New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-06
MODERN MoRrARs DISCOVERED.

A
evidently OF modern make and the fact that a
similar gun is lying unmounted at the foot Of
the road which leads no to the Notifications
shows that these arms had been recently landed.
All along the road from the dock. in the shell
tered cove behind the old fortress UP 10 the
castle entrance. are broken and half-hled boxes
of rife ammunition and cartridges, with brass
coated bullets. going TO show that these pro-
jectiles, which infict a poisoned wound, were
used by the Spanlards.
The Socapa battery is on the western side OF
the mouth Of the harbor. II is at about the
came height as the eastern battery. though
little further back from the sea line than the
fertilization just described. Here the two
modern 16-centimetre rifles which our men
wanted to capture and to turn against Santiago
and which were among the most active in reply
ing to the American fire. Here. also. are three
S2-centimetre mortars. similar TO those at the
eastern battery. and broad road through the
woods and UP the hillside shows where these
heavy guns passed their positions. for this
earth battery was constructed after the war be-
gan. Barrels and earth-flled sacks protected the
men at the mortars. while those who worked the
rifles were behind many feet OF hard cement in
square blocks, banked on the outside by Stop
ing mass of earth and small stones. The car
riage Of the easternmost lG-centimetre rife was
struck and very slightly damaged. Here the
ploughed up the earth and cleared out the trees.
and the ground is covered with bits OF shell that
have torn through the underbrush
A DESERTED FISHING VILLAGE
lust behind this battery FL Socapa. on small
island inside the harbor mouth and in full sight
Of MORO Castle nestles fishing village that
for weeks had been deserted Now It's people
are beginning to return to their homes to IND
them not torn by shrapnel and she'll as they
had expected. but. strangely enough. almost all
intact This little hamlet was protected from
the shots that SKINNED over the Socapa bat
terry because II Is so close 10 the hill where the
battery is situated. 1t seems 10 have been en-
tirely out OF range Of other fires.
Men who were around the harbor during the
firing have many tales to tell. They tel! Of a
certain bail that swept the forward deck OF the
lnfanta Maria Teresa when she was hiding be-
hind a headland in the bay. killing number OF
sailors and the second commander Of the yes
sci, then passing through the ships pantroom.
scattering color all over the cattle on the lower
deck and saving the ships butcher his labor on
1--WE of his charges. There IS too a local tale OF
how Cervera advised Llnares to surrender the
city to the Americans. telling him his case was
hopeless and that he would only continue to lose
men ard he forced to give in at the end
AS the Infanta Maria Teresa steamed through
the narrows to her fate. the gossips say. her
band played and her crew cheered for the honor
OF "Old Spain" The music sounded clear III
Moro and hope !eapcd in the hearts OF the
watching officers there as they heard the STIRRING
strolns Then there is story that the span
iards carried their wounded from the battery
into tho city hospitals during the night In order
that The people and the army might be kept in
Ignorance Of their losses; and another story that
the broken and destroyed guns were thrown INTO
the harbor under cover or darkness WIN tne
same misleading purpose. And there Is yet an
other of the shot that killed six men at gun
during the firing of June .. and OF the midnish'
burial of gun and men behind the yer! Uehc"es
where the gun was shattered
The harbor people are coming back DAY Dy
day 10 their old vacations. and some are as
much surprised 10 find their homes still unih-
tured as others are to learn that the batteries
which were considered impregnabe have sur
rendered to an enemy whose persistent effort