New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-25
CABLES CUT AT SANTIAGO.
sr,,x HAS ONLY ONE WIRE TO CUBA
LEFT
THE LINES RUNNING TO KINGSTON. JA-
yarcA SEVERED BY THE ST. LOUIS AND
THE wAMPATUCK-ATTEMP
FAILED AT CvANTANAMO
FAILED AT GUANTANAMO.
frY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE !

frv TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
uey Ues, Fla. May 24-Details of an inter
eating skirmish which the auxiliary cruiser 81
louis and the tugboat Wampatuck had Win
two Spanish gunboats and a heavy battery IN
IN. harbor of Santiago de CUBA on May 'o
reached here to-day. The engagement ias'e"
only nf,y minutes. but II was fierce, ana IL re-
suited I'm victory for the American Vesse's
Tho American ships sailed into the entrance
q, the harbor on the morning OF the dhy men
toned with the intention - cutting tho cable OF
the Wes, Indies and Panama Company The
Vvan,natuck led the way. the big cruiser follow
ing n short distance behind. When compare
,,vciv shoal water reached the WampatucK
rrapplcd FOR the cable and finally found H.
nv this time two Spanish gunboats. which Jay
-ar back in the harbor. advanced ana opeheu
fire on the American vessels. The 81. Louis re-
pled so vigorously with her rapid-hre guns that
inter a short time the gunboats retreated. with
out leaving a mark on either or their opponents
10, disturbed by the fire Of the Spaniards. the
u,tle Wampatuck continued her task. First one
and then the other Of the two cables was sew
cred Before the work was completed the land
batteries especially one composed or mortars'
h.gan a brisk fuslllade The craftsmanship OF
the Spanards was poor, however, ana neither
., the Americans was even scratched. though
N
From each OF the cables the Wampatuck took
. ,,ece Afteen feet long, and these fragments
now hang coned on the wall In the cabin occu-
r,ea bv Lieutenant Jungen. the pucky com
mander OF the tugboat Lieutenant Jungen by
IN. ,vav ,s one OF the survivors OF the Maine
d,s.a,er and is we'll known in the Navy for his
indomitabe courage
Tho following morning the st. Louis and the
Uomnatuck steamed into the harbor OF Guam
,anamo the Cuban terminus OF the French Yves.
Indies Company's cable. which runs 10 Hay'i'
There is only one line. and with IL destroyed
C,,ba would be entirely cut on from intercourse
tel t,rronc except for the line which runs from
.ro 20 Havana and is in control OF the United
States Government.
Word OF the plucky encounter nj santiago hao
.y,aontlv becn carried TO Guantanamo. TOT the
,ronent the American vessels approached the
town n savage fire from land batteries ana TWO
email gun boats began Disdainng th's "re' ''e
yyamnatuck advanced perilously close 10 'he
shore and began graphing for the caole Inc
shallowness Of the water precluded the d. 'o''s
,.a,v, canning TO the defence Of the tugboat ana
tho cruisers captain, Goodrich s'gnaueu u
Lieutenant Jungen to retreat. Anxious 10 ac-
on,,,,,sh the work at once. Lieutenant Jungen
a,s M, retrace his course until a second order
ao,,. from, the St Louis. Then he drew out OF
ranoo withou. having suffered the snghtsst
damage TO either his men or his vessel
This gave rise to n report which was cap'eu
from Kingston to the effect that two American
sbins had been forced to retire from Guantana-
mo by Admiral Cerveras fleet Lieutenant
Iuneen saw nothing Of the Spanish squadron
o,,h,r d,d he hear anything definite as TO its
location.
Tho two cables cut Mt Santiago are evidently
,hose running to Kingston. Jamaica third
.,,re stretches from Santiago to Guantanamo.
and thence to Mole st. Nicolas. Hayti. IL was
tho latter which the Wampatuck failed 10 sever
op the morning OF May ~