The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-05-10

Copyright 1898 by Associated Press
Key West. Fla. May S.-Only poor
craftsmanship on the part OF the span
ish. cunncrs saved the Nicksbur@ ana
the cutter Morrill, from destruction OH
Havana yesterday morning. For Oven
half IN hour they were under the tire
OF the guns of the Santa Clara water
batteries. but both escaped without mate
rial injury. although shrapnei shells from
EIGHT inch guns exploded AL about them
and both now show the pitted scars Of
the Spanish bullets.
The willy Spaniards had arranged Il
trap to send Il couple of our ships t"
the bottom. They baited it rs Il man
would bait Il trap. y small schooner
was sent out from Havana harbor short
~ before daylight yesterday morning
To draw some of the Americans INTO lhc
ambnscadc. The ruse worked like I
charm. The NickSburg and the Morrill,,
in the heat of the chase and III their
contemnt for Spanish gunner walked
straight into the trap that had been set
for them. Had the Spaniards possessed
their souls in patience but five minutes
longer. not even the bad gun practice
would have saved our ships. and TINS
morning two more OF our vessels Woulu
lie at the bottom. within two lengths
OF the wreck of the il-starred Maine.
Friday evening the Nicksburg and the
Morrill,. cruising to the west of Morr"
Castle, were fired upon by the big guns
of the Cojimar batteries. Two shot>
were fired at the Nicksburg and one al
the Morrill,. Both fell short, and both
vessels without returning the fire steam
cd out Of the range. 1t would nave
been folly to have done otherwise. But
Yesterday morning, the Spanlards had
hotter luck. The schooner they had sen,
ont before daylight ran off To the east
ward. hu@ging the shore with the WIND
on her Starboard quarter. About three
miles east of the entrance OF the larbot
She came over on the port tack. \ light
haze frineed the horizon, and she was no'
discovered until three miles off the shore
when the Mayfiowcr made her out ano
signalled the Morrill, and Nicksburg.
Captain Smith. Of the Morrill,. ano
Commander Lilly. of the Nicksburg. i'm
mediately slapped on all steam and start
ed i'll pursuit.
Tho schooner instantly put about an'
ran for MORO Castle. On doing so, Sh'
would, according to the we'll conceived
Spanish plot. lead the two American va
ship directly under the guns OF IN
Santa Clara batteries. These works ar
Il short mile west of MORO. and are
mrt of the defense Of the harbor. Their
are two batteries. one at the shore. Whlcl
has been recently thrown up, of SANE
and mortar with wide embrasureS fo
cight-inch guns. and the other on tn
crest of the gulf ut that point. IN
nDDpr battery mounts modern ten an
twelve inch Krupp guns behind 4 SIN
foot stone Darapet in front Of which az
twenty feet of carthwork and Il beltin
of railroad iron. This battery is co.
sidcred the most formidable Of H.
yana'S dcfenscs. except MORO CaStl'
1t is masked and has not been absolute
" located by the American war ship:
1t is probably due to the fact that til
SpaniardS did not desire to Expose it
position that the Nicksburg and Morri
are now afloat. The vessels were abo,
six miles from the schooner when tn
chase began. They steamed after hC
ut full speed. the Morrill, leading unit
within Il mile and Il half of the SAINT
Clara batteries. Commander Smith. ,
the NickSburg, was the first to reali2
the danger into which the rockies
pursuit had led them. He concluded
was time to haul off. and sent Il shC
across the bow of the schooner. III
Spanish skipper instantly brought h
vessel about, but while she was sti
rolling in the trough of the sea with Il;
sails tapping. an eight inch shrapnel She
came hurting through the air from ii
water battery, Il mile and a half ava
1t passed over the Morrill, between Il
pilot house and the ~smokestack and e
plOded less than fifty feet on the pc
quarter. The small shot ratified again
her side. 1t was Il close call. Two mo
shots followed in quick succession. DO
Shrapnel. One burst close under Il
starboard quarter. filling the engineered
with the smoke of the explosion Of Il
shell and the other. like the first. pass
over and exploded just beyond. r.
Spanish gunners had the range and the
time fuses were accurately set. III
crews of both ships were at their guI
Lieutenant Craig. who was in char
OF the bow four inch rapid fire guns
the Morrill,, asked for and obtained DC
mission to return the fire. At the fiji
shot the Nicksburg. which was in t
wake of the Morrill,. slightly in shol
sheered off and passed to windward IL