The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-18

exploded at the time of the entrance of
the Merrimac into the channel of San
tiagO harbOr, but it is not thought that
either of them had anything to do with
the sinking of the craft. Six or seven
steamers in the harbOr fell as prisoners
to the army and navy. The Spanish
gunboat Alvarez had already been
taken possession of by a prize crew
from the New York. the other vessels
lie at the other end of the harbOr, at
Santiago proper
Soon after noon, Commodore Schley
with Captain Cook of the Brooklyn,
Lieutenant J. H. Sears, the flag lieu
tenant, Lieutenant B. W. Wells, the
flag secretary, and three invited cor
respondents of the Associated Press,
went into the harbor on a steam launch
which moved slowly in order to make
close observations of the Spanish bat
teries.
Every one expressed satisfaction at
the fact that MOrrO castle was not
demolished by the bombardment, Cap
tain Cook saying: I'VE need Ell
MOrro as an object lesson, and America
is rather shy on ruins, anyhow"
The old fort stands on the bluff, ter
race fashion. From the waters edge to
the cliff there are numerous caves
formed by the action of the waves and
around the base and superstructure are
not a few caves made by the naVy's
projectiles. It would appear, however,
that only one baStion was knocked to
nieces while the queer little sentry
boxes, dating back to the Sixteenth
century, escaped almost intact
NIorro castle is the only imposing for
tification in the harbor and 1t is only
so in appearance, since not q gun is
mounted within, or on the crumbled
walls In fact all the batteries, masked
and open dwindIed in their terror-in-
spring qualities as the inspection grew
closer.
Growing the hill on the west side of
the entrance were the famous six inch
rapid fire guns from the Spanish cruiser
Reina Mercedes. These were ugly look
ing and dangerous, while below on Dig
foundations on the western shore OF the
entrance were some revolving guns
These were the ones which poured such
a bitter fight into the Merrimac.
Directly east of Morro castle on the
crest of the plateau like cliff, were six
big guns, one or two of which We're
dismOunted.
The Estrella battery and small
neighbOr further in showed no guns,
while the famous Cay Smith filed the
islet with blue, yhite and yellow houses
situated in groves of Towering trees,
some of the buildings looking as if they
had been the resort of pleasure seekers
in happier times. Others were humble
enough looking to be the BONES of fish
ermen.
On the inside of the slope and hill to
the westward some hastily construct
ed but very comforting classmates were
seen into which the Spanish gunnerS
were wont to retire when our ships
opened fire. When the firing ceased
the gunners had a few steps only to
climb to their six inch rapid fire guns,
which almost always fired a few spite
full farewell shots.
At Punta Gorda, there were two four
inch guns, one above the other, neither
protected even by sand or earth, These
commanded the harbor entrance pretty
well, but they could have been sienced
by one well directed heavy she'll
Commodore Schley has over and over
again expressed the belief, that our
fleet probably could have entered the
harbor without the loss of a single ship.
The mines might have stopped ingress by
sinking the leading ship, but this is the