The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-02
FALL OF &.
EL MORR0.
Schley's Shells Destroyed
: Spanish Fortress.
H -
A UNION WITH The INSURGENTS
Expected at Any Hour in the
- Conflict at Santiago.
CERVERA WAS NOT THERE.
This Accounts For the Escape OF
s. Our Warships.
A UNION WITH The INSURGENTS
CERVERA WAS NOT THERE.
so SAYS A HAVANA DISPATCH.

The Spanish Account Of the Engagement
Declares That 1t Lasted Only Ninety
Minutes, and That One Of Our Ships Was
Damaged CASTELAR,, the Distin-
guished Spanish Republican, Has Raised
the Ire of the Government bya Published
Criticism Of the Queen Regent.
Port all Prince, Hayti, June 2.-Tha
following details have been received
here from a Spanish source at Havana
of the engagements reported off San
tiago de Cuba:
1.-THE American fleet. consisting of tho
Iowa, Massachusetts, Brooklyn, Texas,
New Orleans, Marblehead, Minneapolis
and another cruiser, in addition to six
small vessels, took up position on
May 81 on the western side of the
mouth of Santiago de Cuba channel,
and the first five vessels opened fire.
The fire of the American feet was
answered by the MORO, Socapa and
Punta Gorda batteries and by tho
cruiser Cristobal Colon.
1.-THE Spanish batteries at first an
swered the fire Of the American squad
ron in lively manner. After 20 min
utes of firing directed in superior
manner upon the part of the American
feet, the Spanish batteries began to
weaken their fire and the American
ships concentrated a violent fire upon
Ell Moro, destroying it completely.
The forts at Socapa and Punta Gorda
fred the last shots.
"The Americans fired projoctiles of
81 centimeters, and the batteries, as
well as the Cristobal Colon, kept up
an incessant responsive fire. Two shots
landed on the afterpart of the Iowa,
causing damage. On the Spanish side
the damage was Insignificant
1.-THE bombardment lasted 80 min
utes, and the American feet retired
with one ship damaged Two shells
were seen to explode on the 1owa's
stern, and there was fire on board an
other battleship. Several projectiles
fell inside the harbor, near the Span
ish warships. The Spanish losses must
have been considerable. Details are
lacking as to the American losses. The
Spaniards pretend to have struck the
American vessels several times, but
this information is accepted here under
reserve.
1.-THE American squadron withdrew
at 6 o'clock in the evening. Yester-
day morning the American squadron
.reappeared off Santiago, but contented
Itself with firing two shots, which are
believed to have been signals agreed
upon with the insurgents, who, num-
bering 5000 or 5000, are said to have
concentrated three or four miles from
Santiago.
"Great events are expected hourly
ut Santiago. The Spanish authorities
have taken the extraordinary precaH-
tions and placed in the narrow pass
ut the entrance of the harbor special
contrivances which will permit the
closing and opening of the port at
will"
The Spanish government, according
TO advices received here from Havana,
intends to cut the cables which con-
meet that city with Key West, If the
other Cuban cables are cut by the
Americans.
The Havana papers, the Same advices
say, publish a dispatch from Madrid
declaring that the Americans intend
to attack Santiago by sea- while the
Insurgents are making an attack by
land, and also to land renforcements
ut Guantanamo, east Of Santiago.
The condition of the population of
Santiago since the beginning of the
blockade has grown rapidly worse, and
1t is now said to be nearly desperate.
Food is very scarce, and the poor pco-
pie are finding it almost impossible
to obtain any because of the enormous
prices. The expectation is general that
Santiago must soon fall into the hands
Of the. Americans.