The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-14
THE CRUISER SAN
FRANCISCO is
HIT BY A SHELL.
tempt to Destroy American War
ships-yo Great Damage Done
Howell Calmly Moves Out OF Range

KEY WEST, Aug. 1s.-The flagship San
Francisco. the moni,"r Miantouomoh ana
the auxiliary yacht Silvia were fired upon
by the Havana batteries shortly before
o'clock yesterday morning. One 10 or J.
inch shell struck the San Franeiscos stern
as she turned to get out OF range and tore
q hole about foot In diameter. completely
wrecking Commodore Howells quarters
and smashing his bookcases into frag
ments No one was injured and. being un-
der orders not to attack the batteries. the
ships departed as fast as their engines
would carry them
The flagship and the Silvia lay parallel
to each other not more than a mile from
Moro castle. and separated from either by
a distance OF between three-eIghths and
one-quarter OF a mile. The Mlantonomoh
lay about three-quarters of mile TO the
rear OF the others.
They were all within range OF the Span
ish batteries, and the temptation was too
strong for The Spaniards TO resist. The
first glimuer OF dawn was breaking
an instants warning, the lookout on the
flagship saw a Jet Of smoke pun from one
OF Moro's big guns. Almost before he
could pull himself together sufficiently 10
make report Of the incident. 10 and l2-
inch shells were screaming all around.
The Spaniards had the range. and appa-
renty were grimly In earnest In their last
efforts to wreak injury on their too mighty
enemy. Shells fell between the San Fran
cisco and the Silvia: some fell short, a few
went over them.
The flagship signaied the Silvia 10 get out
OF range without delay and both ships
swung around and made for the sea. II
was then that the shell struck the San
Franclsco's stern. Commodore Howell
was on deck with Capt Leary when the
shell struck With the utmost speed the
heet moved out about three miles Here
the men on the flagship patched the rag
ged hole in the vessels stern
The one-sided engagement had scarcely
ended when the men OF the Silvia wars
treated to another SURPRISE. She Is a little
yacht-gunboa', and Is manned by the New
York naval militia. Her crew had barely
recovered from the excitement when tbs
flagship called the vessel over, and Cant.
Boilers was given 4 packet OF private soe-
ufDents. which he was ordered to take
Into Havana under flag Of truce. Ths
white flag was ao.sted over the Silvia. and
she steamed toward the guns which had
just given her such noisy greeting As
the Silvia approached 20 within a mile
OF More, the character OF the flag floating
castle signa!ed:
What Is your parp0ee7"
To this the Silvia answered.:
We have papers to deliver"
Moro did not resume the conversation.
ard for some little time the sInf-cat rock-
ed on the waters almost under the stiIl
smoking cannon of the enemy. Presently
however, a Spanish g2inboai drew out of
the harf,or and cane close 20 the Silvia. u
was the Martin y Pinzor. and she CARED
a much stronger battery than the Arsri-
can ship. TIE customary formal saluta-
tens were exchanged. and Lieut.. William
c. Ford, the executive officer of the ST.
VIA, boarded tae P!nzon and delivered the
documents. Tire ceremony occupied n,
more tlg.,e th4a the phrs.cal act Involved
TIE American officer returned to his ship
aad ths ysssss Tsns % Reg zss2scs.ss
1ays ,