Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-07-19
Commodore schIey Enters
in a Launch.
SCENES ABOUT THE CITY
Captain Cook Certain That the Infantn
NIaria Teresa Will he Saved
and Form Addition to
Uncle Sans Navy.

ince of Santiago de Cuba, July II
delayed in transmission. )-At exactly
O'Clock this morning the Spanish flag
was lowered from the staff crowrinF-
the heights upon which battered Moro
castle spreads half way. The ceremo-
ny attestinE the defunct sovereignty or
Spain IN this part of the world was
witnessed BY a few Spanish and Amer
lean troops on shore. by the Brooklyn.
New York Vixen and Eesuyius living
within a few hundred yards of the har-
Dor entrance. Almost Immediately af-
ter the flag was hauled down steam
launches commanded by Lieutenants
| liobson and Palmer entered the har-
Dor penetrating as far as the firing
| stations OF the submarine mines These
| mines were judged to be not so for
| mtdabfe as expected and later in the
afternoon they were all exploded under
| the supervision of the Vixen. 1t was
seen that two mines had been exploded
at the time of the entrance of the Merri-
mae into the channel of Santiago har-
Dor. but it is not thought probable that
either or them had anything to do with
the sinking of the craft. Six or seven
tine steamers in the harbor fell as
prizes OF the army ana navy.
The Spanish gunboat Alvarez had al
ready been taken possession Of by a
prize crew from the New York. The
other vessels lie at the other end OF the
harDor at Santiago proper.
Soon after noon Commodore Schley,
with Captain Cook, Of the Brooklyn.
Lieutenant j. II. Sears. the flag lieu
tenant: Lieutenant B. w. Wells, the
flag secretary and three invited cor
respondents or the Associated Press.
went into the harbor on a steam
launch. which moved slowly in order
to make close observation Of the Span
ish forts and batteries.
Every one expressed satisfaction at
the fact that MORO Castle was not
demolished by the bombardment. Cap
tain Cook saying: I'VE need Ell MORO
as an object. lesson and America is
rather shy on ruins. anyhow"
The old fort stands on the bluff, ter
race fashion. From the waters edge
to. the brow beeting Cliff there are
huge caves formed by the action Of
the waves and round the base and in
the superstructure are not a few caves
made by the enemy's projectiles. It
would appear. however. that only one
bastion was knocked to pieces, while
the queer little sentry boxes, dating
back to the sixteenth century, escaped
almost lntncr. sa
MORO Castle Is the only imposing
fertilization in the harbor and 1t is
only SO in appearance, since not a gun
is mounted within or on the crumbled
walls. In fact all the batteries. mask
cd and open, dwindled in their terror
inspiring qualities as the inspection
grew closer. Growing the hill on the
west side of the entrance were the ia
nous 6-inch rapid fire guns from the
Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes. These
We're ugly-looking and dangerous,
while below on brick foundations on
the western shore of the entrance were
some revolving guns These We're the
ones which poured such bitter fire
into the Merrmac.
Directly east of MORO Castle, on the
crest OF the plateau-like cliff. were six
big guns, one or two OF which were dts
mounted.
The Estrella battery and a small
neighbor further In showed no guns.
while the famous Cayo Smith filled the
slet with blue white and yellow
houses. situated In groves of Towering
trees some of the buildings looking as
IL they had been the resorts of pleas
ure seekers in happier times Others
We're humble enough IN appearance for
tishermen's houses. All were deserted
and. strange to say. not one. apparent
~. had been touched by a hostile pro-
jectie.
On the inside Of the slope and hill 10
the westward some hastily construct
ed. but very comforting classmates
were seen, into which the Spanish gun
ships opened fire. When the firing
ceased the gunners only had a few
steps to climb to their 6-inch rapid fire
guns which almost always fired a few
spiteful farewell shots.
At Punta Gorda there were two 4
inch guns. one above the other. neither
protected by even sand or earth These
commanded the harbor entrance pref
ty we'll, but they could have been 81
fenced by one we'll directed heavy
shell. ..-
Commodore Schley has over and
over expressed the belief that our fleet
could probably have entered the har-
Dor without the loss Of a single ship.
The mines might have stopped ingress
by sinking the leading ship. But this
is the chance Of war and not SO grave
as many taken during the civil strife
nor as serious as would have been the
situation had there been good batter
les. properly manned in the harbor.
Commodore Schey's party first
steamed around the wreck of the Reinn
Mercedes, which lies with her bow
pointed toward the city. She had a
list to starboard and rested on a reef
near the foot of MORO cliff. The cruis-
or was sunk to the upper deck, on
which one G-inch gun remained One
torpedo tube was loaded and the aux
iliary battery seemed in place. Evi-
IDENTIFY the crew of the Reina Mercedes
left her in q hurry This is less to be
wondered at wnen it is noted that
there We're great gaps In her sides.
showing where two L. and two 1S-inch
shells had struck her.
The sea washed gently through the
after part OF the cruiser, which was
decaroted in old fashioned style, and
the wind fluttered a red silk curtain.
which could be plainly seen over an
inner door. as the launch steamed by.
About 500 yards ahead Of the Reina
Mercedes and almost in line with her
was the wreck of the Merrimac lying
in fully six fathoms of water on the
verge OF the channel.
Had not the current swung the
doomed ship alongside instead Of
the channel. the latter Wouid
have been we'll blocked. When Assis-
tant Naval Constructor Hobson took
the collier into the harbor he was hunt
ing for q four fathom spot and only
missed it by a few yards.
At the firing station on the west SIDE.
which Commodore Schiey Inspected IN