Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-05-05
PORT CABANAS SHEL|ED.
Two Spanish Forts in Cuba Silenced
and Rendered Useless for
Either Men or Guns.
BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE COMMANDMENT.
Probability That Naval Battle Has Been
Fought by this Time Between Conn
mOdore Dewey's Fleet and the War
ships of the Spanish Government at the
Philippine Islands.


ATLANTA. Ga, May LA dispatch
to the Atlanta Journal from Key West
says: Yesterday afternoon the New
York, with eight well directed shells
from the eight-inch gun on her port
bow and two from one of the eight
inch guns in her forward turret, COM
pletely silenced and rendered useless
for both men or guns two Spanish
forts at Port Cabanas. IL miles west OF
Mariel and 25 miles from Havana As
in the case of Matanzas, the first shot
was fred by Spaniard. About noon
the New York steamed up the west
coast. Following the flagship for
quite distance came the Iowa, In 4
diana, Helena and torpedo boats Por-
ter and Ericsson. But, after Havana
was passed, where the Helena went in
SO close that crashing shot from Moro
was momentarily expected. the ships,
with the exception of the torpedo
boats, soon returned to their station.
Under full head of steam the flag
ship bowled along until Mariel was
reached. 1t was easy from aboard the
dispatch boat without glasses. to see
the commotion raised in the pretty
little village by the presence of the
warships. The people rushed wildly
about and small boats quickly put in
shore. But there was no apparent
life in either of the forts on the two
hills that cover the approaches to the
harbor. The Porter steamed within
half mile of them and the New York
swung leisurely at anchor at a mile
range.
After Adm. Sampson had surveyed
Mariel to his apparent satisfaction he
sent the flagship clipping merrily
further up the coast. Again the flag
ship rode unconcernedly half mile
from the forts, and the Porter and
the Ericsson pushed their way ahead.
Suddenly there was a roar of a heavy
gun, puff of smoke from the shore
and the little torpedo boat came
scurrying back under the lee of the
flagship.
The officers and men disappeared
from the decks of the New York like
magic and in less time than it takes to
tell it one six-inch gun from her bow
belched forth. The evening was fad
ing. Quick, good work was necessary.
Another shot from the flagship, one
more from shore and the forts guns
we're silenced. Three six-inch shells
nad sufficed. Five more shots
put a quietus upon the fortifca-
lions. The first shot was fired at
500. At 6:35 the New York let go two
siX-inch shells, one at each fortification
to complete the job. There was no an
swer from the shore. Ten minutes later
the flagship let go two of her eight
inch turret guns, and the shrieking
shells left trail of fire easily seen in
The dark shadows of the evening. At
This time the shore was hardly visible,
and the New York put back to her sta
zion.
Battle May Have Been Fought
NEW YORK, May IA dispatch to
;he New York World from Singapore
SAYS: 1t is thought here that the naval
battle between the United States and
The Spanish fleet has been fought off
she Philippine islands by this time.
The deepest interest in the result of it
IS felt in this British colony. Adm.
Montiio, the Spanish commander, has
only three effective fighting ships
among the large number under
his command. These are the single
screw second-class iron cruiser Reina
Christina, of 5000 tons, and the
single screw third-class unprotected
cruiser Don Antonio de Ulloa and Don
Juan de Austria of 1,150 tons each.
The rest of the fleet will be of little
fighting value in combat with the
modern vessels of the United States
squadron. The truth regarding the
battle is not likely to be known until
Commodore Dewey, the American com
nander, gets control of the cables at
the Philippine islands All telegraph
messages from there now are vigilaut-
" watched and vigorously censored
by the Spanish officials.