The weekly intelligencer., 1898-04-30

KEY WEST, April 2S.-At noon yes
terday the New York and Puritan en-
gagged the Spanish shore batteries at
Mantanzas. Eighty-fiVe shots were
fired, the Cincinnati coming into action
and firing few at the last.
The shore batteries were silenced in
twenty minutes, when the American
! warships had accomplished their pur-
pose and withdrew No Americans
we're hurt.
The Spanish loss in killed and
wounded was probably less than 100.
Tnls is surmised from the appearance
of the batteries after the firing.
Two days ago it was reported to
Capt. Sampson that a new fort was
being built at Mantanzas. The Man
tanzas gunners were reported very
alert. They twice fired on the fleet.
Yesterday when the New York ana
Puritan sailed slowly into the broad
bay of Mantanzas it was for the pur-
pose of attending to their batteries.
The stiffness was unbroken until L
O'Clock, when there was a puff of
smoke from Point Mayo on the east,
and an eIght-inch shell splashed the
water near the New York.
Almost instantly the New York
replied with gun OF the same caliber.
Then for fifteen minutes the caunonad-
ing was almost incessant, the New
York bringing all her guns into play.
She drew in to within 5000 yards of
the forts on Point Rubalcaya on the
west, while the Puritan deployed to the
east and engaged Point Maya with her
small but ponderous battery.
1t did not take long for the Yankee
gunners to locate .he land batteries by
the smoke of their guns, and as the
ships drew nearer to the shore long red
streaks of newly turned earth showed
where work had been recently done.
After the range-fnding shots had
been expended the American fire began
To do execution, Almost instantly with
the flash from the gun column of dirt
and mortar would rise from the low
ramparts of the batteries as The 25O
pound shells exploded. The batteries,
whose fire with S-Inch explosive shells
was at first spirited, began to lag as
their guns were damaged or dis
mounted.
Three a minute, with the precision
aud accuracy of a machine, the New
York threw shells into Rnbalcaya. The
debris shower of one explosion had
barely fallen upon the doomed fort be-
fore another squirted upward. The
punishment was terrific and the Span
iards apparently were prevented from
getting the range of the war ship.
The Puritan was all the while she'll
ing Point Maya with sullen persistency,
and the Spaniards were tearing up the
water around her but not hitting her
once
Firing from the Maya battery was
more powerful than from Rubalcaya,
but nothing could withstand the 12-
inch guns as they spoke twice in each
revolution from the Puritan's turrets.
At this time the Cincinnati was seen
signaling for permission to come into
action. An answering signal from the
flag ship, and she steamed into close
range and blazed away with tremen-
dous rapidity. as if to make up for lost
time.
The answer from the shore was be-
coming feebler and less frequent, and
finally, at the end of twenty minutes,
ceased.
Another signal Huttered on the New
York and the American guns also be-
came silent; but Maya took one more
chance, and an 8-inch shell sped out.
The Puritan trained a 12-inch gun
right below the balloon of smoke,
winch told where shore shot came
from. The aim was wonderful,
the shot apparently striking the exact
point sought. Up in the air fifty feet
flew dust and debrls, and no one Knows
how much OF the gun and her crew re-
mains.
As the warships drew away, except
for rents and scars where the batteries
had been, the landscape was as quiet