The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-14
A Spanish TORPEDO BOAT
Attemps to Creep Upon
Our Fleet.
DISCOVERED IN TIME.

~ EhASh SA 81
Search Lights RevaIe. the Stealthy
Enemy-A Fusillade Opened Upon
Her-Her object Defeated. but
Escapes within Santiago Harbor.
Copyright by Associated Press.)
Off Santiago de Cuba, Saturday June
4.-2 p. m, via Kingston, ia, Monday
June 6.-9 a. m.-The firing by the New
| York and the New Orleans, briefly re-
ported last night was directed against
a Spanish torpedo boat destroyer,
probably the Furor or the Pluton. The
character Of the enemy was not def
nitely known until the torpedo boat
Porter found two loaded torpedoes
floating off shore. Neither of them had
been discharged. One sank: but the
other was hauled on board the Porter.
1t exactly fitted the description of the
torpedoes carried by the Pluton and
Furor. 1t is believed the torpedo boat
destroyer escaped. She was seen by the
New Orleans when too far away to do
any damage, and the heavy fire must
have driven her back. When the New
York arrived she would have a time
to stink along the shore and back into
the harbor.
The daring attempt Of the Spaniards,
which was fortunately frustrated by
the vigilance of the New Orleans look
out, is the first instance of its kind
since the beginning of the war. 1t il
Illustrated how hard it is to hit a small
object at night.
Shortly after 10 o'clock, the New Or
leans flashed her private signal. 1t
was answered by the flagship, and in a
few seconds colored lights sprang up
in the darkness from the New Orleans.
They signified that the enemy was in
sight. "a little later she burned an
other colored light. This meant that a
hostile torpedo a was approaching,
although, later, Captain FOlger, of the
| New Orleans, was not certain whether
this was correct. Instantly, the semii-
: circle of blockading ships flashed night
signals. For six or seven miles, east
and west Of the harbor, they twinkled
brilliantly in the darkness and then
went out. simultaneously f1ashes of
fire shot from the New Orleans side.
The New Orleans kept her brilliant
searchlights plying in all directions and
other ships neal her did the same.
On the decks of the New York, the
marines We're crOuched down, peering
lIGO IL odIh llCSS, VIII III lIC oAl
their knees, watching for the sailors
most dreaded enemy-the torpedo boat.
/ The lOOkOutS were in every cOncelVa-
bile spot, and guns were trained in the
! direction where he New Orleans seemed
to be firing. Every now and again
sparks and red fire flew up in the dis
! tance, marking the explosion of shells.
Many persons then thought they We're
I exploding On a torpedo boat, but, today
it is believed that they found their
mark on shore. The moon which had
/ been hidden behind the clouds came out
at about IL o'clock.
The New York was then steaming at
full speed toward the shore to head
off, if possible, the retreat of the enemy
into the harbor. The evolutions had to
be carried on with great care, to avoid
getting in line of fire from the other
American ships. THE search lights
played frequently and private signals
burned brightly. A dim object like a
! small boat enveloped in smoke, was
seen on the port hand from the signal
bridge and Ensign Muslin reported to
Captain Chadwick: "A torpedo boat
one point forward on the port beam,
sir, headed this way" Captain had
wick, with Rear Admiral Sampson, was
on the forward bridge.
Before a shot was fired from the flag
ship, this curious, lurking object dis
appeared. 1t must have been two or
three miles away from the New York
and the same distance from the New
Orleans.
The Oregon, grim and big crossed
the New YOrk's beats in the direction
the torpedo o was reported. The
boat was still headed for shore. When
a mile away and close to MORO castle
an object was seen against the cliffs.
It was thought to he a torpedo boat and
the New York's orwar 8-inch guns
beloved out, making a hideOus noise
in the quiet night. On shore, a few
sparks close to a lark object showed
where the shells struck. The 4-inch and
the 6 FOUNDER guns followed suit, and for
a few minutes a sharp fire was kept up.
The boom of the Oregon's big guns was
twice heard to the eastward.
Cease firing" was then sounded.
, The search lights failed to reveal the
presence Of the enemy n nothing but
+, the bare coast could be seen.
After a careful search the New York
steamed back to her station II the
men went back to their hammOcks.
, There had been no firing from the
forts.
Captain Folger reported that he had
sighted a small steamer, perhaps a
gunboat, that she had failed to answer
the private signal and that he had
fired on her. He believed she had es-
capped along the beach, or had been
J destroyed, he could not tell which.
: That ended the nights attack and the
first experience here with torpedo boats
in naval warfare.
1t was not until the Porter, this af-
t~ernoon, found the torpedoes, that the
danger Of last nights affair was fully
realized. The Porter was steaming W
miles from shore and we'll to the east
ward of MORO castle when two torpe-
does were seen floating on the water.
Ensign ellis jumped overheard and
swan around them. He tried to un-
screw the wal nose. but the torpedo it
self turned too easily in the water. He
returned to the Porter and Commander
Fremont finally got one OF the torpe-
does safely on board. The other sunk
as he was getting 1t in.
Commander Fremont then brought
the torpedo alongside the New York.
It was a 14-inch Whitehead, OF modern
make. and worth about So. 500. 1t was