The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-17
Spanish Loss IL Supposed to Have
Been Heavy, but Not an American
ship or Man Was Injured.
5000 PRoJECTILEs FIRED
HALF A MILLION POUNDS OF METAL
THROWN INTO THE FORTS.
Defense Works at Catmanera Also
Seriously Damaged I'm q lombard
ment of an Hour and a Half.
Copyright. 1888. by the Associated Press)

Copyright, 1888. by the Associated Press)
OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA June 16,
ncon on board the Associated Press dis
patch boat Dauntless via Kingston, ia
ulalca, Thursday June 16, Q p m.-RAar
Admiral Simpsons fleet bombarded the bat
teries at Santiago de Cuba for the third
time at daylight this morning. For hours
the ships pounded the batteries at the right
and left Of the entrance. only sparing Ell
Moro. where Lieutenant Hobson and his
companions of the Merrimac are in prison.
The western batteries. against which the
main assault was directed, were badly
wrecked. One was utterly destroyed. In
others many guns were dismounted. At
first the Spaniards replied passionately and
wildly but impotently. Then most of the
guns were deserted. Not ship was struck
nor man injured on the American side 1t
is believed that the enemys loss of life was
heavy.
AS a preliminary to the hammering given
the batteries the dynamite cruiser Vesuvius
last night at midnight was given another
chance Three two-hundred-a fifty pound
charges of gun cotton were sent over the
Notifications at the entrance. The design
was to drop them in the bay around the
angle back of the eminence on which Ell
MORO is situated. where it was known that
the Spanish torpedo boat destroyers were
lying. Two charges struck the water, as no
reports were heard-a popularity of the ex-
plosion of gun cotton in water Whether
\ the destroyers were demolished is not
known, but the destructive area of guncot-
ton Is large. and 1t would not be surprising
II 1t Is subsequently ascertained that one or
both were destroyed The third charge ex-
ploded with terrific violence on Cayo Smith,
From where the fleet lay the entrance to
the harbor looked in the black night like
door opening into the livid fire of a titanic
furlace, A crater big enough to hold
church Was blown out of the side of the
Cayo Smith. and was clearly seen from the
ships this morning
THE ORDER OF BATTLE.
Admiral Sampson issued the orders for the
bombardment last night. Coffee was served
to the men at $3.50 this morning and with the
first blush of dawn the men were called
quietly to quarters The ships steamed in
five-knot speed to ree-thousand-yards
range. when they closed up, broadside on,
until distance of three cable lengths sepa-
rated them. They were strung out in the
form of crescent the heavy fighting ships
In the center, the flagship ON the right flank
and the Massachusetts on the left flank
, %AAS AAAAC StdllOHdry throughout The
bombardment. The Vixen and Scorpion took
up positions on opposite fianks, close inside.
for the purpose of enflading any infantry
that might fire upon the ships.
When the ships got in position it was still
too dark for any firing. The admiral sig
nailed the ships not to fire until the muzzles
or the enemy's guns in the embrasures could
be seen by the gun captains Fifteen min
utes later, at 5:25 a. m, the New York
opened with a broadside from her main
battery, at the works on the east of the en-
trance to the harbor. All the ships followed
In red streaks of flame. The fleet enveloped
IN smoke, pelted the hills, and kicked up
dirt and masonry. 1t was a magnificent
spectacle from where the Dauntless lay.
Though the gun captains had been eau
toned not to waste ammunition but to fire
with deliberation, the fire was so rapid that
there was almost a continuous report. The
measured crash of the big thirteen-inch
guns of the battle ships sounded above the
rattle of the guns of the secondary batteries
like thunder claps above the din of a hurri-
cane. A strong land breeze off the shore
carried the smoke of the ships seaward
while it let down thick curtain in front
Of the Spanish gunners.
The Dons responded spiritedly at first, but
their frenzied, ha'f-crazed fire could not
match the cool nerves, the trained eyes and
skilled gunnery of the American sailors
Our fire was much more effective than in
preceding bombardments. The admirars
ordnance expert had given explicit direc-
tions to reduce the powder charges and to
elevate the guns. so as to shorten the ira
jectory, and thus to secure plunging fire.
AS the shells IN the preceding lombard
ments dropped with the almost straight
trajectories of projectiles with full charges
1t was almost impossible to plant them
They would shoot into the air. encircling
the batteries. owing to the high elevation,
and fall far over the fortifications.
EFFECT OF REDUCED CHARGES.
The effect of the reduced charges was
marvellous. In fifteen minutes one western
battery was completely wrecked. The Mas
sachusetts tore a gaping hole in the en-
placement with a thousand-pound projectile
and the Texas dropped al shell into the
powder magazine. The explosion wrought
terrible havoc. The frame was lifted, the
sides were blown out and shower of debris
few in every direction. One timber carried
out of the side of the battery went tumbling
down the hill. The loss of life must have
been great
The batteries on the east of MORO were
harder to get at. but the New Orleans
crossed the bows OF the New York to with
In FIVE hundred yards of shore and played
tattoo with her long eight-inch rifles. hit
ting them repeatedly, striking gun square
~ muzzle on. lifting it off it's trunions
and sending 1t sweeping somersaults high
in the air.
Several times Admiral Sampson signaled
the ships temporarily to cease firing. IN or
lar IN al ha kn Tn