Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-19
MORRO'S FLAG FALLS.
HoBsox AND PALMER ENTER THE
HARBOR, LOOKING FOR MINES.
SCHLEY TAKES 4 LOOK At SANTIAGO.
Spanish batteries Lose Their Awe
Inspiring Appearance on Close In
spcction-The Maria Teresa Amos,
Sure TO he Saved.

| CAV i<hbC II D<t, july IL, s 4. NJ.
! via PLAYA DEL ESTO. PROVINCE OF
r SANTIAGO DE CUBA, July II, delayed
in transmission).-- AT exactly O'Clock this
morning the Spanish flag was lowered
from the STAFF crowning the heights upon
which battered MORO Castle spreads IT.
self. The lowering of this emblem OF the
, defunct sovereignty of Spain in this part
Of the world was witnessed by a few
Spanish and American troops on shore
and by the Brooklyn, New York, Vixen,
and Vesuvius lying within few hundred
yards of the harbor entrance
Almost Immediately after the flag was
hauled down steam launches, commanded
by Lieutenants Hobson and Palmer en-
tered the harbor penetrating as far as tho
firing station OF the submarine mines.
These mines were judged to be not so
formidable as expected and later In the
afternoon they were all exploded under
the supervision Of the Vixen.
III was seen that two mines had been
exploded at the time of the entrance OF
the Merrimao into the channel of Santiago
hasbor, but II is not thought probable
mat either Of them had anything to do
with the sinking Of the craft.
| 'shsc <'CA
Six or seven fine steamers in the harbor
fall as prizes TO the navy and army. The
Spanish gunboat Alvarez had already
been taken possession of by a prize crew
| from the New York. The other vessels
lie at the other end of the harbor at San
| tiago proper.
Soon after noon Commodore Schley.
| with Captain Cook, on the BROOKLYN:
| Lieutenant J. H. Sears. the flag Iieuten-
| ant. Lieutenant
rotary, and three invited correspondents
or the Associated Press, went into the
harbor on a steam launch, which moved
slowly In order to make close observation
| or the Spanish forts and batteries.
Every one expressed satisfaction at the
fact that MORO Castle was not demolish-
! ed by the bombardment Captain Cook
| saying: We need Ell MORO as an object
| lesson, and America is rather shy on
| ruins, anyhow"
| The Old fort stands on the bluff. terrace
, fashion. From the waters edge TO the
brow beetling cliff there are huge caves
| formed by the action of the waves. and
around the base and in the superstructure
are not a Few caves made by the navv's
projectiles. II would appear. however.
that only one bastian was knocked TO
pieces. while the queer little sentry boxes.
eating back TO the sixteenth century. es-
capped almost intact
MORO Castle Is the only imposing forti-
iicatlon in the harbo4p pad it is only so in
appearance, since nor gun is mounted
within or on the crumbled walls. In fact.
all the batteries, masked and open. dwin-
died in their terror-inspiring qualities as
the inspection grew closer.
Growing the hill on the west side OF the
entrance were the famous 6-inch rapid-Gre
guns from the Spanish cruiser Relna Mer-
cedes. These were ugly-looking, and dan
gerous while below. On brick foundations
on the western shore of the entrance were |
some revolving guns. These were the
ones which poured such a bitter fire into
the Merrimac
directly east Of MORO Castle, on the |
crest of the plateau-like cliff, were six big !
guns, one or two OF which were dis |
mounted.
FAMOUS CAYO SMITH.
the Estrella battery and a small neigh
Dor further in showed TO guns. while the |
famous Cayo Smith filled the inlet with
blue, white, and yellow houses situated in
groves of Towering trees. some of the
buildings looking as If they had been the
resorts or pleasure-seekers in happier
times. Others were humble enough I'm ap-
pearance for hshermens houses. All were
deserted, and, strange to say not one
apparently, nod been touched by a hostile
proiectile.
on the inside Of the slope and hill to the
westward some hastily constructed. but
very comforting easements were seen.
into which the Spanish gunners were wont
TO retire when our ships opened fire. when
the firing ceased the gunners only had a
few steps to climb to their 6-inch rapid
FIRE guns, which almost always fired a
few spiteful farewell shots.
AT Punta Gorda there were two 4-jnch
guns, one above the other, neither pro-
tected by even sand or earth. These com
manced the harbor entrance pretty well,
but they could have been silenccd by one
heavy shell.
Commodore Schley has over and over
again expressed the belief that our fleet |
could probably have entered the harbor
without the loss OF a single ship. The
mines might have stopped ingress by sink !
ing the leading ship. But this is the {
chance Of war, and not so grave as many {
iaken during the civil strife, nor as seri- {
)us as would have been the situation had c
here been good batteries, properly man q
ned, In the harbor. '
WRECK OF THE MERCEDES. I
Commodore Schley's party first steamed /
lround the wreck of the Reina Mercedes. s
which lies with her bow pointed toward v
he city. She had list to starboard and I
'ested on reef near the foot of MORO b
'lif. The cruiser was sunk TO the upper {
ieck. on which one 6-inch gun remained S
)ne torpedo-tube was loaded, and the n
auxiliary battery seemed in place Evil
ently the crew Of the Reina Mercedes |
eft her in a hurry. This Is less TO be
at, when 1t is noted that there II
we're great gaps in her sides, showing u
where two u and two 13-inch shells had y
truck her.
The sea washed gently through the ar j
err cabin Of the cruiser, which was deco o
ated In old-fashioned style, and the wind ri
uttered a red silk curtain, which could
e plainly seen over an inner door, as the d
lunch steamed by. b
About coo yards ahead OF the Rena in
lercedes and almost in line with her m
'as the wreck of the Merrimac lying in "
llly six fathoms OF water, on the very m
dye of the channel. W
Had not the current swung the doomed
hip alongside instead of athwart the
hannel, the latter would have been well
locked. When Assistant Naval Con- r
ructor Hobson took the collier into the
arbor he was hunting for four-fathom
Dot, and only missed by few hundred
ards. 10
At the firing stations on the west side, be-
hich Commodore Schley inspected in p
arson, the American party met a Span nj
h artillery captain, who was courteous w
It gloomy. Commodore Schley was his In
gn interpreter and advised the officer, a
it'll the few men under his command in
go up TO the city and surrender as pa
lickly as possible. liz
SCHLEY'S INVESTIGATION. lii
When the Spanish captain was asked =.