The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-10
She Runs Too Close to
the Cuban Store.
she HAS A CLOSE CALL.
The Cutter and the yIeksburg Chase q
Deeoy Schooner Under Spanish Hat.
Mark by a Hairs Breadth-Captatn
Smiths Quick Action Saves His Yes-
sci From Being Sunk-The Morrill,
Captures a Prize.
Copyright by Associated Press.)

go
Key West. Fla May s.-Only poor
craftsmanship on the part of the Spa
ISL gunners saved the Vicksburg and the
cutter NORTH from destruction off Ha-
vana yesterday morning. For over half
an hour they were under the fire OF the
guns of the Santa Clara water batteries.
put both escaped without material in
jury, although shrapnel shells from eight
inch guns exploded all about them and
both now show the pitted scars Of the
Spanish bullets.
The willy Spaniards had arranged a
trap to send a couple of our ships TO the
bottom. They baited it as a man would
bait a trap. A small schooner was sent
out from Havana harbor shortly before
daylight yesterday morning to draw some
of the Americans into the ambuscade.
The ruse worked like a charm. The
Vicksburg and the Morrill,, in the heat
of the chase and in their contempt for
Spanish gunnery, walked straight into
the trap that had been set for them. Had
the Spaniards possessed their souls in
patience but five minutes longer not even
the bad gun-practice would have saved
our ships and this morning two more of
our vessels WOuld lie at the bottom,
within two lengths of the wreck of the
lll-starred Maine.
Friday evening the Vicksburg and the
Morrill,. cruising to the west of Moro
Castle. were fired upon by the big guns
of the Cojimar batteries. Two shots
were fired at the Vicksburg and one at
The Morrill,. Both fell short and both
vessels without returning the fire steam
ed out of range. 1t would have been folly
to have done otherwise. But, yesterday
morning, the Spaniards had better luck.
The schooner they had sent out before
daylight ran off to the eastward, hug
ging the shore with a wind on her star
board quarter. About three miles east
of the entrance of the harbor she came
over on the port tack. A light haze
fringed the horizon and she was not
discovered until three miles off the snort
when the Mayfower made her out and
signalled the Morrill, and the Vicksburg.
Commander Lilly, of the Vicksburg, i'm
mediately slapped on all steam and
started in pursuit. The schooner in
stantly put about and ran for MORO Cas-
to the w~ell-conceived Spanish plot. led
the two American warships directly un-
der the guns of the Santa Clara batteries.
These works are a short mile west OF
Moro, and are a 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 S-inch guns, and the 9TH
err on the crest of the rocky eminence,
which puts out into the water of the
gulf at that point. The upper battery
mounts modern 10 and Pinch Krup guns
behind a six foot stone parapet, in front
of which are twenty feet of earth works
and a betting of railroad iron. This bat
terry is considered the most formidable
of Havana's defences, except MORO Cas-
tie. 1t is masked and has not been alb
Soluteiy located by the American war
ships. 1t is probably due to the fact that
the Spaniards did not desire to expose
its position that the Vicksburg and Nor
rill are now ahoat. The vessels were
about six miles from the schooner when
the chase began. They steamed after her
at full speed, the Morrill, leading until