The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-09


KEY WEST. May s.-Only poor marks
manship on the part of the Saaniards
saved the Nicksburg and the cutter Nor
fiil from destruction in Havana har5or
yesterday morning. For over half an hour
they were under the fire Of the guns Of the
Santa Clara water batteries. but both
escaped without material injury, although
shrapnel from eight-inch guns exploded
al about them, ard both now show the
scars OF the Spanish bullets.
The willy Span.ards bad arranged trap
10 send a couple Of our ships to the bot
tom. They baited It as a man would bait
a trap A small schooner was sent out
from Havana harbor shortly before day
light yesterday morning 10 draw some Of
tho Americans into the ambuseade. The
ruse worked like a charm. The Vieks-
burg and the Morrill,, in the heat of the
chase and In their contempt for Spanish
gunnery. walked straight into the trap
that had been set for them. Had the
Spaniards possessed their souls in pa
tience but five minutes longer not even the
bad gun practice would have saved our
ships and this morning two more of our
lengths of the Maine.
Friday morning the vicksburg and the
Morrill,. cruising 70 the west of Moro
castle. were fired upon by the big guns of
the Cojimar batteries. Two shots were
fired at the yicksburg and one at the Nor
II =. frrf a.1 Jz.zth I-
without returning the fire. steamed out of
range. II would have been folly TO do
otherwise. But yesterday morning the
Spanisrds had better luck. The schooner
they had sent out before daylight, ran off
TO the eastward. hugging the shore, with
the wind on her starboard quarter. About
three miles east OF the entrance of the
harbor she came over on the port tack
A light haze fringed the horizon. and she
was not discovered until three miles OF
shore. when the Mayfower made her out
and signaled the Vicksburg and Morrill,.
Capt Smith. OF the Morrill,. and Com
mander Tiley. OF the vicksburg. immedi-
ately slapped or all steam and started in
pursuit. The schooner Instantly put about
and ran for Moro castle before the wind.
In doing 80 she would. according to the
well conceived Spanish plot, lead the two
American warsh.ps directly under the
guns OF the Santa Clara batteries. These
works are short mile west Of Moro and
are part Of the defenses of the harbor.
There are two batteries. one at the shore.
w h4S iA.gr - II
and mortar. with wide embrasureg for
e.ght-inch guns. and the other on the
crest OF the rocky eminenee which futs
out into tire gulf. The upper battery
mounts modern ten-inch and twelve-inch
krurp guns. behind a six-foot stone para
pet IN front Of which are twenty feet OF
earthwofk and heitins ot railroad ron.
The battery is considered the most for
maahle Of Hayana's defenses. excsnt
Moro castle. II is masked and has not
been absolutely located by the American
warsh!ps. II is probably due to the fac.
that the Spaniards did not desire to ex-
pose Its position that the Vlcksburg and
Morrill, are now anoat.
The NORTH and vicksbslrg were abou.
six miles from the schooner when the
chase began. They steamed after her at
fun speed. the Morrill, leading. until with
IN a mile and a half. OF the Santa Clara
batteries. Commander Smith. Of the
Nic&seaTg was the first 10 realize the
danger into which the reckless pursuit
had ed them. He concluded il was time
TO hat and sent a shot across the bow
OF the schooner. The Spanish skipper in
stantly brought his vessel about hat
while she was S,iu rolling in the trough
OF the sea. with her sails Tapping. an
eight-inch >hFapHel she'll came hurting
through the air from the water battery.
mila and a half away. 1t passed over
the NORTH, between the pilot house ard
the sTnokestScs. and exploded less thaa
hfty feet on the pcVg quarter. The sho,
.ttlsd against her side L was a clos.
call. Two more shots followed in quick
succession. both shrapnel. one burst
close uuder the s;areoard quarter. filing
the engine room with the smoke OF the
explosion. and the other. like the first.
passed over and exploded just beyond
The Spaniss: guuners had TIRE range and
tse,r t3ase fuses were accurately sex. The
cyegs u both ships were al their guna
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