The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-02
VISIT TO MORRO CASTLE.
OF THE GRIM Old SENTINEL
AT SANTIAGO.

ments, Though There Are Plenty OF Scnrn
Antique Cannon, the Dunaeon Cell,
the DrawbridEes and HobsOn'S Prison.
ory SANTIAGO DE CUBA. July le.-This is not
an exhaustive description. but the personal
narrative of a short visit. The writer accom-
pnnicd a party Of officers from the fleet on a
trip OF inspection to tho MORO and the ada
cont batteries yesterday. and bases this story
almost~e entirely upon what was then apparent
70 the eye. Many things escaped observation.
probably. and some differences that appeared
obvious were doubtless wrong; yet the visit
was one To be remembered.
Santiago lies in the midst Of what was once q
level plateau some twelve miles across. though
traces OF the same level are 10 be seen much
further away. The continuity of the plateau
ia now broken by innumerable ravines. canons,
and gullies. traverslng the country in every d.
~rection. SO that as one approaches from the
eea, what appeared TO be unbroken ground
turns out to be n succession OF fiat hilltops.
more or less separated by valleys. The great
est OF these valleys is the harbor OF Santiago
itself. the water surface of which a~pproximates
twenty-five square miles. From the main
channel. bays, estuaries. and creeks branch OF
At every turn, and a trip from the entrance to
the city gives a fair indication Of how extremely
broken the whole country is. What is true Of
the topography also applies to the whole coast
line, and on n near approach one is continually
discovering bays and points intersectinE what
he had supposed was the straight shore line.
This feature offers thousands OF unexpected
battery sites, and with torpedoes and modern
guns the Santiago harbor entrance could be
made absolutely impossible for the smallest
vessel or the largest feet In existence.
The MORO surrounds and surmounts q rocky
point something over 200 feet high that juts
out into the harbor entrance from the east
The scaward side OF this point is precipitous
and almost impossible for even an active man
unincumbered. The northern side. facing
Tstrclla Cove. contains an ascending roadway
cut in the rock defended by two detached
bastions.
Yesterdays party landed at the head OF
Estrella Cove. There is a small stone dock
here and a partially submerged scow, evidently
used for transporting artillery. Here also Is
one OF the observation mines stations. 1t is
in a newly constructed board shanty. so far up
the cove that it cannot be commanded by ships
lying outside. The apparatus consists OF half
q dozen boxes Of powerful electric batteries
Joined by cables with the mines and passing
through q current connector and the sights.
The sights are like those of a gun. TIL front
sights for the several mines are clamped on q
brass arc, at the centre of which is a movable
telescope rear sight. The movement Of the
rear sight throws the different mines In cir
cult. and when a ship is sighted over any one
OF the front sights a finger touch on the con-
hector explodes the mine that that particular
front sight was set for. A telephone connect
with two other mines stations from which
cross sights on the position OF the same mines
may DO obtained. and from which also the
mines may be exploded.
There is quite an arsenal of unmounted guns
about Estrella Cove. There are also abundant
supplies OF various accessories. AlarGe stone
storehouse contains hau q nunoren wooden
mounts. besides a large NUMBER OF Solid shot
ana oid-iashloneo snehs' mere are many
cases OF rine ammunition. both MAuser and
copper-capped IL NM. Ihese~caseS had been
IN progress OF transportation when the Span
inrds stopped WORK, ana one or " eases lay
part way up the Gin with the pole htters on
which theS were oeing carried. IL mas boon re-
ported thai there were .ooO.oo rounds OF rine
ammunition surrendered with santiago.
Inc ROAD 70 the top STARTS upward rom ths
inner enuot tue cove. IN oirection eoWarn tne
haroor' IL mostly hewn out OF eoId rocK
out mas never oeen graded nplaceSitls mors
hke a stairway IMAM a ROAD. ana no wheeled
Nehicie can traVel IL Win any ease. The roae
Is eNiuen'iy an Ola one lot though 80 uneven
II IS not jagged. Inc footsteps OF TWO cen
.uries nave iett their marx here as unmis,
taAap'e as 'ne ripple MARKS on q tide-oarec
peach. Ihere IS announcer ROAD I" tne eastward
over whleh the new heavy guns OF the eastern
oat'efy were taken up. IL mas not the romance
Oh age. however. one mas only 10 stand II
the ou iran 10 see IN imaglnauon the whip
urNeh slaves OF the oNu epanlarus toiiinG up
~aru IN 'ne nerce sun Win packs Dent undel
hedEy burdens; ana nanus Dhstereo with pull
ing al tagging loaos.
Tue nFs' lor'lnoauon ID reached when 1881
thah he-quarIer OF the ascent ls ccomphshe
II consists OF an L-shapeo pastlon. the lonG
arm Oh Whlch IS against the Gill; while TIT
nnott arm STANDS out across ana over the way
mere Is q ory moat 70 Do crossed by a Wooder
ofIaEe 'ohce a dreWorloee'. which iS com
manueu py ioopholes IN the long arm OF tn
oastlon' me easements OF the whole bastioE
command the approach 700. and Q thatche'
shelIer gives evidence that the point was gar
Fs0hed 70 the last.