Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-28

Puritan and Cincinnati were left on Mat
anzas station.
What the Victory Means.
Special From STAT Correspondent.
KEY WEST, Fla, April 2S.-The success
full Smelling of Matanzas batteries opens the
way for a base of food supplies and for
landing troops if necessary. Matanzas was
practically an outpost of Havana's defenses
on the east, and the Spanish plan was to
hold the sixty-mile line between the two
cities.
Matanzas harbor was mined at the same
time some of these batteries were formed.
Counterr,ining IL now will not be difficult
and transports with either food or soldiers
will be able to enter the bay. Gen. Molinas,
in command of that military district, has
mand, but the number is small now. The
garrison is weak and the soldiers are in a
distressing condition. The reconcentrados
at Matanzas have been in a pitiable state
and early relief will be necessary to save
the remnant of them.
The officers of the squadron are con-
graduating themselves on the accurate
work of the guns on the New York, Gin
cinnati and Puritan. They do not, how
ever. measure what will have to be encoun-
tered when Havana is bombarded by the
resistance shown by the old-fashioned bat
teries at Matanzas. If a military force is
not landed an effort may be mad. to recon-
struct the Qualifications. PEPPER.
By Associated Press.
Discussed at Key West.
KEY WEST, April 2s.-The lombard
ment of the forts of MatanZas by the
United States cruiser New York, the flag
ship of Rear Admiral Sampson; the moni-
tor Puritan and the cruiser Cincinnati is
discussed here, and every incident
of the affair is weighed and reweighed by
army and navy officers and the newspaper
men. The interest in the engagement is
mixed with delight at the fact that there
are no casualties to record on the Ameri-
can side, not one of our ships being even
touched. There is much curiosity as to
what was the effect of our fire upon the
enemy, but at present all information on
this point is lacking.
From the fact that the Sraniards opened
ing a reconnaissance in force, and when
the vessels were nearly five miles out from
the batteries leads to the belief that the
Enemy believed that all that was necessary
to induce the United States fleet to move
further away was for the batteries to open
ire on them.
Limit of FOrbearance.
BUT if, from former experience, they had
reached this conclusion, they found that
had reached the limit and
they must have been intensely astonished
when the New York, being the farthest
west, but the nearest in shore, opened fire
with her batteries with q vengeance, and,
nearer shore. accompanied by her
made such excellent practice with
her guns that in eighteen minutes every
Spanish gun was silenced.
1t would have been worth a years pay to
cny one to have seen the effects of the last
pet, when a mass of stones. earth and
abattis went sixty feet in the air, falling in
the rear of the spot where Spanish gun
had been but a few minutes before
There must have been many casulties on
the Spanish side, since the rapid fire guns
on all the ships were used as wei as those
Of larger caliber.
1t seems to be the general opinion that
the Spaniards had nothing heavier than
s-inch guns, and that they had very poor
sunners with any of their ordnance.
One Gun Got the Range.
However, just before the Spanish bat
.eries were silenced one gun on the west
side of the harbor seemed to be getting
the range of the flagship. several shots
striking near the New York and on both
.ides of her.
If the purpose Of the reconnaissance and
the subsequent cannonade was to secure an
available place for thu landing later Of
United States troops, such purpose has been
we'll accomplished, for no doubt exists that
The Spanish batteries at Matanzas are like
y to prove in any way dangerous again.
They have bsen siIenced for good. or at
least for q longer time than will be neces-
sary to effect a landing.
Spanish Version of the Affair.
MADRID, April 2S.-The Spanish version
Of the bombardment of Matanzas Ia that
after a half hours bombardment the Amer
lean fleet was compelled to retreat"
"a NAVAL RECONNOIssANCE."
How Admiral SnmpsOn's Action In Re-
gnrded at the Navy department..
The greatest interest was shown at the
Navy Department today in the telegraphed
reports Of the engagement at Matanzas,
Cuba, yesterday between the shore bat
teries and three vessels Of Admiral Samp-
sons feet. The Navy Department itself
had absolutely no report Of this affair from
any Of Its agents or any Of thu officers of
the blockading fleet. 1t, of course, could
not be expected that news could be had
from Havana, with \ Spanish censor man
ming that end of the cable. The fact that
Admiral Sampson has not made any report
to the Secretary as yet, Notwithstanding he
must have had the opportunity to cOmmu-