The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-19

Not a Gun Left Standing on Its
CrumbIed WaIls-AlI the batteries
Dviudle in Terror Inspiring Quail
;ties on Close InspectiOn-SiX-Inc
Rapid Fire Guns From the Reina
Mercedes the Most Dangerous Ones
Ashore.
ropyright, 1898, by the Associated Press.
Under MORO Castle, Harbor of Santiago
A. cuba. July II, 8 p. m, via Playa del
Este. Province of Santiago de Cuba, July
II DELAYED in transmission).-A exactly 8
o'clock this morning the Spanish flag was
lowered from the staff browning the
bjahts upon which battered MORO Castle
spreads half way.
The ceremony attesting the defunct
sovereignty of Spain in this part of the
world was witnessed by few Spanish and
American troops on shore, and by the
Brooklyn. New York, Vixen and Vesuvius,
living within a few hundred yards of the
harbor entrance.
Almost Immediately after the flag was
hauled down steam launches commanded
bv Iaeuts. Hobson and Palmer entered the
harbor penetrating as far as the firing sta
tons Of the submarine mines.
These mines were judged to be not so
formidable as expected, and later in the
afternoon they were all exploded under the
supervision of the Vixen.
il was seen that two mines had been ex-
ploded at the time of the entrance of the
NIerrimac into the channel of Santiago
harbor. but it is not probable that either
of them had anything to do with the sink
ing Of the craft.
SIX or seven fine steamers in the harbor
fall as prizes to the army and navy.
The Spanish gunboat Alvarez had al
ready been taken possession of by prize
crew from the New York. The other yes
sells lie at the other end of the harbor, at
Santiago proper.
Soon after noon Commodore Schley, with
Capt Cook of the Brooklyn, Lieut.. ]. H.
Sears. the flag Lieutenant Lieut.. B. w.
Wells the flag secretary, and three invited
espondents of the Associated Press
went into the harbor on steam launch
which moved slowly in order to make close
observation of the Spanish forts and bat
teries.
Every one expressed satisfaction at the
fact that the Moro Castle was not demol-
ished by the Commandment, Capt Cook
saying: we need FL Moro as an object
lesson. and America is rather shy on
ruins anyhow
The old fort stands on the bluff, terrace
fashion. From the waters edge to the
brow betting cliff there are huge caves
formed by the action of the waves. and
round the base and in the supersructure
ere not a few caves made by the navys
projecules.
il would appear however, that only one
basion was knocked to pieces, while the
queer little sentry boxes, dating back to
the sixteenth century, escaped, almost in
tact.
MORO Castle is the only imposing forth
hcatton in the harbor, and it is only so
In appearance, since not a gun is mount
ca within or on the crumbled walls In
fact all the batteries masked and open,
o"lndled in terror-inspiring qualities as
The inspection grew closer.
Growing the hill on the west side of
Ue entrance We're the famous six-inch
Iapld-Hre guns from the Spanish cruiser
Nena Mercedes. These were ugly looking
and dangerous, while below, on brick
foundations, on the western shore of the
entrance were some revolving guns
inese We're the ones which poured such
otJer fire into the Merrimac
D"ectiy east of MORO Castle, on the
CIest Of the plateau-like cliff, were six
Us guns, one or two of which were dis
mounted
me Estrella battery and a small neigh
w further in, showed no guns, while
,.'o0s Cayo Smith filed the islet with
"hl'e and yellow houses, situated
ae SioFes of trees, some buildings looking
Ne. .olsn they had been the resorts Of
OH seekers in happier times.
1917 We're humble enough in apnear-
se i'i Ashermen's houses All were de-
80 and strange to say. NOT one anna
ierI "'d been touched by hostile pro-
v,sstrn -n5 inside of the slope and hin TO the
yery,l-H some hastily constructed, but
wbict Iuhs classmates were seen. into
rem -' spanish gunners were won't to
The "Nen our ships opened fire When
few '-7 ceased the gunners only had a
fr.r TO climb to their six-inch rapid
fle. guns. which almost always fired a
sp''eiuhfarewell shots.
pp1 -'d Gorda there were two 4-inch
81 "'s above the other, neither protect
ma18.5 ,' 5 sand or earth. These com
bit t. The harbor entrance very well.
W.l.5'S could have been sileuced by one
7"teeted heavy shell
exp-' ''''dore Schley has over and over
pro..1" tne belief that our fleet could
The G nave entered the harbor without
mlsa5 Of a single ship. The mines
e5j'o. .,e stopped ingress by. sinking the
war snip. But lhis is the chance of
dunn. 'I.d not 50 grave as many taken
Void 5 .ae eivl strife, nor as serious as
been eaI fe oeen the situation had there
'ae har3or w. properly manned IN
around r,j''4 tese schley's party first steamed
r6.1b 'He wreck of the Reina Mercedes
ths en-. mes with her bow pointed toward
onsr''s' list to starboard and rested
cruI.s. near the foot of Moro cliff. The
wal.5 was sunk to the upper deck. on
pejo e 6-inch gun remained. one tor