The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-20

Sa, Iuan de Puerto Rico May y by the
Rear Admiral Sampson gave the
: details of that enga cement. He
salai:
The most remarkable feature about the
bomhardment was the escape Of the fleet
with so few casualties. The enemy's fire
was heavy and continuous. and the eieva-
ton of their batteries gave them a tre-
mendous advantage. How they missed hit
ting the ships no one knows. Their shots
fell all around. and their guns had ca
pacity for twice the range. Yet they only
landed two projectiles with any serious eff
feet. The San Juan affair strengthens
the opinion that to attack well-piaced foftt-
fications Is hard task for even the strong
est hattleships.
The secondary batteries OF the ships were
not used after the Inc had passed before
the forts. This was chiefly on account of
smoke Drifting in front of the turrets.
1t made the handlers of the big guns liable
to lose all sight of land.
The admiral and his assistant chief OF
staff, Staun;on, were on the superstructure
on the lee side OF the coming tower. They
did not go inside the coming tower. which
will probably not be used In action unless
the fire is coming from both SIDES. so far
II has proved rather useless institution
In the forecastle. in the lee OF the for
ward Pinch turret. were Lieut. March,
flag secretary, and Ensign Bennett, nag
lieutenant, both of whom, with Sfaahtoh'
accompanied the admiral from the Aew
York. Bennett had sigma. huoys WIN MIN.
His signal flags. IN canvas bags, were made
fast bv line which ran around the turret
belt. This was to prevent them from De-
ing shot overheard.
T, toak about four broads.des 10 wake the
Standards up. In the meantime, great yell
,ou.ish white clouds were rising from the
hillside, marking where our shehs hao
fallen. Then a few pufys of white ana ht-
lie lines of flame. came from hooks IN the
hIuff. The water spurted Few hundred
wards from the Iowa and everybody was
e,sa because they knew that the enemy
was returning thc fire. Before that the
Jaekies had been glum. by this tnle t'ie
smoke had begun to hang heavily ana ths
Iowa was moist and covered Win sait-
,,a..- Marine glasses had TO be wiped ev-
arv few minutes. The mems races were
srirnv and their mouths were bitter from
,he sal.neter. When the b.g guns IN tue
t.,r-et were fred. X seemed as Y me snip
vas almost drawn from the water IN
straininr effors TO follow the projec'iies as
.hev whizzed shorswards Remind. the
Tndfana's rort side .ooked like huge tort,
her own smoke hiding her starhoard side
when the Iowa was t1rned 20 go back 10
the starting point. the entire line was en-
sarea THE New York, stately. running
ffs,b nut a. the water and showing al her
sracesnlnsss. but making an easy target
s,a,,.,,, m, the gauntlet of two miles
x,r,,,a rho euerny's hre was AZ iis hottest
.wo tackles stood at the Iowa's bows,
u,,,bon. any cover. heavlng ihe lead. They
r,.artss lust as calmly as II In New York
harbor.
.arh4v can't hit US. George" sang out
one 81 the men to another in the lee OF the
,rrret just then a shell wh'zzed by 8
rig a line 70 that thing" laughed the
man IN the chasns. pointing derlslyey 10
.ha water that spurted up atty yards ahead
OF him.
v-he feature most discussed was The won-
derf,,t MUCK of he Terror ard her escape
from, being hit Shells simply ra'ned about
ho- a. she Law withfn 80 yards or the forts
and hlazea away Wit. her 5-inch rapld-tlre
batteries
Several slight accidents occurred on the
shins bu. or IN whole ,aey we're rot aa
numerous a. generally happen during
heavy target practice Tie strain On tbs
men vas rather severe. Tae heat 4of ,ne sun
vras intense before o'ciock. Tha work
son. 10 the engineer officers and their
men. who. sor three hours. were under the
hattie gratgags IN the intense heat. canTaat
BE 100 higniy pFaieef'. Tea Gr5r< q lha
naausta~s se<u.e2 ssfs.y 5D 80 tae rsa-& of
the ofner ss.ps. . very hsavy sweg eaus-
s~g them trouble and preventing any De-
- a@Tzs~z~x clf