The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-07-21
In SANTIAGO HARBOR
c@MMoDoRE scHLEY TAKES LOOK
. AT FORTS AND BATTERIES.

Lfeutenants Hobson and Palmer first to
Esassr After the spanish Flag Was
Hauled Down. A Half Dozen Prizes
/; In the Harbor.
Under Moro Castle, Harbor of San
tiago de Cuba, July 1S.--At exactly nine
O'Clock yesterday morning the Spanish
nag was lowered from the staff crown
Ing the heights upon which stands bat
tered Moro Castle. The ceremony was
witnessed by a few Spanish and Ameri-
can troops on shore, and by the Brook
iyn, New York. Vixen and Vesuvius,
lying within a few hundred yards of
the harbor entrance.
Almost Immediately after the flag
w4s hauled down, steam launches,
cqrnmanded by Leutenants Hobson
and Palmer entered tht harbor, pene-
trAting as far as the firing station of
the submarine mines These mines
were judged to be not as formidable as
expected, and, later in the afternoon,
they were all exploded under the su-
pFvfsion of the Vixen.
It was seen that two mines had been
exploded at the time of the entrance
of the Merrimac into the channel of
Santiago harbor but it is not thought
probable that either of them had any
thing TO do with the sinking Of the
craft
Six or seven fine steamers in the har-
bdr fall as prizes to the army and
navy. The Spanish gunboat Alvarez
had already been taken possession of
by prize crew from the New York
The other vessels lie at the other end
OF the harbor, at Santiago proper.
Soon after noon, Commodore Schley,
with Captain Cook of the Brooklyn,
Lieutenant j. H. Sears, the flag lieu
tenant, Lieutenant B. w. Wells, the
flag secretary, and three newspaper
men. went into the harbor on a steam
launch, which moved slowly, in order
to make close observation of the Span
ish forts and batteries. Every one ex-
pressed satisfaction at the fact that
Morro Castle was not demolished by
the bombardment, Captain Cook say
fs: I'VE need El MORO as an object.
bsson, and America Is rather shy on
ruins, anyhow"
The old fort stands on the bluff, ter
race fashion. From the waters edge
to the brow of the cliff there are huge
caves formed by the action of the
waves, and round the base and in the
superstructure are not a few caves
T2de by the navy's projectiles. It
%Sild appear, however, that only one
u tf..K
the queer little sentry boxes, dating
back to the sixteenth century, escaped
almost intact. Morro Castle is the only
Imposing fortification in the harbor,
aAfi 1t is only so in appearance, since
not gun is mounted within or on the
crnnbled walls. In fact, all the batter.
les, masked and open, dwindled in their
tefror-inspiring qualities as the inspec-
tiop grew closer
Growing the hill on the west side
Of the entrance were the famous six,
Inch rapid fire guns from the Spanish
cruiser Reina Mercedes. These were
ugly looking and dangerous, while be-
low, on brick foundations on the west
ern shore Of the entrance, We're some
revolving guns. These were the ones
which poured such bitter fire into the
Castle, on the crest of the plateau-like
c1iff, We're six big guns, one or two OF
which were dismounted. The Estrella
battery and small battery further in
showed no guns.
All the houses near the harbor were
heserted, and, strange to say, not one,
apparently, had been touched by a hos
tile projectile.
On the inside Of the slope and hill to
the westward some hastily construct
ed classmates were seen, into which the
Spanish gunners were wont to retire
when our ships opened fire. When the
firing ceased the gunners only mad a
few steps to climb to their six-inch
rapid fire guns. which almost always
fred few farewell Shots
At Punta Gorda there were two four
inch guns. one above the other, and
neither protected by even sand or
earth. These commanded the harbor
entrance pretty well, but they could
have been silenced by one we'll directed
heavy she'll
Commodore Schley has over and over
again expressed the belief that our
feet could probably have entered the
harbor without the loss of single ship.
The mines might have stopped ingress
bN sinking the leading ship, but this
Is a chance of war, and not so grave
as many taken during the civil war,
nor as serious as would have beer, the
situation had there been good batteries,
properly managed, in the harbor.
PRISON FOR lola.