Evening journal., 1898-06-16

from Spanish battery that after the
noise Of the gum cotton sounded like the
crackle Of nrecrackers.
The Yesuvius had tested herself She
was found perfect as a destroyer. She
/ proved that no fertilization can with
stand her terrible missiles. Just what
damage she did could not be told from
the sea- Whatever was within hun
dreds Of feet Of the point OF impact
must have gone TO destruction.
This was the first test Of a dynamite
cruiser in actual warfare. and naval Of
hcers are highly gratihed with the re-
suits. In acquiring "a dynamite cruiser
the United states government estab-
fishes a precedent, and naval experts
In all parts Of the world have been
keenly interested IN It.
Foreign governments watched closely
the tests Of the Vesuvius when the YES
sci first went into the wate' md no
vessel in either the Americ Span
ish navy has been the ol of such
studied attention since the sent war
began. Naval experts have been eager
to know how the dynamite cruiser would
behave I'm actual warfare and whether
it would prove capable OF doing the de-
structive work its defenders have pre-
dicted.
All doubt as to these points has now
been dispelled. Admiral Sampson has
been apprehensive about the strength
of fort situated on a point high above
the sea to the west Of the entrance to
Santiago harbor This fort. the Amer
lean admiral thought. was one Of the
two not entirely disabled by the bonn
bardment on June g.
To settle that point and also to give
the dynamite cruiser a fair opportunity
to prove its usefulness Admiral Samp-
son issued orders for the Vesuvius to
shell the fort
IT was IL O'Clock when the Vesuvius
stole up close TO the entrance to the
harbor and sent three dynamite shells
one after another, in the direction of the
fort. Terrific explosions followed, each
shell bursting on impact and playing
havoc where It struck.
The fort attacked was the most pow-
erful of all guarding the harbor. mount
ing several modern guns. In the dark
ness the Americans could not distin-
guish the point at which the shells
struck, but they are certain that the
projectiles exploded very near to the
fort. If they did not actually hit it,
This effective work by the Vesuvius
was IOllOWed rev hours later by equal
~ good work by the New Orleans. Cap
tain Folger Of the New Orleans report-
ed to Admiral Sampson early Tuesday
night that the Spaniards were emplac-
ing new guns to the eastward of Moro
castle, and he was ordered to make an
attack on the new defenses at daylight
Wednesday morning.
When dawn came, the New Orleans
took a position within quarters Of
mile Of the new fortihcations and gave
the Spaniards the hottest ten minutes
they have had since the war began. The
range was found at the first shot and
in a minute the crest OF the hill was be-
ing swept by a hurricane of shells.
In few seconds the Spanish position
was obscured by the smoke from the
bursting missiles, but the aim of the
New Orleans gunners was magnificent.
Every shell struck the top Of the para
pet, bursting over its defenders. The
battery was silenced In three minutes
but the firing was continued until a
signal Of recall was hoisted on the flag
ship. The New Orleans was uninjured.