Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-04-27
WEAK DEFENSE OF HAVANA.
Now York SUM

Of oll the Cuban cities Havana IS the
only one which has Notifications suih-
ciently strong to enable the Spanish 10
make n semblanco of resistance to the
attacks Of an enemy so powerful as the
United States.
Impregnable though they mag have
be,n at the time when they were punt,
the Havana for i6caticns are Delle'eu
to be,almost worthless at present lu'r'
was n time when the Spanish could say
90 Pezuela remarked in his well-known
| hook on Cuba, that the United States
| had not an organized force powerful
enouoh to undertake the investment Oh
aAmerica's most important strong
| hold"
Whatever the ignorant masses may
believe, those who really know about
these things in Spain and Cuba beheVc
that in case of an attack by the Uniteo
4
States the long line of Notifications il
, the capital of Cuba would merely en-
E able the Spanish to exchange le"
! shots with the attacking ships before
= the mas. overlooking but actually value
loss structures which they call cas- le'
ord forlresses could be Destroyer D.
- the American gunners.
The oldest among the works OF de
Is fence Of Havana is the Castillo de Il
ut Fucrza the building of which was com
10 rleted in 1888, during the governorshil
st Of Gabriel de Lujan. The fort MAJ
p some Importance before the Moro am
Runta castles were built. 1t faces IN
III bov on the city side, Immediately aIte
Il the Castillo de la Punta. Although II
r. demolition was ordered long ago. IN
,h authorities in Cuba have managed
I'd nreserye this old building, which
NJ now used as a barracks and mlIitar
oh storehoUse.
." The Castillo de la Punta, situated
an the west of the harbor entrance, bega
es to be built as far back as 1890, unde
ms the direction. of EngineerJ. b. Antor
boI ELI It wps desti Dyed by the Englls
~ in 1862 and subsequently built on
'h' much larger scale. 1t is 12O yards 0
III 70, and is separated by distance GO
nd 500 yards from the Moro ana ~
BE- rom the Caoana. The fort is OF scarce
" moro value than the Castillo de
al Euorza. II has twenty-five smootl
=, =, bore bronze pieces, and its ordlnal
81 garrison ccmprizes detachment
eli infantry, in addition to the iorco
Fps charge of the guns. -.
nts To the east OF the bay is the famo'
NO Moro castle, build upon rock SIN
no feet above the level of the sea, VIM,
was originally called La VigiG, u
cts, watch-house, as from tn rock v
rcd movements could be watched OF all a
oro preaching vessels In 1859 this 70
are was selected by Don Juan Texeda as
o. most appropr ate site on wh'cn ,
lig- erect castle for the defence Oh T.
thy city and aibOr.
NOR The works of the original Moro cas-
- were completed toward the year lo(
'' and. for nearly century, the MIC
Is and La Punta proved enough to DIET
der Spain enemies from attacking Hayai
tied On June 6. 1862, however, form
able English fleet, under Admiral
homorIe attacked the city, which 81
ncy rendered on August 10. The Mo-
ben defended by Captain Luis de seasl
at was then the principal point OF att"
his and defence.
n' For forty-fvo days, from June
niin 10 July 80, it was the target OF
urt attaching vessels and of the batter
ri. laid by the English on the helS'
{ a where the Cubanas fortress was la
! ofI built On July 3OSir George Aep
~. succeeded in storming the castle u
UNI It is not exaggeration to say that
him strength of the original Moro, as co co
,out nared TO that of the English 10
which destroyed it, was much grea
than that of the present Moro III 49,
9ed- lation to the land and naval force? W
heir which the United States could Inv
and Havana. IL to-d
p0" WINS built Immediately after haV,
IN