Arizona republican., 1898-05-09
Almost Wipes 0ut Two of Our Gallant
 Battleships.
The NCksburg and the Morrill, Fall Into Trap and Are Under Fire For
 Half An Hour.

(The Vicksburg and the Morril un- der fire, copyrighted 1898 by the As sociated Press. )-Key West, Fla, May S.-Only poor craftsmanship on the part of the Spaniards saved the Vicks- burg and the cutter Morrill, from de struction in Havana harbor yesterday morning.
 UNDER FIRE.
 For over half an hour they were under the fire of the guns of the Santa Clara water batteries, but both es- capped without material injury, al though shrapnel from 8-inch guns ex- ploded all about them, and both now show scars of the Spanish bullets. The willy Spaniards had arranged trap to send that couple of cur ships to the bottom.
 THE LITTLE TRICK. A small schooner was sent out from Havana shortly before daylight yes terday morning to draw some of the Americans into ambush. The ruse worked like a charm, the Vicksburg and the Merrill in the heat of the chase and in their contempt for Span ish guns, walked straight into the trap that had been set for them. Had the Spaniards possessed their souls in patience but five minutes longer no gun practice would have saved our ships and this morning two more of our vessels would lie at the bottom within two lengths of the wreck of the Maine
 GOT OUT OF THE WAY. Friday evening the Vicksburg and Morrill,. cruising to the west of MOTTO castle. were fired upon by the big guns of the Cojimar batteries. Two shots were fired at the Vicksburg and one at the Merrill. Both fell short and both vessels without retu, ming the fire steamed out of range. It would have been folly to have done otherwise. BETTER LUCK. Yesterday morning the Spaniards had better luck. The schooner they had sent out before daylight ran of to the eastward, hugging the shore with the wind on her starboard quar- ter. About three miles east of the entrance of the harbor she came over on the port tack. A slight haze fringed the horizon and she was not discovered until three miles of shore, when the Mayflower made her out and signalled the Morrill, and Vicksburg. Captain Smith of the Morrill, and Commander Lilly of the Vicksburg immediately put on all steam and started in pursuit The schooner in stantly put about and ran for Moro castle before the wind. On doing so she would, according to the we'll con- ceived Spanish plot, lead the two American warships directly under the guns of the Santa Clara batteries The works are short mile west of Moro and are part of the defenses of the harbor
 THE HOT CHASE.
 The Mororill and Vicksburg were about six miles from the scene when the chase began. They steamed after her at full speed, the Morrill, leading until within mile and a half of the Santa Clara batteries. Commander Smith of the Vicksburg was first to realize the danger into which the reckless pursuit had led them He concluded it was time to halt, and sent 1 a shot across the bow of the schooner
 A CLOSE CALL.
 The Vlcksburg commander instantly brought his vessel about, and while she was still rolling in the trough of the sea with her sails Tapping, an S-inch shrapnel shot came hurtling | through the air from the water battery i a mile and half away. It passed over the Merrill and exploded less than fifty feet on her port side. Small | shot rattled against her side. It was a close call.
 Two more shots followed in quick | succession, both shrapnels. One burst ed close under the starboard quarter, filling the engine room with the smoke i of the explosion of the shell and the 1 other like the first, passed over and 1 exploded just beyond.
 THEY COULDN'T HIT.
 The Spanish gunners had the range and their time fuses were accurately | set. The crews Of both ships were at their guns. Lieutenant Craig, who