Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-13
THE NAVY'S PROBLEM.
HOW TO HIT A TOWN FIVE MILES
OFF, OVER MOUNTAINS.
IT is SATISFACTORILY SOLVED.
Santiago Could BE Made Untenable
IL Not Destroyed, by Guns of Our
ships, Though Army should Fire
Not a Shot.
Not n Shot.

OFF AGUADORES, July II, 2 P. NJ, via
KINGSTON, JAMAICA. July u. 2:10 P.
M-The United States navy has the fol-
lowing problem presented 10 IL: What is
the best manner of effectively bombarding
a city distant four and a half miles, and
concealed from view by a range Of hills
25O feet high at it's lowest partf The
problem has been satisfactorily solved.
So. if the army hereafter never fired
shot, and merely guarded the roads, the
navy could make Santiago untenaDle, If,
indeed, it did not totally destroy it in a
few days. Sunday and Monday the sea
was calmer than usual, so that The OPP
portunity for good practice was afforded.
In pursuance of General Skaters request,
Commodore Schley, Admiral Sampson be-
ing absent at Guantanamo, at o'clock
on Sunday. moved the Brooklyn. Indiana
and Texas TO d point a distance OF a
little over four and half miles from
Santiago. Men were posted on the crest
of a hill nearly opposite the ships, at
point overlooking the city, for the pur-
pose of signalling the gunners II the she!S
went too high or too low.
The New York returned here last night
and to-day the New York and the Indiana
were the ships which participated IN the
Smelling The ships ran out their DIG
guns on the side opposite the hring' IN
order TO secure the desired hst 10 port
or TO starboard. General Smarter slgndHeu
about noon: Some OF the shells fall in
the bay and some in the city Inc latter
do not appear TO do great damage
Comment on this subject was changed
Immediately by a message, saying; ne
last shot struck st. MchaePs church
where powder was stored, blowing up the
same and doing great damage. me
bombardment closed for the day at Z.
NJ AT General Skaters request, as ne
was about to send a flag OF truce INTO tue
CITY in order 10 demand its surrender Tor
the third and last time.
The whole proceeding was busness-Hke
I'm the extreme. The ordinary aVocatlohs
on ship-board went on, punctuated al IN
teryals of five minutes by the roar OF the
hig guns, the scream OF proJecules' ana
the echoes from the mountains In the rear
of Moro Castle, plainly Vislpie 10 the
westward and having the bombardins
ships well in range. But not gun was
fred By the Spanards.
TERRIBLE MISSILES.
The effect of the shells when they did
bir can easily be imagined, when II Is
known that each OF them carries 80
pounds of explosives, and travels go feet
per second. When such a missile lands
al a distance Of four and half miles
from the muzze 10 the city 1t occupies
22l-4 seconds in its flight. -Four shells
during the bombardment to-day started
fires in different parts Of the city. proving
the feasibility OF burning the place by
using the guns of the fleet alone.
II was strange to see our soldiers repair
ing a locomotive on the railroad track
running along the beach, while, ike the
strokes OF slow clock, the guns were
fired. and sent shells screaming over the
men at work.
Death must have come 10 many In the
city by reason of the shelling but II Is
impossible TO do more now than surmise
as to the extent OF the mortality