploding on the inside The Winslow
men yelled. The Pinzona stopped, evil
IDENTIFY disabled. while one Of her comrades
went to her assistance.
BY this time the Spanish boats had re-
treated nearly into the position where
they could not be followed because Of
mines The Pinzona got under way slowly
and hmped homeward with the help of
a towline from her consort. During this
episode the Machias had returned. and
when within the two-mile range let fly
the Spanish flight. The 1otina managed
to creep back into Cardenas harbor in
safety.
This is the hottest encounter Of the war
in Cuban waters up to date. although It
was in m.nture. SO TO speak.