Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-09

Immediately slapped on all steam and
started in pursuit. The schooner in
stantly put about and ran for MORO
Castle before the wind. on doing so
she would, according to the well-con-
ceiVed Spanish plot, lead the two
American warshlps directly under the
guns of the Santa Clara batteries.
These works are Il short mile west of
MORO and are Il part of the defenses
of the harbor.
There are two batteries. one at the
shore, which has been recently thrown
up of sand and mortar, with wide
embrasures for eight-inch guns, and
the other on the crest of the rocky
emlnence which juts out into the gulf
at the point. The upper battery mounts
modern ten and twelve-inch Krupp
guns behind slx-foot stone parapet.
in frort Of which are twenty feet of
cnrthwork and n betting of railroad
iron. This battery is considered the
most formidable of Havana's defenses,
except Moro Castle. II Is masked and
has not been absolutely located by the
American warshlps. 1t Is probably
due to the fact that the spaniards did
not desire to expose its position that
the Vicksburg and Morrill, are now
aiiont.
The Morrill, and vicksburg were
about six miles from the schooner
when the chase began. They steamed
after her at full speed. the Morrill,
leading, until within a mile and
half Of the Santa Clara batteries,
Commander Smith of the Vicksburg
was the first to realize the danger
into which the reckless pursuit had
led them. He concluded IL was time
to halt and sent shot across the
bow Of the schooner.
The Spanish skipper instantly
brought his vessel about, but while she
was stlll rolling In the trough Of the
sea, with her sails Tapping. an eight
inch shrapnel shell came hurting
through the air from the water bat
terry. mile and n half away. II
passed over the Morrill, between the
pilot house and the smokestack, and
exploded less than fifty feet on the
port quarter The small shot ratified
against her side. It was a close call
Two more shots followed In quick sue
cesslon, both shrlpnel. one burst close
under the starboard quarter, filling
the engine room with the smoke OF the
explosion OF the shell, and the other.
like the first. passed over and eS-
pl0ded just beyond.
The Spanish gunners had she range
and their time fuses were accurately
set The crews OF both ships were at
their guns. Lieut.. Craig. who was in.
charge Of the bow four-inch rapid-nre
gun of the Morrill,. asked for and
obtained permission to return the fire.
At the first shot the Vicksburg.
which was :, in the wake of the Nor
rill, slightly lnshare, sheered off and
passed to windward under the Nor
rills stern.
In the meantime Capt. Smith also
put his helm to port, and was none
too soon, for as the Morrill, stood
Off, solid eight-inch shot grazed her
starboard quarter and kicked up tons
of water as II struck a wave 100
yards beyond. Capt. Smith said after
ward that this was undoubtedly an
eight-inch armor-piercing projectile,
and that It would have passed through
the Morrill's boilers had he not
changed her course.
All the guns OF the water battery
were now at work. one of them cut
the Jacobs ladder of the Vicksburg
adrft and another carried away II por-
ton of the rigging. As the Morrill,
and Nlcksburg steamed away their
aft guns were used. but only few
shots were fired. The Morrills six
inch gun was elevated for 1000 yards
and struck the earthworks repeatedly.
The Vicksburg fired repeated shots
from her 'slx-pounder. The Spanlards
continued to fire shot and shell Cor
twenty minutes. but the shots were
Ineffective. Some of them were so wild
that they aroused the American
tackles to jeers. The Spaniards only
ceased firing when the Morrill, and
Vicksburg Were completely out Of
range. If all the Spanish gunners had