The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-19

Copyright, 1898, by the Associated Press)
Under Moro Castle, Harbor of San
tiago de Cuba, July I7.-At exactly
O'clock this morning the Spanish flag
was lowered from the staff browning
the heights upon which battered MORO
castle spreads half way. The lowering
OF this emblem of the defunct sover-
eighty of Spain in this part of the
world was witnessed by few Spanish
and American troops on shore and by
the Brooklyn, New York, Vixen and
VesuVius, lying within few hundred
yards of the harbor entrance.
Almost Immediately after the flag
was hauled down steam launches, COM
manded by Lieutenants Hobson and
Palmer, entered the harbor, penetrat-
ing as far as the firing stations of the
submarine mines. These mines were
found not to be so formidable as ex-
pected, and later in the afternoon they
were all exploded under the supervision
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 1t is
not thought that any of them had any
thing to do with the sinking of the
craft
Six or seven steamers in the harbor
fall as prisoners to the army and navy.
The Spanish gunboat Alvarez had al
ready been taken possession of by
prize crew from the New York. The
other vessels lie al the other end of the
harbor at Santiago proper.
EXAMINED THE BATTERIES.
Soon after noon Commodore Schley,
with Captain Cook of the Brooklyn,
Lieutenant J. II. Sears, the flag lieuten-
ant; Lieutenant B. w. Wells, the flag
fvaxr tod d.
ents of the Associated Press went into
the harbor on a steam launch, which
moved slowly in order to make close
observations of the Spanish forts and
batteries. Every one expressed salts
faction at the fact that MORO castle
was not demolished by the lombard
ment. Captain Cook saying: I'VE need
Ell MORO as an object lesion, and
America is rather shy on ruins, any
how"
The old fort stands on the bluff, ter
race fashion. From the waters edge
to the cliff there are numerous caves,
formed by the action of the waves, and
around the base and in the superstruc-
ture are not a few caves made by the
navy's projectiles. 1t would appear,
however. that only one bastion was
knocked to pieces, while the queer lit
tie sentry boxes. dating back to the
18th century, escaped almost intact.
MORO castle is the only imposing
fertilization in the harbor, and it is
only so in appearance. since not gun
is mounted within or on the crumbled
walls. In fact, all the batteries,
masked and open, dwindled in their ter
ror-inspiring qualities as the inspection !
grew closer.
Growing the hill on the west side /,
of the intrance were the famous six !
inch rapid-fire guns from the Spanish /
T9afra Mercedes These were [
ugly looking and dangerous, while be- |
low on big foundations on the western /
shore of the entrance, were some re-
Volving guns. These were the ones
which poured such a bitter fire into the |
Merrimac Directly east of MORO cas-
tie. on the crest Of the plateau-like cliff,
We're six big guns, one or two OF Whlch
We're dismounted.
The Estrella battery and small
neiShbcr further inshore showed no
guns. while at the famous Cayo Smith
they found the islet filled 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 fishermens houses.
All were deserted, and. strange to say,
not enc. apparently. had been touched
by a hostile projectile.
the westward some hastily constructed,
but very comfortable, classmates were
seen. into which the Spanish gunners
were wont to retire when our ships
opened fire. When the firing ceased,
the gunners had a few steps only to
climb TO their six-inch rapid-fire guns,
which almost always fired few spite
full farewell shots.
In Santiago there were four SiX-inch
guns, one above the other, neither pro-
tected. either by sand or earth These
commanded the harbCr entrance pretty !
y ell. but they could have been silenced
by one well directed heavy she'll
Commodore Schley has over and over
again expressed the belief that our
feet probably could have entered the
harbor without the loss of a single
ship. The mines might have stopped
ngress by sinking the leading ship, ,
out this is the chance of war, and not !
so grave as many take during the civil /
strife. nor as serious as would have
been the situation had there been good |
batteries, properly manned, in the
larbor.
y WRECKED CRUISER. /
Commodore Schley's party first t
steamed around the wreck of the Reina :
Mercedes. which lies with her bow q
pointed toward the city. She had a 2
list TO starboard and rested on reef Y
rear the 1901 OF MORO GILL. Inc I
rgiser was sunk to the upper deck. on Il
which one siX-inch gun remained. One '
orpedo tube was loaded and the aux V
liary battery seemed in place Evil S
ently the crew of the Reina Mercedes r
eft her in a hurry. This is less to be
wondered at when ii is noted that there {
we're great gaps in her sides, showing Y
where two u and two 13-inch shells I
lad struck her. The sea washed o
through the after cabin, which was G
in old-fashioned style, and O
D the wind fiuttered a red silk curtain, a
rhich could be plainly seen over an s
ll.er door as the launch steamed by. +
About 500 yards ahead of the Reina ii
iercedes, and almost in line with her, n
ras the wreck of the Merrimac, lying
I fully six fathoms of water. on the g
cry edge of the channel. Had not IL
he current swung the doomed ship II
longside instead of athwart the chan a
el, the latter would have been well f,
locked. When Assistant Naval Con- 8,
rructor Hobson took the collier into a
ne harbor he was hunting for a four n
athom spot, and only missed by few n
undred yards. a
At the firing station on the west side, =
-hich Commodore Schley inspected in {,
erson, the American party met a "
parish artillery captain, who was n
)urteous, but gloomy. Commodore !,
chley was his own interpreter, and c,
ivised the officer, with the few men ;,
nder his command, to go up to the >;
ty and surrender as quickly as pos
BILE. ~
When the Spanish captain was asked 4