New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-19
VIEWING NTIAGO HA RBOR.
COMMODORE sCHLEY, INsPEcTs ITS DE-
FENCES.

FENCES.
Under M5rro Castle. Harbor OF Santiago de
Cuba, July Il, 3 p. m. via Playa del Este, Prov
lnce OF Santiago de Cuba, July II delayed in
Transmiss!on). AT exactly 0 o'clock this morning
the Spanish fag was lowered from the stan
crownlng the heights upon which battered MORO
Castle spreads half way The lowering OF this
emblem Of the defunct sovereignty Of Spain in
this part OF the world was witnessed by few
Spanish and American troops on shore and by
the Brooklyn. the New-York. the Vixen and the
Vesuvius. lying within & few hundred yards OF
the harbor entrance.
Almost Immediately after the Gag was hauled
down steam launches commanded by Lieuten-
ants Hobson and Palmer entered the haroor.
penetrating as far as the firing station Of the
submarine mines These mines were judged TO
be not as formidable as expected, and, later In
the afternoon they We're all exploded under the
supervision OF the officers Of the Vixen.
1t was seen that two mines had been exploded at
the time OK the entrance Of the Merrimac into
the channel OF Santiago Harbor but 1t is not
thought probable that either Of them had any
thing to do with the sinking Of the craft
PRIZE STEAMERS IN THE HARBoR-
Six or seven fine steamers in the harbor fall
|
gunboat Alvarez had already been taken pos
session Of by a prize crew from the New-York.
The other vessels lie at the other end Of the
harbor at Santiago proper.
Soon after noon Commodore Schley, with
Captain Cook OF the Brooklyn: Lieutenant J. H.
Sears the flag lieutenant; Lieutenant b. w.
Wells the flag secretary. and three invited cor
RESPONDENTS OF The Associated Press went into
the harbor In a steam launch, which moved
slowly in order to make close observation OF the
Spanish forts and batteries.
Every. one expressed satisfaction at the fact
that Moro Castle was not demolished BY the
bombardment Captain Cook saying:
We need FL Moro object-esson. and
America is rather shy on ruins, anyhow
The old fort stands on the bluff. terrace fash
ton From the waters edge TO the brow OF the
beetllng cliff there are huge caves formed by
the action OF the waves. and round the base
and in the superstructure are not few caves
made by the Navy's projectiles. 1t would ap-
pear however, that only one bastion was
knocked to pieces. while the queer little sentry
boxes dating back to the sixteenth century,
escaped almost intact
CRUMBLING MoRRO CASTLE
MORO Castle is the only imposing fortifca-
ton in the harbor. and IT is only so in appear
anca. since not a gun is mounted "ltHIH vi oii
the crumbled walls In fact. all the batteries.
masked and open dwindled In their terror-in-
spirine qualities as the inspection grew closer.
Growing the hill on the west side or the en-
trance were the famous 6-inch rapid-fre guns
from the Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes.
These were ugly looking and dangerous. and
below on brick foundations, on the western
shore Of the entrance. were some revolving
guns These were the 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 dismounted
The Estrella Battery and a small neighbor
fu .thcr in showed no guns while on the famous
Cay Smith were seen blue. white and yellow
houses situated in groves Of Towering trees,
some OF the buildings looking as II they had
been the resorts OF pl,asure-seekers In happier
times Others were humble enough In appear
ance for fishermens houses. All were deserted.
and. strange to say not one, apparently. was
touched by hostile projectile.
On the inside Of the slope and hill to the west
ward some hastily constructed but comfortable
easements were seen. into which the Spanish
gunners were wont TO retire when the American
ships opened FIRE. When the firms ceased, the