The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-17
FOR THE THIRD TIME
SAMPSON BOMBARDS SANTIAGO
Again and Again the Enormous Posctss Make Bus
Smashing the Batteries Enemy q Million
spintsrs and Innicting Frightful o


effective than in preceding lombard
ments. The admirals ordnance expert
had given explicit instructions to re-
duce the powder charges. and to ele-
vatc the guns so as to shorten the ira
jectory. and thus to secure a plunging
fire. AS the shells in the preceding
bombardments dropped with the al
most straight trajectories of projectiles,
with full charges. 1t was almost impos-
slble to plant them. They would shoot
into the air. encircling the batteries.
owing to the high elevation. and fall
far over the Notifications. The effect
Of the reduced charges was marvellous.
In Is minutes one western battery
was completely wrecked. The Massa-
chusetts tore a gaping hole in the en-
placement with a thousand pound pro-
jectile. and the Texas dropped a shell
into the powder magazine. The explo-
sion wrought terrible havoc. The
frame was lifted. the sides were blown
out, and a shower of debris flew in ev-
cry direction. One timber. carried out
of the side of the battery, went tum-
bling down the hill. The loss Of ne
must have been great.
The batteries on the east of Moro
were harder to get at. but the New
Orleans crossed the bows of the New
York to within $500 yards off shore
and played a tattoo with her long 10
inch rife, hitting them repeatedly.
striking a gun squarely in the muzzle,
lifting it of it's foundation and send
ing it sweeping somersaults into the
air.
After a while Admiral Sampson sig
nailed the ships to temporarily cease
firing. in order to allow the smoke to
clear from the batteries When the or
der came. at $3.50 o'clock. to cease fire,
every gun of the enemy had been ST.
fenced for 10 minutes, but as the ships
drew off. some of the Spaniards' cour-
age returned and a half dozen shots
were fired spitefully at the Massachu-
setts and Oregon, falling in their
wake.
Throughout the bombardment the
dynamite cruiser Vesuvius and the
Porter. by direction of the admiral, lay
outside of the right flank. The steam
launch of the flagship scurried among
the ships carrying messages.
At the close of the action a stream of
multi-colored flags fioated from the
New York, generally complimenting
the ships and especially commenting
the work Of the Texas and New Or
leans.
The men Of the New Orleans raised a
cheer which was passed quickly on
from ship to ship until every jackie in
the fleet was bowling himself hoarse.
The destruction and death at the west
ern batteries must have been ap-
palling.
Many of the guns had been mounted
during the last two days. From this
1t is inferred that Admiral Cervera had
given up all hope Of extricating himself
from the trap in which he is caught, and
had removed the arms from some of his
ships to strengthen the land defenses.
Admiral Sampson is highly gratified at
the results of the bombardment. He
thinks the western batteries are prac-
tically demolished.
AS some of the guns on the eastern
batteries did not fire. he thinks ii prob
able they were only dummies. The
only regret expressed is that Lieutenant
Hobson and his companions by their
presence in Ell Morro, made IL sacred.
Otherwise it would now be a pile of
ruins.
The number OF shots fired is not
known at the, time this dispatch is sent.
Judged from a position near the flag
ship, which during the bombardment.
with several interruptions. fired POS
shots. 35 from her eight-inch guns, 13i
from her four-inch guns and 80 from her
six-pounders. probably no fewer than
5000 projectiies We're fired, of a total
weight of half a million pounds.