The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-07-24

the Associated Press. The trip was full oe
incident and interest.
Entering the narrow neck Of the harbor.
the eye met with a great expanse OF
water, a beautiful sheet. q harbor Offering
splendid protection and all the great
requisites for a naval stand. Along both
banks we're the earthworks and batteries
and those were mounted with rapid IRE
guns and revolving cannon. Looking up
at Moro one saw the crumbling old ruin
in the same condition in which II had
been for half century, except that it
had received on one corner a large shell
that had practically demolished a tower
and the flag support.
Punta G0rda, Just inside the Moro. on
hill, had three guns. evidently ship
guns, pointing directly down at the en-
trance. To the west were two emplace-
ments on the side mill. both with finch
rapid-hre guns and 6-pounders. To tho
east OF Moro the earthwork battery dis
played three modern guns with shields
and three muzzle leaders.
Turning well into the mouth OF the har-
Dor, the Reina Mercedes was seen lying
over on her side and about two-thirds
submerged. All her boats had been taken
OF and her heavy port guns. On the star
board, however. were two heavy guns, all
her rapd-fre guns were in position 50
that they could be used for harbor de-
feuse. Around the rail on the quarter
deck hung the crews hammocks as II for
an airing; and blankets and other para
phernalia showed a hurried desertion.
She did not lay in the channel, but ashore
in the eastern shadows.
The cause OF her hurried abandonment
was soon discovered in the btgshell holes
in ner side. two or three being visible
where the Massachusetts and Texas had
poured in a hot fire. On her starboard
side is seen the effects of the shells that
fell on her during the second lombard
ment on July 6. The whole side OF the
deck is torn away end the steel lies curled
up in big heaps. on her bow cleaned In
white and gold and yellow the crown Of
Spain with the royal coat-of-arms be-
meath.
Five hundred yards up the harbor's
narrow neck lies the wreck Of the coll
lier Merrmac. not by any means an OBJ
struction to the channel, but much fur
ther up than was necessary, her posi-
ton, while demonstrating Hobson's won
derful bravery, showing also that he lost
his bearings in the dark. Only the tops
OF her single smokestack and her two
masts are visible. A tug. the Colon, and
lighter were lying near her and Conn
modore Schley stopped 20 examine the
captain.
Schley talks Spanish well and engaged
the man in conversation. The latter said
he had been employed in taking troops
from the batteries at MORO. He did nor
know how many sailors had returned or
escaped from Cervera's squadron, but he
believed there were only few. There
upon he directed Commodore Schley 70
a wooden house on the hillside, where
lay. he said. the electric plant for setting
OF the harbor mines, "a ssaa ssist
Our launch, running alongside small
wooden pier on the west Of the hazOor
found launch from the Reina Meycedes
with number OF Spanish sailors and
marine officer IN charge. TINS latter
conducted Commodore schley and, the
party by line OF Aithy houses to a
rough wooden shanty thatched VITA palm
leaves. In this place was beantiful
apparatus with electric batteries to Get
of the mines. The officers explained that