Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-03
TROUBLE FOR SPAIN.
TUESDAYS SMELLING AT SANTIAGO,
UNCOyERING THE BATTERIES.
The COLON STRUCK FULL And FAIR.
Fire of the American Fleet Rapid
and Accurate-Great Damage Must
Have been Done 10 the Spanish
Forts.

an hour yesterday afternoon the Massa
chusetts, Iowa, New Orleans, and Vixen
Of Commodore SchIey's squadron, ex
changed shots with the Spanish fee
under Admiral Cervera, and with the lane
batteries guarding the harbor Of Santiago
de Cuba, behind which the Spanish flee
is hiding.
The engagement was the first which has
occurred between the two naval forces
and was but prelude TO serious work tho
latter part of the week No attempt was
! made by the American commander tC
bring on a general engagement, it being
his desire TO locate the batteries in the
hills about the harbor, and TO obtain the
position OF the Spanish forts.
Shortly before l o'clock Commodore
| Schley left the Brooklyn for the Massa-
chusetts. on board Of which battleship
he remained during the firing. AT
| O'Clock the signal To form column
was hoisted on the Massachusetts, and
| the New Orleans. Iowa, and Vixen fell
| In in the order named The Massachu-
| sets steamed slowly until about five mics
! west of The harbor entrance, when she
| turned in toward the shore, and when
| about 1909 yards off, turned east again.
| and bore down on the harbor, the New
| Orleans being close up and the Iowa nalf
a mile behind.
THE BALL OPENED.
The flagship gradually increased her
speed and was soon running through the
water at the rate of ten knots an hour.
She drew closer and closer to the bate
ries, and 20 the anxious watchers on the
other ships il seemed that she would
never open fire. When however she had
passed the harbor entrance by five hun
dred yards, a great cloud of white and
yellow smoke burst from the two l3-inch
guns in her after turret, and two shells
rose over the hill. one of them striking
the Spanish flagship Cristobal Colon full
and fair, as she lay at her anchorage,
and the other falling close alongside.
The two guns on the forward turret were
then fired, and their shells in exploding
threw up great jets of spray close TO
the Colon.
All the shore batteries took up the
challenge, and began a rapid fire on the
Massachusetts,, but she was soon beyond
their range, and the batteries thereupon
turned their guns on the New Orleans.
This cruiser had been directed to pay at
tention to the batteries, and to draw their
fire as much as possible, and she obeyed
her instructions TO the letter. Her first
shot located a large battery on the bill
above Moro. IL flew straight into the
Notifications, and must have caused much
damage, as a great cloud Of aust and
debris rose as the shell burst. A couple
more shots sent part of the walls OF MORO
flying into the air, and then the New
Orleans confined herself to the batteries,
her fire being rapid and extremity accu=
rate. Every shot she fired made trouble
for Spain.
COLON NOT MICH HURT.
The Iowa came next, and, like the
Massachusetts, devoted her attention TO
the ships lying within the harbor. Her
Pinch shells made the water fly all
around that part of the harbor in which
the Cristobal Colon lay. The latter, how
ever, vas not seriously damaged, and
kept up her fire until long after the
American ships steamed out Of range.
After the Iowa came the little Vixen,
which apparently had no business in
fight where battleships were engaged,
but she scudded along after the Iowa
like a fox-terrier following a mastiff, and
when at the proper point she let fly with
her one 6-pounder and glided away
proudly conscious OF having done her
best. After the Vixen had passed the
Notifications the Massachusetts, turned
again to the westward, followed by the
other ships in the same order, with the
exception of the Vixen, formerly the |
yacht Josephine. which was ordered 10 !
keep out Of trouble.
The ironclads bore down on the harbor |
once more. The flagship kept in until |
less than 1000 yards from the shore and !
then her shells again began TO heaye up |
the waters of Santiago harbor. This |
time the shore batteries were better |
served, and the Spaniards replied TO the |
warships' fire in energetic fashion. But |
nearly all the shots from the batteries |
fell short. Then came the New Orleans |
once more, her long, black guns doing |
fearful work and tearing up the ground |
all around the batteries in the most |
savage manner.
The Spaniards dropped shells close to |
the Iowa as she came by for the second
time. sending a stream Of shells into the /
harbor as she did so.
SPANISH FIRE HARMLESS.
7 A. M.-The Spanish ships, with the
exception OF the Cristobal Colon, were
behind the hills, and could not see the
enemy who threw shells around them
with such rapidly, but they knew he
Was somewhere on the other side Of the
hill, and they hopefully raised the muz-
gles of their guns and banged away.
The result was what might have been ex-
fire tore the bottom of the
Caribbean sea, but il harmed nothing
else.
After the Massachusetts had passed
he point where she could fire into the
larbor with advantage, she turned to
he open sea, the other vessels follow
ng her. The fight was over as far as
he Americans were concerned. Spanish
honor, however, demanded that some
ltrther destruction of eunDOWder be
made, and the ships doomed and the bat
cries roared long after the American
-essels were entirely out Of range.
SPANISH SHOOTING LUDICROUS.
The affair soon became ludicrous, as all
he shots fell a long distance from the
,essels at which they were aimed. A
usty man with a basket OF brickbats
would be capable of as much destruc-
ion as the Spaniards seemed capable OF
reating. No ship was struck, and not
sailor was injured, although fully 800
hots were fred by the Spaniards, the
americans firing not over a fourth OF
hat number.
1t is likely that the latter part of the
week will see more serious work. The
ynamite cruiser Vesuvius is coming
own. and an attempt will be made by
er to explode the triple row Of mines
extending across the harbor mouth.
With these out Of the way Commodore !
chley will sail into the harbor for a
with the fleets and bat
cries.
Death of Mrs. waller.
Mrs. Sallie f. Waller died yesterday
Forming at the residence of her husband.
Ir George C. Waller S02 west Marshall | :