The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-19


Under Moro Castle, Harbor of San
tiago de Cuba, July 17.-3 p. m.-Via
PLAYA del Este, Province. of Santiago
de Cuba, July 16.Dclayed i'll transmits
morning the Spanish flag was lowered
from the staff crowning the heights upon
which battered MORO Castle spreads
half way. The ceremony attesting the
defunct sovereignty of Spain in this part
of the world was witnessed by a few
Spanish and American troops on shore;
by the Brooklyn. New York. Vixen alld
Nesuvlls, lying within Il few hundred
yards of the harbor entrance. Almost
Immediately after the flag was hauled
down steam launches commanded by
Lieutenants HobsOn and Palmer entered
the harbor, penetrating as far as the
firing stations of the submarine mines.
These mines were judged to be not so
formidable as expected, and later in the
afternoon they were all exploded under
the supervision of the Vixen.
1t was seen that two mines had been
exploded ut the time of the entrance of
the Merrimac into the channel of San
tiaGo harbor but it is not thought pro-
bable that either of them had anything
to do with the sinking of the craft.
Six or seven fine steamers in the har-
bor fall ds prizes to the navy and army.
The Spanish gunboat Alvarez had al
ready been taken possession of by II
prize crew from the New York. The
other vessels lie at the other end of the
harbor. at Santiago proper.
Soon afternoon Commodore Schley,
with Captain Cook. of the Brooklyn;
Lieutenant J. III. Sears, the. flag lieuten-
ant. Lieutenant B. w. Wells. the flag
secretary. and the invited correspond
ents of the Associated Press. went into
the harbor on II steam launch which
moved slowly in order to make close OBJ
servation of the Spanish forts and bat
teries.
Every one expressed satisfaction at
the fact that MORO Castle was not de-
molished by the bombardment, Captain
Cook saying:
"We need El MOrro as an object lesson,
and America is rather shy OH ruins any
how"
The old fort stands on the bluff ter
race fashion. From the waters edge
to the brow of the beetling cliff there are
huge caves formed by the action of the
waves. and round the base and in the
superstructure are not Il few caves made
by the navy's projcctiles. 1t would ap-
pear. however. that only one bastion
was knocked to pieces. while the queer
little sentry boxes, dating back to the
sixteenth century, escaped almost in
tact.
MORO Castle is the only imposing for
tInrDtinn IN hnr nd 4 &c n
so in appearance. since not a gun is
mounted within or on the crumbled walls
In fact. all the batteries. masked and
open, dwindled in their terror inspiring
qualities as the inspection grew closer.
Growing the hill on the west side of
the entrance were the famous six-inch
rapid firing guns from the Spanish cruis-
er Reina Mercedes. These were ugly
looking and dangerous.
Directly east of MORO Castle on the
crest of the plateaulikc cliff. were six
big guns, one or two of which were dis
mounted.
The EStrclla battery and Il small neigh
Dor further in showed no guns, while the
famous Cayo Smith filled the islet with
blue. white and yellow houses, situated
IN groves of Towering trees, some of
the buildings looking as if they had been
the resorts of pleasure seekers in hap
pier times. Others were humble enough
in appearance for fishermen's houses. All
were deserted and. strange to say. not
one. apparently. had been touched by
hostile projectile.
On the inside of the slope and hill to
the westward some hastily constructed
but very comfortable casemates were
seen, into which the Spanish gunners
were wont to retire when our ships
opened fire. When the firing ceased the
gunners only had few steps to climb
to their six-inch rapid firing guns which
almost always fired Il few spitful shots.
At Punta GOrda there were two four
inch guns. one above the other. neither
protected by even sand or earth. These
commanded the harbor entrance pretty
well, but they could have been silenced
by one well directed he:~v shell.
Commodore Schley has over and over
expressed the belief that Our fleet could
probably have entered the barber with
out the loss of a single ship. The mines