Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-05-20
ANOTHER STORY OF THE BoMpA.n.
HENF OF SAN JUAN.
BAD SPANISH AIM THE FEATURE
DEMOLITION OF F0RTIFICATIoNs a
DIFFICULT TASK.
Il Took About Four Broadsides to
Wake the Observation-Disclosures
Ships Suffered No More
Damage Than ut Tar.
get Practice.

KEY WEST. FLA. May 19.-An onlook.
er Of the bombardment Of the fortincations
OF San Juan de Porto Rico on May Il by
the fleet of Rear Admiral Sampson. eaya
the following details Of the engagement
He said:
1.-THE most remarkable feature about the
bombardment was the escape Of the fleet
with so few casualties. The enemy's fire.
was heavy and continuous, and the eleva-
tion Of their batteries gave them a tre-
mendous advantage. How they missed hit
ting the ships, no one understands Their
shots fell all around, and their guns had
capacity for twice the range. Yet they
only landed two projectiles with any seri-
Gus effect.
''The San Juan affair strengthens the
opinion that the demolition of well placed
fortifications is a hard task for even the
strongest battleships.
1.-The secondary batteries of the ships were
not used after the line had passed on be-
fore the forts. This was chiefly on account
Of smoke. Drifting in front Of the tur-
rets, 1t made the handlers Of the big guns
liable to lose all sight Of land.
1.-The admiral and his assistant chief OF
STAN. Staunton. were on the superstructure
on the lee side of the coming tower. They
did not go inside the coming tower, which
will probably not be used In action unless
the fire is coming from both sides. So far
1t has proved a rather useless institution.
On the forecastle. in the lee Of the for
ward twelve-inch turret. were Lieutenant
March. nag secretary. and Ensign Bennett.
flag lieutenant. both Of whom. with staun-
ton, accompanied the admiral from the New
York.
Bennett had signal boys with him. His
signal flags, in q canvas bag. were made
fast with q line which ran around the tur-
ret barbet. This was to prevent them from
being shot overheard.
1T took about four broadsides to wake
the Spaniards up. In the meantime. great
yellowish white clouds were rising from
the hillside. marking where our shells had
fallen. Then q few puts Of white and
little lines Ct flame came from hooks in the
bluff. The water spurted few hundred
yards from the Iowa and everybody was
glad. because they knew the enemy was
returning the 1re. Before that the jacides
had been glum.
by this time the smoke had begun to
hang heavily, and the Iowa was moist and
covered with saltpeter. Marine glasses
had to be wiped every few minutes. The
mems faces were grimy, and their mouths
were bitter from the saltpeter. When tks
big guns In the turres were fred IT seemed
as II the ship was almost dra=n from the
water In q straining effort to follow the
projectiles as they whixxed shorewards.
Behind. the Indiana's port side looked like
huge fort. her own smoke hiding her
starboard side.
When the Iowa was turned to 20 back
to the starting point, the entire line was
engaged. The New York. stately. standing
high out OF the water and showing all her
gracefulness, but making an easy target,
slowly ran the gauntlet Of two miles
while the enemy's fire was at its hot
test, two tackles stood at the Iowa's bows.
without any cover, heaving the lead. They
worked Just as clamly as II In New York
harbor.
They can't hit us, George sang ont
one Of the men to another In lee Of the
turret. Just then a shell whixzed by. Rig
q line to that thing laughed the man in
the chains. pointing derisely to the water
that spurted up fifty yards ahead Of him.
The feature most discussed was the
wonderful pluck Of the Puritan and her es.
cape from being hit. Shells simply rained
around her al she lay within 500 yards of
the forts and blazed away with her 5-inch
rapic-nre batteries.
THE Amphitrite's trouble was with her
after turret and was caused by an accident
to the gear which supplies the turret
power.
Several slight accidents occurred on the
ships. but on the whole they were not as
numerous as generally happens during
heavy target practice.
The strain on the men was rather Sc.
we're. The heat Of the sun was intense be.
fore o'clock. The work done by the en-
gineer omcers and their men. who for three
hours were under the battle gratings. In
the intense heat Cann0t hA f00 bfvh1v