The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-17
BOMBARDLNG
CONTINUES
Ctill Hammering Away at the
Spanish Dvfense,
EHEKYS Loss PROBABLY HEAVY.
Caimanera's Fort and Earthworks
Destroyed.
SANTIAGO BATTERIES AGAIN

The Western Batteries Badly Wrecked,
One Being Utterly Dcstroyed-0nly El
Morro Escaped, Owing TO the Presence
There of Lieutenant Hob5on and His Cal
liant Companions Of the Mcrrimac-The
Work Of the Dynamite Cruiser Vesuvius.
Kingston, Jamaica, June 17.-Tho
brick fort and earthworks at Caiman-
era, at the end of the railroad leading
to the city of Guantanamo, were de-
molished Wednesday by the lombard
ment Of the Texas, MarbIehead and
Suwanee. The warships opened fire at
3 p. m. and the bomhardment lasted
IN hour and half.
y The Texas steamed slowly up the
channel leading to the Notifications,
followed closely by the Marblehead
The Texas fred two shots as range
finders, both falling short and to the
right. The Marblehead stood off to the
west side of the channel and opened
with her five inch gns on the fort,
knocking down part of the wall. The
Texas then threw In some IL inch
shells, tearing down the wall of the
fort and throwing the bricks and NOR
tar 80 feet in the air.
After badly damaging the fort the
Marblehead stood further in to shell
the earthworks and barracks at the
west end of the harbor. She knocked
them into the air, and when the Span
iards fled from the fort they were
shelled by the St. Paul and driven into
the bushes. The Spaniards fred only
five shots, which did no damage
During Wednesday afternoon a half
starved and ragged Spanish soldier
ciawled into the camp Of the marines
md gave himself up. He said he ex-
pected to be shot, but he would gladly
die if they would only give him food
and water. He had had neither for 4S
hours.
He reported that there were 1000
Spanish soldiers, half starved, who
wanted to give themselves UP, but that
tkey believed they would be killed by
the Americans as soon AS they were
pRce in captivity. The Spaniard was
ing and was then taken on board the
Marblehead. He declared that he
would gladly go back and report to
his comrades, but that they would GER
tsinly shoot him. He is now held as
q prisoner on the Marblehead.
The Marblehead's little steam launch
cleared out detachment of Spanish
b1shwhackers Wednesday afternoon
ard escaped without the loss of man
Rfter hot engagement of quarter of
IN hour. The launch had been drag
giag the harbor near the fort for
mines, had found one, and was tow
Ing it back to the Marblehead when
the enemy, concealed in the bushes on
five men in the launch. The launch
headed toward shore and began bang
ing away. but the bow gun finally
knocked overheard, carrying a gunner
with 1t. In the meantime the enemy
was fleeing wildly. The marine was
promptly rescued. 1t is believed that
several Spaniards were killed.
Rear Admiral Simpsons fleet bonn
barded the batteries at Santiago de
Cuba for the third time at daylight yes
terday morning. For hours the ships
pounded the batteries at the right and
left of the entrance, only sparing El
MORO where Lieutenant Hobson and
his companions of the Merrimac are
In prison. The western batteries,
against which the main assault was di-
reeted were badly wrecked. One was
utterly destroyed. In others many
guns were dismounted.
At first the Spaniards replied pas
sionately and wildly, but impotently.
Then most of the guns were deserted.
Not ship was struck nor a man in
jured on the American side. 1t is be-
iteved that the enemy's los of life was
heavy.
As preliminary to the hammering
given the batteries the dynamite crus-
Or Vesuvus at midnight was given
another chance. Three hundred and
Fifty pound charges of gun cotton were
sent over the Notifications at the en-
trance. The design was to drop them
in the bay, around the angle, back Of
the eminence on which Ell Moro is
situated, where it was known that the
Spanish tOrpedO boat ueStrOyerS were