Evening star., 1898-06-02

government had informed the commodore
on the deck of the brooklyn that no YES
sells of the size of the Spanish warships
could go up the harhor. a6,d. after this in
formation had been politely received the
pilots were sent back to Kingston, although
they desired to be landed in Cuba
Channel Dee6, but Narrow,
The latest maps Of the harbor show a
narrow but deep channel, fairly we'll pro-
tected and supposed to be mined The mar
row neck is not wide enough to allow more
than one ship at a time, to pass up and
the batteries. unless reduced, would be
very destructive.
There are three Batteries outside and
three small ones inside and between the
entrance place and the city proper the dis
tance is very nearly three miles up the
bay. measuring from Moro Castle
The latest information in the possession
Of the government showed that at the mar
rowed point entrance near Moro Castle
there are three lines of electrically-worked
mines, thirty III all. Besides this there are
two sets of new batteries just opposite the
Moro, forming, with the latter, a danger
Gus cross fire
Just inside this are two batteries on the
east shore, Estrella and Catalina.
Cayo Smith, about half mile up the bay
and about in the center, where the narrow
entrance widens out, has batteries of mod
ern guns, as has also Blanco battery just
near the city of Santiago itself.
About two miles west of Moro in shore,
is a battery, and there are also supposed
to he some mines near Cayo Smith.
Armament of the Batteries.
The armament of the various batteries
is supposed to be as follows, not including
the new earthworks, behind which there
are modern guns:
Morro-Four modern guns and ten eight
cen and twenty-four Founders.
Blaneo battery-Nine smoothbore, eight
cen and twenty-four Founders of little ac-
count and two small mortars.
The Estrella battery-ten smoothbore
guns.
Cayo Smith-Severa1 modern guns.
The forts are mainly of brick and stone,
constructed century ago, although there
are evidences of new earthworks being
thrown up.
The only view into the harbor for any
distance is from the southwest, and as the
flagship passed along Lieutenant Sears
noted that the Spanish cruiser Reina Mer-
cedes, which has been partly dismanted,
lay III the harbor. perhaps 1880 yards in
side of Moro Castle, and he also noted thir-
ty miles of mines.
To the westward and further inside was
the Spanish first-class armored cruiser AL
mirante Oquendo, lying under the guns of
Cayo Smith, and to the east of it, her star
beard battery looking down upon the mar
row channel was the Cristobal Colon, with
room only for one ship at time to pass
1t will thus be seen that it would be sui
cidal to attempt to force an entrance into
the place, at least until the batteries are
reduced, and that will consume a lot of am
munition.
At the same time, taking it for granted
that the remainder of the Sianish fle,t, with
four cruisers and two torpsdo boats, is still
further up the harb?r, it will be seen that
the warships of Spain are effectually bot
tied up SO that they Can do no harm.
Sunday at sunset found .the squadron in
battle line outside Santiago, the Brooklyn
on the east of the line, The Massachusetts
next to her, the Iowa west of the Massa-
chusetts, and next the Texas. which was on
the extreme left, while the, Marblehead and
the Vixen secuted inshore
To leave Santiago the Spanish ships would
have to pass this seemingly impregnable
barrier.
Monday. May 30.-The American fleet this
morning still retained 4 its position off San
tiago, and no attempt was made during the
lIght or morning on the part of the Span
ish fleet to get out of the harbor.
The United States cruiser New Orleans
arrived during the afternoon and joined the
squadron.