The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-04-30
FIRST ENGAGEMENT.
Admiral Sampson Silences Matan-
zas Batteries Very Quick
1y and Nicely.
ASPANISH BOAT GETS GAY AND IS SUNK
The Only Boats Engaged Wore tho Flag.
ship New York, Monitor Puritan and the
Cruiser Ciucinnati--The Spanish Lose
Some Llves--Admiral sampson Is Well
Satisfied,

or Matanzas. April 2s-The New
York, the Puritan aud the Cincinnati
bombarded the forts at the south end
OF Matanzas harbor yesterday after
noon. There were no casualties ON
our side, but it is believed that the
hall of iron which pounded in the forts
must have caused loss of life to the
spaniards, though nothing is known
definitely.
The engagement commenced ut 1857
and ceased at 1:l5. The object OF the
attack was to prevent the completion
OF the earthwork at Punta Gorda. A
battery on an eastward arm of the bay
opened fire on the flagship and this
was also shellcd. About IL s.inch
shells were fired from the eastern
forts, but all fell short. About five or
six light shells were fired from the
half completed battery.
Two of these whizzed over the New
York and one fell short. The ships
loft the bay for the open sea, the OBJ.
1ect OF discovering the whereabouts Of
the batteries having been accom-.
Pllshed. In the neighborhood of 300
shots were put on land from the three
ships at a range of from 4. 900 to 2, 900
yards. Rear Admiral Sampson, when
asked if he was satisfied with the rs.
suit, said:
'Yes. am. Iexpected to be-"
The half completed Spanish EARTH
works and battery were apparently all
ploughed up by the shells.
All the ships engaged showed excel.
lent Workmanship throughout the en-
gagement, and when they were firing
at the shortest range nearly every shot
took effect. The forts which were
bombarded were on low lying point
and were considered merely earth
works. They did not make good tar
get, yet when the big guns were fred
at the shortest range, portions of the
fort could be seen flying in the air at
every shot.
The flagship returned to Havana and
the Puritan and Cincinnati were left
on Matanzas station.
1t was beautiful sight to see the
target practice of the New York.
The New York had soon reduced tho
range from 1000 to 1900 yards, and
soon was tossing shells into Rubal
Caya at the rate of about three
minute with wonderful precision and
apparently great destructiveness
In the meantime the Puritan was
taking care of Point Maya.
When the Puritan got the range. her
shells burst every time within the
fortitication, and great was the explo.
sion thereof.
All this time the Cincinnati had 70.
manned out of action.
Captain Chester then sigaalled for
permission to engage, and it was given
by the flagship.
The Cincinnati, in less time than it
takes to write it, steamed up to within
5000 yards, broadside on, and began to
let fly with her guns
The New York was just giving tho
signal to retire, when one defiant shot
was fred from Rubal Caya.
1t was the last shot that battery was
ever to fire.
One of tho big guns of the Puritan
followed back.
1t was the best shot Of the day.
1t struck the battery just where the
gun was, tore its way into the earth
works and exploded, doing great de.
struction.
Having practically demolished the
Spanish batteries, the ships stood out
to sea. Not she'll had struck one of
them.
All told. the United States ships fred
eighty-six shots at the forts.
This was by actual count.
The forts fired probably twenty-t1v
shots.
But far more Important that the de.
struction of the Matanzas batteries is
the conclusion about the future which
may be drawn from the bonn bardment.
This conclusion is that Havana is abb
solutely at the mercy of the United
States fleet whenever we choose to
open fire.
A small gunboat fred on the Puri.
tan and the monitor returned the fire,
Sinkinp the Standard