The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-14

Key West, Fla, Aug. 19.-The flag
ship San Francisco, the monitor Mian-
tonomah and the auxiliary yacht Sill
via We're fired upon by the Havana bat
teries shortly before 5 o'clock yester-
day morning. One 10 and two pinch
shells struck the San Francisco's stern
as she turned to get away out of range
and tore hole about a foot in diane
ter, completely wrecking Commodore
Howelrs quarters and smashing his
bookcase into fragments. No one was
injured and, being under orders not TO
attack the batteries, the ships retired
as fast as their engines would carry
them
The flagship and the Silvia lay paral-
lei TO each other, not more than mile
from MORO Castle, and separated from
each other between three-eighthS and
one-quarter of a mile. The Mlantono-
nah lay about threeqUarters of mile
to the rear of the others. All were with
in range of the Spanish batteries, and
the temptation was too strong Tor the
Spaniards to resist.
The first elimmer of dawn was break
ing through the eastern skies, when,
without an instantS warning, the look
out on the flagship saw net of smoke
puff from one of MorrO's big guns. Al
most before he could pull himself TO-
gether sufficiently to make 4 report OF
the incident 10 and Finch shells were
screaming all around.
The Spaniards had the range and ap-
parently were gTimly in earnest IN their
last efforts to wreak injury on their TOO
mighty enemy. Shells fell between the
San Francisco and the Silvia; some
fell short, a few went over them The
q flagship ~signaled the Silvia to get out
Of delay and both SnlnS
swung around and made for the sea
It was then that the shell struck the
San FranciscO's stern. Commodore
Howell was on deck with Captain Lea
ry when the shell struck. With the ut
most speed, the fleet moved out about
three miles. Here the men on the nag
ship patched up the ragged hole IN the
vessels stern.
All the shells fired at the vessel fell
around the ships. One of the Silvia's
men stood calmly on the deck OF the
yacht, watch in hand, and counted
them MORO Castle fired several OF
the missiles, but how many is not
known The others came from two
sand batteries near MORO. The firing
lasted 20 minutes.
The one-sided engagement had
scarcely ended when the men Of the
Silvia were treated to another surprise
The little yacht gunbUaCsls manned by
the New YORK naval lltltlI. ne CIFN
had barely recovered from the excite
ment when the flagship called the yes
sci over and Captain Boilers was given
a packet OF private documents, which
he was ordered TO take into Havana
under a flag of truce. The white flag
was hOiSted over the Silvia, and she
steamed toward the guns which had
lust given her such 4 noisy greeting.
AS the Silvia approached to within
mile OF Moro, the character Of the
flag floating from her foremost was dis
cerned, and the Castle signailed: What
is your purpose"
To this the Silvia, answered: I'VE
have papers to deliver"
Morro did not resume the converse
ton, and for some little time the gun
boat rocked on the waters, almost I'M
der the still smoking guns of the enc
my Presently, however, Spanish
sunboat drew ou% OF the harbor and
came close to the Silvia. It was the
Martin Y PinZon, and carried much
stronger battery than the American
ship. The customary formal salutaucnS
were exchanged and Lieutenant VIII
liam G.. Ford. the executive officer of
the Silvia, boarded the Pinzon and de-
liverJstl the documents.
The ceremony occupied 70 more time
than the physical act involved. The
American officer returned to his ship,
and the vessels went on their respective
ways.