Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-05-21

Il am greatly re5oiced at the safe ar
rival of the Spanish feet .at Santiago de
Cuba. It is an immense triumph for. the
Spanish navy. The sailors who executed
the movement and those who planned 1t
are worthy of all praise"
CITY OF SANTIAGO De CUBA.
1t II One. of the Most stronasy Forti-
aed Places ON the Entire
Island,
Santiago de Cuba. bay, which is said to
harbor the Spanish armada, Is as nearly Inn
pregnable to assaults from the sea as Is
Havana. Two hills that look as II nature
had intended that they SHOULD meet. end
precipitately within 800 feet Of each other at
the entrance to the harbor.. One may stand
on one side OF the channel and converse
with another on the other side.. Z. ,..
1t is of narrower width than the entrance
to Havana bay. The points widen gradually
for 800 yards and then the, eye gets full
sweep of the blue bay that seems. to sleep
like a tired child. Just how many guns
there are at the entrance no one but those
in Spain's naval employ has accurate
knowledge. -.a----,
In 1885 two immense Krupp guns were
landed and added to Moro castle. At the
time Chicago Times-Herald man was
there, and Consul Hyatt Informed him
that there were as many cannon inside the
fort then as Grant used in shelling Vicks-
burg. Many of them are Of ancient make,
however,
Moro castle guards the sea. A tower $50
IN
which there are always observers with far
reaching glasses Just across the channel
from Moro Is an unfinished castle that In
an emergency could be utilized. Blanca bat
fery is located inside the bay and has sorne-
thing like twenty cannon. 81, f.a
- battery Il Well Manned. :3asy
This battery was placed there in 1865. and
intended for use in the event Of a local up
rising against the crown. Its numerical
strength in the way of officers and men Is
about 1000 Military camps are just to the
north of Blanca battery. where at most sea.
sons a body of from 5000 TO 5000 troops II
always stationed. A%.,s 81 i
The city Of Santiago de Cuba Is some sil
or seven miles from the entrance to the
hay. 1t is built on hillsides and is laid 'oua
IN irregular style. Narrow streets wind In
and about, seeming to start from nowhere
dt
dll spots on the island Santiago is the mos,
TO be despised by persons fearing unhealthy
climate, lazy men. insulting soldiers. greedy
priests and treacherous stilettos. Such
conditions abound throughout all the city'i
ramifications.
Looking out toward the sea from one ol
the most prominent eminences in the city,
Mr.. Hyatt remarked one day: "As DR.
Ben Jonson once said. God Almighty in His
Infinite wisdom and superlative strength
might have made a better berry than tht
strawberry. but He never did, which re,
minds me that the same power that makes
Strawberries might have. If He had wished
made more veritable saturnalia OF vic,
and crime than Santiago. but l haven
heard of His doing it."
Place of Great Storms.
The Caribbean sea. whose waters wash
the hillsides in and about the city, is. tht
mother of storms. There is ever the dul
roar of the sobbing discomfort of the wa
tiers. The sea air is not refreshing. 4
blows upon the Santiagans and induce
lethargy and drunkenness. American tour
lists never remain in such waters longe
than necessary. IF
For an American feet to lombard tn
city it would first have to silence the gun
of Moro. which could only be done by tn
demolition of the castle. And this woul
be difficult. The castle is made of ston
dug from the mountains thereabout. TIL
thickness of the walls protecting the gun
varies from fifteen to forty feet. Some o
the cannons are supplied with disappearing
apparatus. The big ones are stationary.
It was said by member of Consul Hy
ats stan that twenty shots could b
simultaneously thrown distance of twelv
miles. The guns are SO arranged that the
can be pointed in any direction seawart
The castle resembles some andquate
church cathedral. 1t rises up fifty fec
above the earth, and its interior mechar
ical arrangements are such that guns ma
be lifted to the roof, where better range
obtained.
Many Subterrnncan Cells.
The castle contains subterranean cell
narrow and gloomy passageways. wher
sounds of ever dripping water never leay
the cars of those imprisoned there. TIL
capacity of the prison is about LOCO. TT
full complement of naval officers. militsf
commandants and men is about 200.
Communication between the governor
Office. which is located some distance ava,
is of hourly occurrence. even during time
OF peace. There may be political as well {
military prisoners. Passes to the fortifici
tons are never given TO those not Direct
connected with the crowns service.
The bay spreads out, muking V-like el
trance to the land. The waters are alwa,
calm and placid. They are too far ava
from the conyulsive sea to be affected. Tt
aristocracy of the city sometimes sail abo,
In the basin In dingy colored yachts, ar
20 home with empty stomachs. The aro.r
from the accumulated filth that daily fin,
its way to the bottom of the bay Is sicl
enipg.
1t is reported and even written of
Spanish history that many hundreds
years ago there was an earthquake
Santiago that killed all the fish in the ba
The stranger visiting the. place, would N
dispute the statement. uttyould natural
ask why they had not as yet been tax,
out and burned. -'-''---.--. . '-ys1. @ :
An American feet sailing toward SAM
80 could not observe the fort or the noun
sins surrounding them until within ri
shot distance. The atmosphere is alwa
heavy and hard for the eye to psnetrai
Indeed. 1t is difficult to distinguish ,objec
a. hundred yards away. "A ,slckly gre
hnziness pervades the air. Sound -trav,
until II is lost far away. but the lines
vision are circumscribed. It Is suppos
that nature intended this as wise pl
vision that the rascality Of one could q
be observed by his neighbor.
Important in History.
Historically, Santiago de Cuba cuts