The record-union., 1898-06-19
PRACTICAL DEMOLITION.
Outer Torti6cations Of Santiago dc
Cuba Are Gone.

OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA, June IL.
9 n m. (per the Associated Press Dis
patch boat Wanda, via Kingston. ia
maica, June 1S, $40 a. m.)-(Copyrignt,
1898, by the Associated Press)-Ihe
weeks campaign in Eastern CUBA mas
resulted in the practical demolltloi o.
the outer Notifications of Santiago de
Cuba in anticipation OF the ar;lVai ol
troops and the occupation OF the me
harbor at Guantanamo, in whlca TO-
day are anchored such magnificent
ships as the Oregon and st. Paui. %
gether with the Marblehead, Dolphin.
Suwanee and eleven other auxillary
gunboats, golfers and press dispatcn
boats, in an average depth Of seventeen
fathoms of water.
The military resistance to the DELI
mite occupation practically ceased SINCE
the bombardment on Wednesday, An
intercepted official report of the SPAN
ish military commandant indicates that
his military resources are exhausted.
His soldiers are now on half rations.
There are supplies only for the remain
der of June. The cOmmandant has
already seized all the private drug sup
plies in order that they might be be-
The close Gordon maintained by the
Cubans about Guantanamo is illus
trated by the fact that official Span
ish communications, sent in duplicate
by land and water, have been inter-
cepted and the Spanish messengers, in
both cases, have been shot by the Gu
bans while attempting to pass the Ines.
For the past three nights there has
fixyn OF in
which the marines hold on the crest cf
the hill near Guantanamo Bay and
over which the American flag floats. AT
dusk volunteers from the warships go
ashore and camp near the hill, to battle,
and, in case of an emergency, the Gu
bans go far. out ini the chaparral in
order to prevent the Spaniards from
stealing a march on the camp.
General Perez, commanding the east
ern division of the insurgent army,
called on Captain McCalla Of the Mar
blehead yesterday and reported that he
had 1900 men, of whom loo would re-
inforce the marines in a few days
Many bands of insurgents are now
gathered along the coast westward to
Santiago. s,5B
The warships have done no firing
since Wednesdays bombardment of the
Notifications of the inner harbor and
the town Of Caimanera.
Since the narrow escape of the Mar
blehead and Texas from destruction by
torpedoes in the channel, greater pre-
cautions have been observed. Both
ships struck contact mines without eX-
ploding them. Each mine contained
forty pounds of gun cotton, sufficient
to destroy any vessel.
The bombardment of Guantanamo
Bay was not so heavy as at Santiago.
but It was very heavy. The Spaniards
fired only five shots and then fed.
Three shots struck near the Marble
head, but none hit her.
The ships steamed within 5000 yards
of the fort before opening fire and then
| fired with great accuracy.
The Texas stopped in the narrow
channel in order to avoid grounding.
| but the Marblehead steamed ahead and
| swung around the south side OF the
| harbor. Her first shots went wild, but
the little Suwanee, which was follow
| ing her. found the range and sent shots
straight into the foundation fort, hurl-
| ing into the air bricks and dust.
! The Texas finished the business, two
of her 12-inch shells reducing the fort
to a picturesque and useless ruin.
| The Marblehead then turned her at
| tention to the barracks and breast
works southwest of the harbor and
speedily demolished them, sending the
Spanish garrison flying for their lives.
| AS the Spaniards ran down the main-
land the ST. Paurs 5-inch guns were
| trained on them and several of the SOL
! diers were seen to fall. The number
of killed and wounded is not known.
| The bombardment lasted an hour and
a quarter and was for the purpose OF
preventing a movement Of spanish
| troops from the town to the fortiiica-
tions. The insurgent forces, which
| have been armed and equipped by cap
! tain McCalla, not only prove to be dar-
! ing scouts, but turn out ITO be brave
| fighters and good shots with the lee
Metford rifles. Our own men are
warm in their praise and look for un
expectedly strong cooperation en the
part of the Cuban army.