davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24
BY ROBERT OSWALD SCALLAN
Lieutenant Royal Artillery.

In the event of wa~ between Spain
and the United States, it is generally
anticipated that the American navy
would proceed to invest Havana, and
demand the unconditional surrender Of
that city. Such a course would put to
an Immediate test the resources of the
Spanish fleet, and the successful issue
of the American attack on their prin-
cipal naval station would put a terrible
handicap on all future operations I'M
dertaken by the Spanish ships against
ours. One can easily imagine, there
fore, the strenuous efforts that would
be made, on the one hand, to carry out,
and on the other to repel any such at
tack. Yet it is difficult to see how, in
the face of a strong attacking fleet in
front, and an almost certain attempt
from the rear by the insurgents, aided,
possibly, by an invading force Of our
own troops, the garrison could hope to
hold out against the inevitable dlsaS-
trouS bombardment that must follow a
vigorous resistance. Nothing save the
presence of a powerful Spanish squad
ron could avail to prevent the city fall
ing into our hands.
In view of these facts, 1t is interest
ing to review the fates of some famous
cities, which preferred the horrors OF a
bombardment to an ignominious sur
render. The most remarkable instances
of recent years were those of AleNan-
dria and Paris. In both cases the attack
prevailed over the defense, notwith-
standing that the fcrtificationS of both
cities were Immensely strong and up
to-date in every particular. However,
there were eXtenuating circumstances
tod for l1ka
premature success Of the enemy.
BOMBARDMENT OF ALEXANDRIA.
The contest at Alexandria was short,
but decisive Within 10 hours the Brit
ish fleet, under Admiral Seymour, had
effectually silerced every gun on the
shore. Then thousands Of shell and solid
shot were poured in on the thoroughly
frightened Egyptians, and a, complete
evacuation of the forts was the result
Yet very little execution was done by
this veritable hail of iron, for the great
parapets of sand, which protected the
batteries, rendered harmless the huge
13-inch projectileS, and it was only be-
cause of the havoc caused by the rag
ments OF shells which flew around ev-
erywhere, and accomplished frightful
slaughter among the gallant adherents
of Arab Pasha, Joined to a knowledge
that their want Of accuracy in aiming
left the feet practically unframed, that
the defenses were so speedily relln-
Cuished to the British admiral. As ev-
eryone knows, the guns were mostly all
spiked or blown to pieces by a landing
party of marines, but outside of the
forts themselves, the destruction was
very small, for the presence of friends
as well as foes in the city, forbade an
extensive Smelling of any but the recog-
nizeo native quarter, yet sufficient
damage was done by the incendiary
shells to start a fire that almost de-
stroyed the entire town. In this engage
ment the enormous power of the S1-ton
guns, the projectiies of which weigh
ever LOO pounds, was amply demon
strated; but it was also made evident
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24

Of large vessels, their sides protected
by a banking of timber seven feet thick,
and the decks and guns screened with
a slanting roof of shot-proof material.
To this gigantic armament the defense
could only oppose some 1000 men, many
of them sick or wounded, and all re-
duced to scanty rations for many
months past, ammunition was limited,
and the cannon even then were anti
quated. On the Sth of September, 1852,
fire was opened on the fortress, at
preconcerted signal by the entire
strength of the Spanish artillery, both
on land and afioat. The floating bat
teries'' were moored within half range
and proved indeed invulnerable to shot
and shell, which lasted all night and
day until late on the 18th. On that day
the garrison, unable to make any i'm
preston on the fleet, whose efforts were
beginning to give the small force of de-
tenders considerable trouble and incon-
venience, conceived the brilliant idea
of loading their guns with red hot shot
and burning shells, which, though of
little or not penetrating power, turned
out to be very effective against the
wooden sides of the battleships and
gunboats; in fact within a very few
hours every one of the floating batter
les lay perfectly quiescent on the water,
a useless mass of burning hulks. The
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24

endeavors and energy of the defenders
finally prevailed over the vast numeri-
cal superiority of their opponents, and
on the 18th of the month the desper-
ately conducted attack was given up,
and the Spanish troops retired to their
lines, severely crippled by the enormous
losses they had suffered winter quar-
tiers were taken up, the bombardment
practically abandoned, and peace was
declared on the I'd of February follow
ing. Thus ended the most memorable
siege that can be found in the pages of
history; remarkable for many reasons,
but most of all for the small loss of life
among the defenders, who, during the
three years and a half that the invest
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24

however, during the protracted siege of
Sebastopol, the combined fleets of
France and England had demonstrated
the power and possibilities of the can
non of the period when arrayed in OPP
position to even the most elaborate
and scientific systems of defense; only
the severity of the climate and the ex-
traordinary intrepidity of the Russian
soldiers enabled them to keep the allies
at bay for such lengthy period.
GIBRALTAR'S DEFENSE IN 1879.
Undoubtedly the most interesting
story of siege and bombardment in the
annals of warfare since cannon were
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24
u WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO HAVANA WHEN THE B0MBARD OPENS X

was frightful, and the fires in conse-
quence often threatened to ruin whole
districts Many houses and walls were
thrown down by the garrison, so as to
leave large open spaces where shells
could do but little or no damage, yet
many a one who had endured the pangs
of hunger in silence had submitted
without complaint to the severe regu-
lations of the commissary general. for
the honor and sake of La Belle
France" found it hard to restrain both
tears and indignation when, on return
ing from the front after a. long and
hopeless struggle against an appar-
emily invincible foe, he could discover
nothing save the ruins of his former
home.
sDuring the civil war there were many
furious commandments, but they were
principally directed against important
forts, and in no case We're the ports or
cities threatened with destruction; in
fact, the wonderfully small loss of life
in all these operations during the mo-
mentous struggle of 1916 is worthy of
remark, as showing the completeness of
the means adopted to protect the de-
tenders from the dangerous missiles;
the more noteworthy since, in nearly
every case. the forts in question were
very severely handled and many of
them dismantled. A few years before,
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24

metals are found in Cuba There are
gold, silver, mercury, copper, lead and
all the forms of asphaltum; antimog&,
magneSia, copperaS, gypsum, red lead.
ochre, salt, arsenic, tale and many
others. Copper IS abundant in all the
metamorphic rocks of Cuba It is true
that coal is yet undiscovered, but under
a free republic capital would flow into
the islands and there is no doubt that
true coal would soon be found to re-
place the bitumen that is now used
and which is found in springs and
mines in great quantities.
Cuba is rich in marble, awaiting the
capital of the Spectator. Great depos-
its of this rock are found and in the
Isle of Pines there is marble of a quail
ity as fine as the best of that material
used by the sculptor. Beautifully col
ored marble and jasper are common.
its of rock salt, and there are
also unlimited quantities of the pur-
est white sand, capable of being
converted into fine earthenware. Even
the illustrious Humboldt was amazed
at the richness and variety of the min
eral wealth of Cuba. How much of this
wealth has been utilized may be gath
cred from the fact that at the end Of
1851 the total number of mining titles
issued in Santiago district was 296. OF
these 1873 were iron, IS manganese, and
SO copper.
As a pastoral country, Cuba was more
productive a century ago than she is
now, but her pastures are broad and
rich, and the possibilities are unlimited
Cuba, with her grand natural pastures,
was just beginning to raise fine Dur
ham and Devonshire stock when the
ten-year war desOlated the country, and
put stop to the industry The millions
of acres of free land in Cuba are ready
tor the agriculturiSt, the cattle. sheep
and hog raiser, the cotton and fruit
grower, the miner and the reducing
plant, and-even for the silk grower and
n anufacturer The mulberry trees
grow to perfection in the island Silk
worms, according to DR.. Auber. are
more prolific and productive in Cuba
tran in any other country on the face
of the globe. Here is a land prepared
to yield up utilities that will add i'm
measurably to the happiness of the
world; waiting to blossom into a gar
den and to swarm with population; to
develop almost every art of peace; to
be converted into an industrial micro
cCSm in the macrocoSm of the Gyorld at
large. Cuba is waiting the hour when
the capitalist, assured of peace and I'M
interrupted growth, may safely enter
and reap the harvest which nature has
prepared for man in the misruled,
throttled and neglected Pearl of the
Antilles-M. A. L.. in Chicago Times
Herald
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24

finching garrison. More than $4,000
troops and 10 pieces of ordnance of
large caliber were at the disposal of the
Spanish general, and an ingenious type
of floating batteries, strongly resem-
bling the famous cheese boxes on
RATS of the late war, had been de-
vised by the dons, who expected great
things of them in the meditated as
sault. The numbers of the opposing
forces were ludicrously disproportion-
ate; besides the above mentioned troops
and guns, the Spanish possessed nine
line of battleships, Is guns or mortar
boats, covered boats sufficient to land
nearly 10000 men, and, in addition, the
ten floating batteries, which consisted
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24
Descriptions Of Some Famous and Furious Bonn
bardmentS in Modern Warfare.

that the quickly thrown and mex
pensive entertainments of sand form an
invulnerable defense against even these
terrible weapons, and there can be little
doubt that, in the hands of experienced
gunners, the guns of the harbor bat
teries would have given a much better
account of themselves. 1t is even an
open question whether the fleet would
not have been repulsed under such cir
cumstances. Herein lies an example
and moral which those who oppose all
proposals to increase the artillery
branch of our army might well ponder,
for the success of the ships under Adj
TniraI Seymour's command showed con-
clusively that it is useless to eXoect
that the magnificent engines of modern
warfare can be manipulated even mod
erately we'll by men, however brave and
willing, who have not undergone the
lengthy and arduous course of training
that is necessary to turn out properly
qualified gunner.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24

first invented, is that of the unsuccess-
full attempt of Spain to regain in 1873
the fortress of Gibraltar, which Eng
land had taken by storm a few years
before For three years and seven
months the stronghold was invested by
a large force of all arms and a prac-
tically uninterrupted fire from 135 guns,
including some so mortars of 49,
inch caliber, was maintained from Jan.
L, 1850, till Feb. 2, 1888. Meanwhile the
gallant little garrison was but once re-
lieyed, and suffered all the pangs of
starvation, not unmingled sometimes
with a feeling of despair; still they
chung to the gigantic rock, repelling at
tack after attack with indomitabIe
courage and endurance, and infiicting
enormous losses on their opponents.
The latter indeed are deserving of
praise for the pertinacity and persever-
ance with which they returned to the
fray time after time, undaunted by con-
tinual reverses. and hopeful ever to
retrieve the disgrace which they con-
sidered the presence of the hated Gin
fidels'' put upon them.
The most interesting and exciting cpl
sode during this long siege was the fe-
rocious attempt made by the Spaniards
toward the close. when they strained
every nerve to dismay and overcome
the already exhausted, but still I'M
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24
WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
Prophecies of Old Veterans Concern
ing the War.

washington Correspondence New
York Herald: Now that war is con-
ceded to be an unfortunate certainty,
it is interesting to speculate upon its
progress and its probable results; the
relative fighting capacity of the Span
ish and American sailors and navies;
the wars supposed duration and the
manner of its beginning and its prob
able progress. Upon these features the
opinions of experienced men are most
valuable. The Herald presents the
opinions of several naval officers and
others whose views will command at
tention and be entitled to credence.
Captain O'Neil, chief of the bureau of
ordnance, navy department. was not in
clined to talk just now upon this ser
ious subject. Il consider it an uncer-
tain matter" said he. speaking guard
eddy. -.
Nobody can tell how this thing will
begin or how it will turn out. l would
not hazard a guess. 1t depends on the
conditions existing when war begins
granted that war is to come-and still
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24

ment lasted, lost in all but 500 men,
whilst they inflicted on the enemy
total loss of several thousands of lives.
Gibraltar today simply bristles with ar
tillery: the mountain is honeycombed
with passages and galleries leading TO
remotely hidden batteries, some the re-
suit of natures workings, but most of
them excavated by years of arduous
toll in the very bowels of the gigantic
rock Looking at the huge guns, many
of them of immense weight and large
caliber, one is almost forced to the con-
clusion that they must have grown
there for to one not learned in the
mysterious ways and workings of the
gunner and engineer, it seems absolute
ly impossible that these monstrously
long and bloated looking engines of de-
struction could, by any but superhu
man agency, have been brought
through the steep and tortuous pas
sages that form the sole approach to
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24

the dark, silent classmates where they
repoSe.
THE CASE OF HAVANA.
To return to our story, it is evident
that Havana, not enjoying the adj
mitted impregnability of the pillar of
Hercules" nor yet possessing the
magnificent defenses that were the
boast of Paris, is more comparable to
Alexandria, which similarity is indeed
further borne out by the resemblance
between the climates and strategical
positions of the two cities; and, though
Havana is lacking in quantity to equal
the Egyptian batteries, the deficiency
may perhaps be compensated for by
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24
The Sure La Grippe Cure.

There is no use suffering from this
dreadful malady, If you will only get
the right remedy. You are having pain
ali through your body, your liver is out
of order. have no appetite, no life or
ambition. have a bad cold, in fact are
completely used up Electric Bltters IS
the onlv remedy that win give you
nrornpt and sure relief. They act di-
rectIy on your Liver Stomach and Kid
news. tone up the whole system and
make you feel like new being. They
are guaranteed TO cure or price refund
ed. For sale at q. c. NJ. l. drug store,
only 50 cents per bottle.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24

where are eager for the fray. They
only await the word, and they are
ready to CO.,
At the home of one of the high Of
ficials of the navy, found several Of
fcers just finishing a pleasant dinner
AS l entered l heard the host say: If
we get this thing closed up, the insur-
gents off our hands and a treaty of
peace signed within a year, we will be
mighty lucky"
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24
HER BRILLIANT HISTORY.

This is in fact the army, and this the
navy which will protect the beautiful
Spanish cities which have known less
change since the days of the Moors
than almost any other in Europe Spain
is not, after all, modernized nation in
the sense that other nations are mod
ernized. Her people are governed by
the spirit of QuiXOtism that caused lSa-
bella 10 pledge her jewels so that Co
lumbus might start eastward; that
caused Ferdinand and his consort to
move their throne .chairS up to the
very walls of the Moorish strongholds
that the example might incite the ohlv-
alrous bravery of their followers; that
caused the house of Urena and De
Leon to pledge their estates that the
Moors might be driven from the AL
hambra. The memory of that period
the most romantic and brilliant in the
Spanish history, when half the world
was THERE, never dies in their breasts,
and it, more than anything else, would
sustain them in a war of nations. Ihls
pride of race, however, is not What
they would fight for. Out of the ruins
of their past greatness have risen
beautiful monuments-Madrid, the cap
itol city, with its palaces and it's 100000
worshippers of the ancient throne;
Barcelona with its quarter of a million
mostly eager for war, and blind to
all but it's romance; Malaga, with its
100, 900 who daily have the remains of
Moors TO teach them what manner of
fighters were their ancestors. Cartha-
gena, CadiZ, Valencia, Seville and
Grenada, where memory stops and the
grotesques and arabesques of the great
Moorish temple lifts one out of the
nineteenth century and carries one
back TO the time when war in Spain
meant honor, valor and glory.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24

list of her most important men-of-war,
all of which are OF the armored class
and capable of holding their own in a
modern combat:
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24

Most of these vessels have a normal
speed of 20 knots and several, notably
the Vizcaya agd the Maria Teresa, ex-
coed this rate. Spain also has numer-
Gus fleet of torpedoAboat and torpedo
boat destroyers Her fighting navy is
manned by LOOP officers. 5000 marines
and 1900 sailors, besides about LOCO
mechanicians of various kinds.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24
DAVIS, HOWE ( o.,
Iron Founders
and Machinists-

Manufacturers of all kinds of Min
ing and Milling Machinery. Prompt
attention paid to all kinds of repair
work. No. i27 North First West st
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24
HOW THE GERMANS POUNDED
PARIS

The bombardment of Paris, though it
can hardly be compared with a possible
attack on Havana, is yet worthy of no
tice as Illustrating what measures can
be taken to reduce an unwilling city to
subsection. During the month of jan
uary, 1871, the Prussian guns literally
rained on the Notifications of the beau
tiful capital the seemingly impossible
number of 10000 shells each day, and of
these more than 500 fell on a daily aver
age into the city proper; the devasta-
ton caused by the latter in some parts
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24
HER NAVY.

The following are deck protected an
partiallY prOtected:
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1898-09-29
THE ADMIRAL SAMPSON
HAS BEEN LAUNCHED.
10 IL the second of the Your Vessel.
BsiaE Bulit That wnl B~ Named
For American AdmiraIa

Philadelphia, sept. 2S.-The steam
ship Admiral Simpson. now under con.
struotion for the American Mail Steam.
ship company has been launched At
Cramps ship yard, Miss Mamie
sampson, daughter Of Admiral sampson.
named the new ship, assisted by Miss
Margaret Smith and Miss Madeline
Smith, daughters Of the president Of the
steamship company The first % the
four vessels contracted for, the Admiral
Dewey was launched few weeks ago.
and in about week the Admiral Sohley
will glide into the water The name
has not yet been selected for the fourth
ship.
The first vessels Of their class built
with special reference 90 serve as aux.
iliary naval force. The American Mail
Steamship company Is under contract To
carry the United States mails 10 the
British West lpiies while IL is proposed
in addition y irnish bi.weekly serv.
ice betwce' htiago and Philadelphia.
The service Hto begin In October
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1898-09-29
POWDER EXPLOSION
WRECKS A BUILDING.
Three Women Jamp From the THIRD
story Co the street. aud Are
BADLY IrJared.

81 Louis, Sept es.-An explosion Of
powder in the basement OF the l.story
building occupied by G. 4 W. McClain.
dealers Ia fishing tackle and sporting
goods, blew Out the front Of the struc.
turc this morning and set the building
on fire.
Three women jumped from the third
floor ami are dying. They wec badly
cut and burned in addition to being bad.
ly hurt by falling on the pavement.
Fireman Bodily was cut about the
head by falling glass.
The explosion shattered all the plate
glass windows In stores near by.
Within n few minutes after the OK.
plosion occurred the whole building
was in flames. which commu nicated TO
the building, on the south and occupied
by the 81 Louis Crockery comuany.
The loss on the building occupied by
Mecca n will be total
IL i thought there are others In the
building who failed to get out.
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1898-09-29
FOREST FIRES
IN COLORADO.
Many fire. Have Burnsd About Glen
wood springs the Last Pew Days,
Doing siuch Damage.

Glenwood Springs. Colo. Sept. rs
This place is now the center Of huge
forest fires. Since Monday morning
new fires have developed in every tim.
bered section that is below the timber
line. The town is In no danger. but 50.
rious loss will result in several Of the
valleys. The nearest fire is on -Four
Mile creek, and each side Of the noun.
'ains are mass Of flames. Cardiff is IN
direct line aud the streets are filled with
einders. The sun at times is nearly oh
loured by the smoke and looks like a
huge ball OF fire.. The odor of the burn
ing timber is very noticeable.
The plAteaus and parks are 80 dry
that the sage brush and grass burn like
prairie fire. Hunters ars returning
from the White River country on &C.
count Of the fires that are prevailing
there. On the east, Fulfori is in seri.
Gus danger and the fires are burning
fercely for over 90 miles in width.
From Lookout mountain, just east Of
the town, a circle Of the fire and smoke
can be seen A courier just in from tho
Cattle Greek country SAYS that the frs
Is still confined 20 the timber lines, and
II Is hoped the valleys will not be burned
before a rain comes.