The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-11
MORRO REBUFFS GETER.
The Fort Fails to Reply to the Ger.
man Warship's Signals
Incidents.

Santiago, July 1.-THE German war
ship Geier met with a rebuff from MORO
castle this afternoon. The Geier steam
ed by the Oregon. which is temporarily
the flagship of the United States squad
ron in the absence of the New York,
and she saIuted Admiral Watson's flag,
which had been transferred from the
Newark. The Oregon returned the sa-
lutte. Then the Geier hoisted the signal
May we go in?"
The Oregon answered: 'At your own
risk; we are Anely to lombard at any
minute in conjunction with the army
The Geier said: Thanks for the in
formation and sailed slowly past the
blockade line up under the MORO and
across the channel entrance, evidently
Scrutinizing the locality carefully. She
exchanged some signals with Moro
which could not be read from the fleet.
Then she hoisted the signal, rs it pos
sible?" which was kept up for ten
minutes. Then, receiving no answer or
acknOwledg cement, she steamed away to
look al the wrecks of the Spanish
cruisers.
Meantime, the German naval attache
was with Gen. Shafter, deplOring his i'll
luck at not being able to get where
he could see anything of the navy's
work except a chance "trip to the flag
ship on one of the newspaper boats.
The New York went yesterday to
look over the Oquendo and Teresa.
While her men and some western re-
porters were aboard the Oquendo, one
the stern from the reporters boat
alongside, upsetting it, The negro
oarsman was rescued by the fiagships
launch.
The OceoIa brought to the flagship a
barge captured on Saturday at Man
zaniIlo, the elimination of the work
the Hist, Hornet, Scorpion and Osceola
began on June 80. When the Hist, OS-
the Purissima Conception they s2W her
and started in after her, but were fired
on by nine gunboats which came after
them in the formation of a wedge, and
drove them back, but not until they had
sunk two.
on the following day the Scorpion
came up, and with her 1-ipch battery
felt able to meet the whole picayune
Spanish outfit. She and the Osceola
got under full speed and drove into the
harbor without the pilot who had been
sent to Sampson by Consul Dent from
Kingston, but had not yet come up.
With these vessels the Americans saw
five of the eneny's gunboats lying we'll
inshore and put for them. When a mile
from the gunbOats and a half mile
from shore the boats. the land batteries
and hundreds of infantry and cavalry
ashore opened fire and poured shot so
fast, Lieutenant Commander Mark says
that the water was white with foam
from the bullets. He says the bullets
went between every man and the man
next to him, and it was wonderful that
not man was hit.
The Scorpion was struck eleven
times from the larger guns. After be-
ing under fire 50 minutes and not ac-
complishing anything the Americans
retired. The Spanish boats did not come
out
Next day they overhauled a steamer
and a schooner making for ManzanillO,
and a launch towing a large barge
alOngshOre. The steamer had aboard
nothing contraband, and was sent on
her way. The schooner was loaded with
provisions.
The Americans threw them overheard
and let her pass on. The launch cut
and ran and escaped into the harbor.
The barge was captured with prOvis-
ions.