The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-08
FIRE ON OUR WARSHIPS
THE HORNET AND DUPONT UN.
SHEATHE THEIR STINGS.
AND SOON SCATTER THE sPANlARDs
Our War Vessels then Shell the Matanz,
Fertilization, Which at First Belched lead
Flame, But Were Finally Effect
naIlY Silenced.


Key West Fla. May THE torpedo
boat Dupont came in tonight and re-
ported sharp engagement off Matanzas
last night and this morning. The Du-
pont and the auxiliary cruiser Hornet
were cruising near the shore last night
and when about six hundred yards from
land were fired upon by body of cav
airy, about 200 strong, which was spread
along the shore on the lookout for tilibus-
tiers. According to the DupOnts story.
both the United States vessels returned
the fire, scattering the Spanish troops
and then bombarded the MatanZas forti-
fications. These were in the nature Of
sand block houses, nine in number. The
bombardment lasted from to $3.50
o'clock. The Dupont men say that their
shells toppled over the barbados in
course of erection. and are sure that
many of the Spanish soldiers were kill
ed. as they afterward saw wagons TAX
ing away dead or wounded. The survi-
vors fled to the hills.
This morning the Matanzas fortified
tions opened fire. sending three eight
inch shells at the Dupont and Hornet
They were line shots, but the boats had
got out of range. The Dupont and
Hornet then resumed the bombardment
and continued it until half past eight
o'clock. The Dupont men think they
have effectuaIly silenced what the big
fleet left of the Notifications there. and
that in the two engagements the two
boats fired about two hundred shots.
The cruiser Montgomery, Captain Con
verse is the first ship of the American
squadron to acquire the distinction OF
capturing two prizes in one day, which
she did yesterday. The captives are
the Frasquito and the Lorenzo, both
small boats of no great value as com
pared with the big steamers taken dur
ing the first days of the war.
The Montgomery was cruising about
fifty miles off Havana, when the Fras-
quito, two master, came bowling along
toward the Cuban capital. When the
yellow flag of the enemy was sighted, the
helm was swung in her direction and q
blank shot was put across her bows. The
Spaniard wisely hove to, and the Gus
tomary prize crew was put on board.
They found that the FrasquitO was
bound from Montevideo for Havana.
with cargo of jerked beef. She is of
about 40 tons register, and halls from
Barcelona. The prize crew took her to
Havana waters. and the Annapolis as
signed the cutter Hamilton to bring her
into Key West
A few minutes afterward the Mont
gomery encountered the Lorenzo, a
Spanish bark, bound from Barcelona to
Havana with a cargo of dried beef.
She was taken just as easily, and Ensign
Osborn brought her over here this morn
ing.
Commodore Rooney to-day formally
hoisted his flag on the Miantonomoh.
and the ships in the harbor gave him a
commOdore's salute of thirteen guns.
Some apprehension was felt here
through the day when brisk ''norther
arose, but late this afternoon after a
sharp but short squat, the skies clear
ed and the wind moderated so that ship
ping may safely navigate the gulf to-
night.
Ever since the blockade of the Cuban
ports was established, the only real APP
prehension that has been felt for the
safety Of the feet has been due to the
POSSIBILITY Oh a. SlOTllI WHICH might INV
some of the smaller ships on the coast
of Cuba. They are on a lee shore. with
every harbor ON the coast in the posses
sion of the enemy, and more than one
naval officer has shaken his head as he
limited at the possibility of another Sa-
moan disaster The only place off the
north coast of Cuba where n refuge
might be found is in the lee of Salt Key
Shoals. about fifty miles northeast OF
Cardenas.
The larger ships could easily weather
any storm likely to rage at this season
The principal danger would be for the
torpedo boats, which are not built to
withstand heavy weather at sea.
The light draught gunboats like the
Wilmington and Helena, which draw
nine feet each, and the Castine, Annapo-
lis and Vicksburg, which draw twelve
feet, are like can buOys when their nat
ches are battened down. and their ma
chinery is heavy enough to keep them OIL
shore in anything short oof Il hurricane
WILL. SUPPORT SPAIN ~