The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-07

to be Used TO Open Santiago
Channel-Capt. Evans Asks for the
Honor Of Leading the First Attacking
Ship.

Especial Cable 10 New York Journal.)
Kingston. Jamaica. June 2.-The
story Of the fight at Santiago was fully
told in the dispatches % yesterday.
There are few details 10 add, but ex-
p~ectation IS sdl at the thrill point. for
by the time another dispatch boa:
comes from the fighting the story may
be Of the capture Of Santiago and the
destruction Of the squadron Of Admiral
Cervera.
1t is believed that the dynamite
cruiser Nesuvius will De Sent 70 San
tiago % destroy he harbor mines be-
fore the fleets attempt 10 force an en-
trance. When the big ships have 81
fenced the batteries and forts al the
mouth Of the harbor and driven back
cervera's ships the Vesuvius could
slip up n by discharging her dyna-
mite projectiles among the mines ex-
plode them by defamation.
Should the dynamite cruiser vesuv-
JUS De on the cen the battle will I'M
doubtedly be commenced by a general
attack on the entrance forts by all the
oNS oAi-ES ! A4Ic 4dcd u S44CIC-
ing the guns at the mouth Of the mar
Dor and then giving the Vesuvius an
opportunity to d-tnnate the triple line
or mines which are understood TO have
been placed in he channel. II is be
lieved by experts that all the mines
can be exploded by a few discharges
among them of the dynamite projec-
miles.
With the entrance battreies silenced
and tha mines ayn1n1ai +hara rr-n1r1i
be no hesitation in sending in our
ships, even should they be forced to
proceed in single file up the narrow
and tortuous channe,. 1t is felt that
the Massachusetts, or the Iowa could
steam in and take up the battle single
/; handed until the other vessels could
get into the broader portion of the bay,
where they could maneuver success
fully and bring all their guns to bear.
In fact. Fighting Bob" Evans has
asked for an assignment 10 the peril
Gus position of leading in the fleet with
the Iowa, and if the matter were put
to a vote of his men they would unani-
mously declare for an opportunity 20
take this post of danger. No doubt the
Spaniards will be able to do some harm
to the leading ship, for they a con-
centrate their fire Upon her, and the
close range will make it impossible for
the unframed Spanish gunners to
waste all their shots.
SO the first vessel in the line vii.
have to make a heroic dash with the
chances 100 to l that deaths on her will
be numerous. Those who know the
quiet Commodore Schley insist thai
this is just the post of danger he COW
cts, and unless Admiral Sampson shall
supersede him before the battle begins
and elect to go in himself with tht
Oregon or Indiana, it is possible tina
"Fighting Bob" and the Iowa viii
have to give up the hero's place K
Schley and the Massachusetts,.
The forts and batteries at the mouth
Of the bay will not last long in tn
face Of a general bombardment. TN
fight on Tuesday demonstrated tina
their modern guns are few, and that
new or old, they are served Withou
sense or accuracy. They threw ava.
their shots with an utter disregard o
range, firing again and again when tn
American ships had passed at least
mile beyond the limit of their fire.
Commodore Schley has located a.
the batteries now, and an officer on tn
Massachusetts, said, after the action
w a dismount every gun lett /
less than a Jour-" But if the Nesu
vius does not come, and an attack /
made without regard to the mines, tn
men ON the first ship will be cast in he
roic mold, if they do not feel, as the.
go into action, that any moment ma,
bring the same fate as that Whic
came so suddenly to the men of tn
Maine on that dark February night.