The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-17
Copyright 1898 by Associated Press.


On board the associated press dis
patch boat Dauntless. OFF Santiago de
Cuba, Thursday, June is. noon. via
Kingston. Jamaica, June 16. 8 p. m.-
Rear Admiral SIMPSONS fleet bom-
barded the batteries at Santiago de Gu
ba for the third time at daylight this
morning. For hours the ships pounded
the batteries at the right and left of
the entrance, only sparing Ell Moro.
where Lieutenant Hobson and his COM
panions are i'm prison.
The western batteries. against which
badly wrecked. One was utterly de-
stroyed. In others many guns were
dismounted.
At first the Spaniards replied passion
ately and wildly, but impotently. Then
~ OF the guns were desertsds Not a
ship was struck nor a man injured on
the American side. 1t is believed the
Spanish loss of life was heavy.
As a preliminary to the hammering
given the batteries. the dynamite cruis-
er Vesuvius last night at midnight was
given another chance. Three 250-pound
charges of gun cotton were sent over
the Notifications at the entrance. The
design was to drop them in the bay
around the angle back OF the eminence
on which FL MORO is situated, where II
was known that the torpedo boat de-
stroyers were lying. Two charges went
in true. as no reports were heard,
popularity Of the explosion of gun
cotton in water. Whether the destroy
ers were demolished is not known, but
the destructive area Of gun-cotton is
large. and it would not be surprising Il
one or both torpedo boats were de-
stroyed. The third charge exploded
with terrific force on Cayo Smith.
From where the fleet lay. the entrance
to the harbor looked. in the black night.
like a door opening into the livid fire Of
a Titanic furnace. A crater big enough
to hold a church was blown out Of the
side Of the Cayo Smith and was clearly
seen from the ships this morning.
Admiral Sampson issued the orders
for the bombardment last night. Coffee
was served to the men at $3.50 o'clock
this morning, and with the first blush
OF dawn the men were called quietly to
quarters. The ships steamed at a five
knot speed to a 3.000-yard range. when
they closed up. broadside on, until a
distance Of three cable lengths sepa-
rated them. They were strung out in
the form Of a crescent, the heavy fight
ing ships in the center. the flagship on
the right and the Massachusetts, on the
left flank The line remained stationary
throughout the bombardment. The
Vixen and Scorpion took up positions on
the opposite TANKS close in shore for
the purpose Of enfildaing any infantry
that might fire upon the ships.
When the ships got into position It was
still to dark for any firing. The ad-
miral signaled the ships not to fire un-
I'll the muzzles Of the enemy'e guns in
the ambrasures could be seen by the
gun captains. Fifteen minutes later. at
5:25 a. m, the New York opened with a
broadside from her main battery. at the
works east Of the entrance to the har-
bor. All the ships followed in streaks of
flames.
The fleet. enveloped in smoke. pelted
the hills and kicked UP dirt and mason
ry. 1t was a magnificent spectacle from
where the Dauntless lay. Though the
gun captains had been cautioned not to
waste ammunition, but to fire with de-
liberation. the fire was 90 rapid that
there was an almost continuous report.
The measured crash Of the big 13-inch
guns Of the battleships sounded above
the rattle Of the guns Of the secondary
batteries like thunder claps above the
din OF hurricane. A strong land breeze
OF the shore carried the smoke of the
ships seaward. while it let down a thick
curtain in front of the Spanish gunners.
The guns responded spiritedly at
first. but their frenzied. half crazed
fire could not match the cool nerve.