The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1898-06-28

valley ana Day, WOulu DC telhieo
o. mountain. Indeed, the shores
of the harbor are almost uni
formly high and rugged, being
merely the foothills and spurs OF
the Sierras.
AS a military and naval sta
ton, Santiago dates from 1914,
when Diego Velasquez here
founded settlement and erected
rude defenses for its protection.
Thus, after Baracoa, Santiago is
the oldest city in Cuba, and for
more than two centuries enjoyed
the distinction of being the cap
itol of the island. In 1858 it was
raided by the French and the
Notifications in part destroyed.
Ten years later a new series OF
defenses were undertaken, that
in 1663-65 were replaced by the
obsolete brick, stone and mortar
structures now known as MORO
Castle, and Estrella, Punta Cor
da and Santa Catalina batteries.
OF later date are batteries Aqua
dores and Blanca-the one an
outlying defense to Moro, the
latter occupying the place of the
ancient artillery barracks just
below the city-and the fortress
of La Zocapa. OF still later date
are water batteries on Isla de
Smith, where the lower bay de-
bouches into the narrow gut that
connects it with the Caribbean
Sea.
MORO, which is practically a
duplicate, though on a slightly
reduced scale, of the castle of
the same name that guards the
entrance to Havana, is perched
high upon the cliff that at the
right hand entrance of the har-
harbor forms Morillo Point. Its
ancient crumbling look and
weather beaten and discolored
walls cause it to have the appear
ance of being ready to topple
into the waves below; but for all,
it is stronger and more defens-
able than it looks, and the least
salient portions lie beneath the
masonry. having been excavated
from solid rock. 1t will be re-
called this structure once held
the cells, Offices and torture
chambers of the Inquisition at
the time when the "Holy Office"
assumed to be arbiter of the des-
tines of all Spanish America.
How far the MORO and it's sister
and outlying Notifications have
been strengthened in order to
meet the exigencies of modern
warfare, and specially of the
present conflict, is chiefly a mat
ter of conjecture, and it is not
safe to rely too much upon the
INDECENT habits and procrastina-
ting traits of the Hispano- Latin
race.
Diagonally across the outer
entrance of the harbor, to the
west of Moro, and exactly op-
posite to the fortress of Santa
Catalina on Canones Point, stands
the castle of La Zocapa. Here is
the narrowest part of the chan
mel, there not being more than
100 yards between the opposing
shores. The hostile vessel that
essays Santiago harbor is not
only subjected to the fire of Nor
70 and the water batteries below
and behind to the east of this
castle, but must likewise run the
gauntlet of the Estrella, Santa
Catalina and Zocapa; further,
from the moment she is we'll in
side Morillo Point she is sub
jected to an enflading fire from
Punta Gorda, ansordeal that is
is supplemented by a like fire
from Isla de Smith as soon as
the narrowest part of the chan
mel is reached. At present this
gut is additionally defended by
the Spanish warships, Admiral
Cervera having manifestly taken
an advantageous position with
this view. Presenting, however,
all these distractions and dang
ers are safely encountered and
passed, to reach the city there
still remains to be forced the
second narrow channel, only
about double the width of that
guarded by Moro and Zocapa.
ct al, in order to enter the upper
bay. Guarding the upper end Of
this channel is Rat Island Gsla
de Ratones), now believed to be
well defended by modern earth
works; and the battery on Punta
Gorda has again to be consider
ed, for if it has not been com
pletely silenced, it is still capable
of delivering an entilading fire,
and over the stern, instead of
over the bow as before, of the
foe. Again, certain charts indi-