The record-union., 1898-06-17
Only Moro, Where Lieut.. hohson is
Confined, Spared.
The Western Batteries Badly Wrecked, One
Being Entirely Destroyed, and in
Others Many Guns Were
Dismounted.

LESS (Off Santiago de Cuba, June IOth,
noon, via Kingston, Jamaica), June IL.
% p. m.)-(Copyrighted, 1898. by the
Associated Press.) Rear Admiral
SIMPSONS fleet bombarded the batter
les at Santiago de Cuba for the third
time at daylight this morning. For
hours the ships pounded the batteries
at the right and left of the entrance.
only sparing Ell Moro, where Lieuten-
ant Hobson and his companions are in
prison.
The western batteries, against which
the main assault was directed, were
badly wrecked. One was utterly de-
stroyed. In others many guns were
dismounted. - -
AT first the Spaniards replied pas
sionately and wildly, but impotently.
Then most of the guns were deserted.
Not a ship was struck, nor a man in
jured on the American side. 1t is be-
lieved the enemy's loss of life was
heavy
AS a preliminary to the hammering
given the batteries, the dynamite cruis-
er Vesuvius last night, at midnight.
was given another chance. Three 250
pound charges of guncotton were sent
over the Notifications at the entrance.
The design was to drop them in the
bay around the angle, back of the emf
nence on which Ell MORO is situated,
where it was known the torpedo boat
destroyers were lying. Two charges
went true-as no reports were heard
popularity of the explosion of gun
cotton in water. Whether the destroy
ers were demolished is not known, but
the destructive area of guncotton is
large, and it would not be surprising if
one or both torpedo boats were de-
stroyed. The third charge exploded
with terrific force on Cayo Smith. A
crater big enough to hold church was
blown out Of the side of Cayo Smith,
and was clearly seen from the ships
this morning.
Admiral Sampson issued the orders
for the bombardment last night. Coffee
was served to the men at half past 3
this morning, and with the first rush of
dawn the men were called quietly to
quarters. The ships steamed at a five
knot speed to 3,O00-yard range, when
they closed up, broadside on, until a
distance of three cable lengths sep
arated them. They We're strung out
in the form of a crescent, the heavy
fighting ships in the center, the flagship
on the right and the Massachusetts on
the left flank. The line remained sta
tionary throughout the bombardment.
The Vixen and Scorpion took UP po-
sitions on opposite f1anks close in shore
for the purpose of enfilading any in
fantry that might fire upon the ships.
When the ships got into position it
was still too dark for any firing. The
Admiral signaled the ships not to fire
until the muzzles of the enemys guns
in the embrasures could be seen by the
gun Captains. Fifteen minutes later,
at 5:25 a. M, the New York opened
with a broadside from her main bat
terry at the works on the east of the
entrance to the harbor. All the ships
followed in streaks of flame The fleet,
enveloped in smoke, pelted the hills and
kicked up dirt and masonry. 1t was a
magnificent spectacle from where the
Dauntless lay.
Though the gun Captains had been
cautioned not to waste ammunition, but
to fire with deliberation,. the fire was
so rapid that there was an almost con-
tinuous report The measured cracks
of the big twelve inch guns of the bat
tleships sounded above the battle guns
of the secondary batteries like thunder
claps above the din of a hurricane. A
strong land breeze off the shore carried
the smoke of the ships seaward. while
it let down a thick curtain in front OF
the Spanish gunners.
Our fire was much more effective
than in preceding bombardments. The
Admiral's ordnance expert had given
explicit directions to reduce the powder
charges and to elevate the guns so as
to shorten the trajectory, and thus to
secure a plunging fire. AS the shells in
the preceding bombardments dropped
with the almost straight trajectories
of projectiles with full charges, 1t was
almost impossible to plant them. They
would shoot into the air. encircling the
batteries, owing to the high elevation,
and fall far over the Notifications.
The effect OF the reduced charges
was marvellous. In fifteen minutes the
western battery was completely wreck
ed. The Massachusetts, tore a gaping
hole in the emplacement with 1000
pound projectile, and the Texas dropped
a shell into the powder magazine. The
explosion wrought terrible havoc The
frame was lifted. the sides were blown
out, and a shower Of debris flew in
every direction. One timber. carried