Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1898-08-17
HAVANA SHELLS WARSH|PS
MORRO FIRES ON BLOCKADERs.
Our ships We're Under Orders Not to
Attack, aud Fled Fast for safety
san Francisco Was Damaged
silvia Went Hack.

Key West, Aug, l5.--rhe flagship San
Francisco, the monitor Miantonumah and
the auxiliary yacht Silvia were fired upon
by the Havana batteries shortly before
) o'clock saturday morning. One 10 and
two l2-inch shells struck the san Fran.
/ ciscos stern as she was turning to get
out of range, and tore hole about
foot i'll diameter, completely wrecklng
Commodore Howclls quarters and
smashing his book ease into fragments.
No one was injured, and being under or
ders not to attack the batteries, the ship.
departed as fast as their engines would
carry them.
The flagship and the Silvia lay parallel
to each other, not more than mile from
Moro castle, and separated from each
other by between three els hths and three
quarters OF a mile. The Mantonomah
lay about three quarters OF a mile to the
rear Of the others. All were within range
OF the Spanish batteries, and the tempta
ton WAS too strong for the Spaniards 90
resist.
Morr0 Opened Fire.
The first glmmcr OF dawn was break
ing through the eastern skies when, with.
out an imstant's warning, the lookout on
the flagship saw a jet OF smoke puff from
one OF Morro's big guns. Almost before
he could pull himself together sufficiently
to make report OF the incident 10 and
II inch shells were screaming all around.
la.
emily were grimly in earnest i'll their
last efforts to wreak injury on their too
mighty foe. Shells fell between the San
Francisco and Silvia; some fell short,
few went over them. The flagship sig
nailed the Silvia to get out Of range with.
out delay, and both ships swung around
and made for the sea.
san FranciscO Was struck.
1t was then that the shell struck the
San Franciscos stern. Commodore Howell
was on deck with Captain Leary when the
shell struck. With the utmost speed the
fleet moved out about three miles. Here
the men on the flagship patched up the
ragged hole in the vessels stern. All the
shells fired at the vessel fell around the
ships. One of the Silyia's men stool
calmly on the deck OF the yacht watch in
hand and counted them. Moro castle
fired several oi the missiles, but how
many is not known. The Others came from
two sand batteries near Moro. The firing
lasted 20 minutes.
silvia Went Hack Again.
The one sided engagement had scarcely
ended wncn the men Of the Silvia were
treated to another surprise. The little
yacht gunboat is manned by the New
York naval militia. Her crew had barely
recovered from the excitement when the
flagship called the vessel over and Cap
tain Bellers was given packet of Iyivatc
documents which he vas ordered to take
into Havana under a flag Of truce. The
white flag was hoisted over the Silvia and
she steamed towards the guns which had
just given her such noisy greeting. As
the Silvia approached to within mile
Of Moro the character of the flag floating
from her foremast was discerned and the
castle signallcd: "What is your purpose
TO this the Silvia answered; I'VE have
papers to deliver
Moro did not resume the conversa.
tion, and for some little time the gunhOat
rocked on the waters. almost under the
still smoking cannon of the enemy Pres
emily, however, Spanish gunboat drew
out Of the harbor and came close to the
Silvia. 1t was the Martin y Pinzon, anI
carried a much stronger battery than the
American ship The customary formal
salutdtions were exchanged and Lieuten-
ant W. G.. Ford. the executive officer of
the Silvia. boarded the Pinzon and de.
liyercd the documents. The ceremony
occupied no more time than the physical
act involved The American officer re.
turned to his ship and the vessels went on
their respective ways.