The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-09
TWO BOATS N A TRAP.
VICkSbuTg and Morrill, Have
a Close Call.
SAVED BY POOR SHOOTING.
Lursd by a Smack Under the Guns
of a Battery.
FLED FROM THE FIERCE FIRE
Shot Fell All About Them as They
Sought Safety.
1898, by the Associated Press.

Copyright, 1885, by the Associated Press,
Key West, Fla, May S.-Only poor
craftsmanship on the part of the Spanish
gunners saved the Vicksburg and the cut
ter Morrill, from destruction off Havana
yesterday morning.
For over half an hour they were under
the fire Of the guns of the Santa Clara
water batteries. but both escaped without
material injury, although shrapnel shells
from S-inch guns exploded all about them,
and both now show the pitted scars of the
Spanish bullets.
The willy spaniards had arranged a trap
to send a couple of our ships to the bot
tom.
They baited 1t as a man would bait a
trap.
A small schooner was sent out from Ha-
vana harbor shortly before daylight yes
terday morning to draw some OF the
Americans into the ambuscade.
The ruse worked like a charm.
The vichsburg and the Morrill,. in the
heat of the chase and In their contempt
for Spanish gunnery, walked straight into
the trap that had been set for them.
Had the spaniards possessed their souls
in patience but five minutes longer, not
even the bad gun practice would have
saved our ships, and this morning two
more of our vessels would lie at the bot
tom within two lengths of the wreck OF
the ill-starred Maine.
Friday evening the vicksburg and the
Morrill,, cruising to the west Of Moro Cas-
tle were fired upon by the big guns of
the Cojimas batteries.
Two shots were fred at the vicksburg
and one at the Morrill,. Both fell short and
both vessels. without returning. the fire,
steamed out Of range.
1t would have been folly TO have done
otherwise.
But, yesterday morning, the Spaniards
had better luck. The schooner they had
sent out before daylight ran off to the
eastward, hugging the shore with the wind
on her starboard quarter.
About three miles east OF the entrance
Of the harbor she came over on the port
tack.
A light haze fringed the horizon and she
was not discovered until three miles Off
the shore. when the Maynower made her
out and signalled the Morrill, and vlcks-
burg
Capt Smith of the Morrill, and Com
mander Lilly of the vicksburg immed-
ately slapped on all steam and started in
pursuit.
The schooner instantly put about and ran
for Morro Castle. On doing so she would.
according to the well-coneeived Spanish
plot, lead the two American warships 6l-
rectly under the guns of the Santa Clara
batteries.
These works are a short mile west Of
Moro, and are part OF the defenses Of
the harbor.
There are two batteries. one at the shore,
which has been recently thrown up. Of
sand and mortar, with wide embrasures for
eight-inch guns, and the other on the crest
Of the rocky eminence, which puts out
into the water Of the Gulf at that point.
The upper battery mounts modern ten
and twelve-inch Krupp guns behind a SIX
foot stone parapet, In front OF which are
twenty feet Of earthworlzs and a betting
Of railroad iron.
This battery Is considered the most for
midsble of Hsvana's defenses, except Nor
ro Castle.
II Is masked and has not been absolutely
located by the American warships.
II is probably due 70 the fact that the
spaniards did not desire to expose It's po-
sltion that the vicksburg ana Morrill, are
now afoat.
The vessels were about six miles from
the schooner when the chase began.
They steamed after her at fun speed.
the Morrill, leading until within a mile and
half OF the Santa Clara batteries.
Commander Smith Of the vicksburg was
the first 70 realize the danger into which
the reckless pursuit had led them.
He concluded it was time to haul of and
sent a shot across the bow OF the schoon-
er. The Spanish skipper instantly brought
his vessel about but while she was still
rolling In the trough OF the sea, with ner
sails aapDing, an eight-inch shrapnel shell
came hurlng through the air from the
water battery, a mile and a half away
II passed over the Morrill,. between the
pilot house and the smoke stack, and cx-