The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-15

Copyright by Associated Press.)
On Board the Associated Press Dis
patch Boat Dandy, off Aguadores, Gu
ba, July 10, via Pert Antonio and
Kingston, Jamaica, July II, GAS a. M
The Brooklyn, Texas and Indiana, I'M
der command Of Commodore Schley,
began the bombardment Of the city of
Santiago at SIS o'clock this afternoon,
in obedience to a request from General
Shafter, conveyed by a signal from the
shore.
The warships lined up from east to
west a quarter of a mile from the
shore and fired over the limestone
cliffs that come down to the sea and
hide the city, five miles away. The
b~ombardment was continued for one
hour.
After thirty-fve shots had been fired
from the 8-inch guns, Commodore
Schley became convinced that the
BrookIyn's fire was falling short, and
ordered a cessation, permitting the
battleships to continue with their
larger guns, they having longer range.
The shots were fired apparently with
great elaboration and at intervals of
tyo minutes.
The signals from the shore %announc-
ed that the shells fell 1000 feet short
and a little to the left of the Spanish
position. At dusk the squadron ceased
firing and Commodore Schley sent a
launch to the shore to ask General
Shafter if he desired firing continued
during the night.
When the Associated Press reporter
went aboard the Brooklyn Commodore
Schley said he was ignorant Of the
purpose of the bombardment. The AS
ISOLATED Press reporter read to him a
message received at Juragua from a
mounted courier saying the armistice
was ended and that hostilities had
been resumed.
Commodore Schley aid General
Shafter signaled to me to begin the
bOmbardment as soon as l could get
into position. / dOubte from the start
whether I could hit the city. / had to
guess at it's location and be very care
full not to injure our own army. If /
lombard tomorrow l shall have range
marks on shore to guide me and I shall
take the ships closer to the shore than
today. The water off Aguadores is so
smooth hat our Workmanship was
not affected by the swaying of the
SHIPS. In Ilf1nS To-Day L gave the tur-
rets the greatest possible elevation by
listing the ships. But I kne I would
fall short. The guns will carry more
than five miles, but to brow shots
over the cliff a great elevation is re-
CURED"
When the Dandy left A~guadores at
Z o'clock the warships were still in
position.
During the bombardment the Dandy
1a,- 1,,--+, &c n Ill InI;p1 +11 live
of ships.
When the ~bombardment began a
heavy rain storm was in progress with
thunder and lightning, but artillery
fire could be heard on shore, indicating
that General Shafter had resumed hos
tilities Immediately or the ending of
the armistice.
Following the roar of Commodore
Schley's guns, could be heard the
shrieking of the shells as they sped on
their way to the doomed Spanish city.
Then came a long echo from the hills
back of Santiago, and sometimes a
peal of thunder prolonged the ever
berations and gave the impression that
the city was bombarded from sky, sea
and and
The situation must have been appal-
ling to the Spaniards, and if General
Shafter made the demonstration for
the mere effect which it would have
on the enemy, he probably attained
his end.
SPANISH PROPOSALS REJECTED.
General Skaters headquarters, Near
Santiago, July 10, via Port Antonio,
per the Associated Press Dispatch
Boat Dandy, via Kingston, Jamaica,
July II, 9:15.-This morning General
Spanish commander, hat by PEgEadent
Nc k1nipV' 6lrpcf1On fhp SDAnlSh
proposition to surrender if the gar
rison were allowed to leaver Santiago
with its side arms, was rejected, and
hat the United States would accept
no terms but immediate and uncondi-
tional surrender.
General Toral at 2:45 o'clock p. M.
replied in a brief note that he rejected
President McKinley's proposal and
would discuss 10 other terms than
those suggested by himself.
At 3:15 o'clock p. m, General SHAFT
ter notified General Toral that the ar
mistice woul be terminated and hos
tilitieS reSumed at 4 o'clock. At the
anne time he issued instructions to
each division commander to prepare
for a fresh attack on the Spanish
works. These orders have been pro-
mulgated from Aguadores to Ell Ca
ney.
When the courier left with this dis
patch, just before 4 o'clock, the artil-
cry was preparing to open on the
Spaniards at the end of the armistice.
The dynamite guns had been trained
on the Spanish blockhouse with such
absolute precision that the first shot
would obliterate it.
The American soldiers will sleep in
the trenches tonight.
Eight batteries of light artillery will
be in position at midnight and the
siege guns just landed will be ready
for action at 10 o'clock tomorrow
morning.
General Shafter said to a correspond
tent of the Associated Press this af-
ternoon: General Henry and his di-
vision are now landing at Juragua
and coming up as rapidly as possible.
Our lines cannot be made more effec-