The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-19


The other ships, in succession, vii
sweep the entrance Of the harbor anc
the channel leading into the anchorage
with searchlghts to keep the torpedo
boat destroyers from coming out.
In case the enemy should attempt
to escape from the port, fire is to be
concentrated on the leading ship
Should the attempt be made at night
the searchlights in use are TO be trained
on her bridge and coming tower, and
are TO be held there"
The fleet assembled off San Juan
about O'Clock on Thursday last and
prepared for battle, stripping the decks
and getting the guns, ammunition and
appliances for handling the wounded
ready.
SPANIARDS SURPRISED.
Rear Admiral Sampson had trans
ferred his flag to the Iowa, and the at
tack on the forts began at 5:15 and
lasted three hours Although it was
known at San Juan that the American
fleet was near, the Spaniards appar-
/ emily kept no outlook. The soldiers in
the forts and the people in the town
were fast asleep when our warships
/ approached.
It was not yet broad daylight, and
the coast of the island was yelled in
an unusual haze. \ range of broken
/ hills came almost down to the ocean,
and, further inland, making a sharp
I line against the sky, rose tall range
of mountains. Overhead the sky was
I a deep blue. \ ten-knot easterly breeze
was blowing and a long. heavy swell
/ gave a graceful motion to the sea. The
plans of the admiral were thoroughly
carried out.
The fleet steamed majestically into
the harbor and in due course of time
opened a tremendous fire on the forth
/ ficatiOns. Three times the w2rshipS
made the circuit outlined in the Of
fetal plan. The forts withstood the
! first round, but the Montgomery, from
her station near Fort Canaelo, wrought
destruction. With glasses the officers
( of the Montgomery could see the &C.
/ cupants Of the forts jumping over the
walls and running away. The Detroit,
which went nearest to Morro. had 10
! train her guns at a high angie. Her
shots directed at the north side of the
MORO, cut deep burrows in the face Ui
/ the Notifications.
The Iowa leading the fleet, delivered
/ her deadly missiles with great accu-
! racy upon MORO northern walls. The
/ rest OF the feet fired in order first on
( MorrO and then or san Carlos, accora-
/ ing TO position.
/ On the second round the Spanish
! gunners were thoroughly awakened and
stood by their guns. bravely keeping
Z UP a furious but ainless fire. From
/ their Notifications and high elevations
I they had a splendid opportunity to
/ cripple our feet, but they seemed to
! fire as if only DESTROYS of emptying
their magazines.
From the Associated Press dispatch
boat we could see the American shells
fall among the forts and the troops of
the garrison, raising clouds of dust and
causing fires to break out. 1t was
hoped the Spanish fleet would emerge
from the harbOr as soon as the firing
began, and a feeling of deep disappoint-
ment spread through the fleet when
the scouts reported that the harbor
was clear.
EXHIBITION OF RECKLESSNESS
At the end of the third round the
monitor Terror failed to understand the
CrGer to withdraw. ana enEdgtu ..Io. 10
Castle alone for half an hour. As seen
from the dispatch boat of the Associ-
ated Press. which occupied a grand
stand position, the squatty little mon
itor. in tackling the towering fort, was
making magnificent display Of dar-
ing. The Terror moved in as if she
intended to ram the Spanish forts, and
the Spanish gunners evidently became
very much excited at her behavior for
they fired very rapidly and without
taking aim, and the Terror was not
touched. From the dispatch boat every
shot fred by the Spaniards could be
seen The flash and smoke of the
batteries were followed by great splash
ing hundreds Of feet from the Terror
The shells of the Spaniards, on expIod-
ing, would fling columns of water 60
feet into the air.
The battle was intensely interesting,
hut il was not 50 exciting as had been
expected. The Spanish aim was so as
toundingiy bad that absolutely no shot
fell near the ships.
While the Spanish fired volleys which
hid them in smoke, followed a few sec
onds later by the geyser-like spouting
and splashing not dangerously near the
Terror, shouts derisively went up from
the crew Of the dispatch boat standing
in her bow. The officers and reporters
on the dispatch boat viewed the bonn
bardment through marine glasses from
the TOD Of the pilot house. The heavy
swell somewhat affected the aim OF the
gunners of the Terror, and some OF her
shots struck the sea in front of the
fbrts Finally the Terror seemingly
got tired, and slowly withdrew, firing
as she steamed away
Then the Spaniards became almost
frantic with excitement and blazed
away al the monitor until she was long
out of range.
DAMAGE TO THE FLEET.
After the battle the Associated Press
dispatch boat went among the fleet to
inspect the damage done. The sailors
we're calmly cleaning the decks and
polishing the guns. On board the Iowa
q boat was struck and caught fire, an
exhaust pipe was dented, the bridge
railing was shattered, and three men
were slightly wounded. All this was
done by a lonely shell which struck the
Iowa
One shell which exploded on the New
York killed a man, wounded four 9TH
ers, shattered two searchlights, spin
tered q cutter, tore three holes in a
ventilator and broke small davit
ann. Pieces of this shell were gathered
up for souvenirs, but there We're not
enough pieces to so around. The New
York was hit oaly once.
When the dispatch boat of the AS
ISOLATED Press left the vicinity of San
Juan for the island of ST. Thomas with
the dispatch describing the engagement,
the fleet was preparing to bury the
dead. In addition to the man killed on
board the New York, a gunner's mate
on board the monitor Amphitrite died
from the effects Of the heat
OF the New York's four wounded
men, only two were seriously enough |
Injured to call for their transfer to the |
hospital ship Solace, which subsequent
ly Joined the feet.
IN al $50 shots We're fired during the |
bombardment. The cable operator at |
San Juan cabled to the operator at st. !
Thomas early in the morning OF the |
18th, announcing that a vigorous bonn |
bardment of the capital was in prog |
ress, adding that he was going to take |
to the woods. 1t is considered probable |
thaI most OF the Inhabitants of the |
Df1no followed his fled |
from the city soon after they were |
z Wakened BIZ The Iowa,s FIRST nrnadsida |