The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-03

copyrighted 1sss. by the Associated Press.
PORT ANTONIO, Jamaica, June lon
board Associated Press dispatch boat
nandy.--For an hour yesterday afternoon
the Massachusetts Iowa, New Orleans and
Vixen. of Commodore schleys squadron.
exchanged shots with the Spanish under
Admiral Cervera. and with the land bat
teries guarding the harbor Of Santiago dc
Cuba, behind which the fleet is hidden.
The engagement is the first which has oc-
CURED between the TWO naval forces. and
was but a prelude to serious work in the
latter part Of the week No attempt was
made by the Americans 10 bring of a gem
erai engagement, IL being the desire 10 10
cate the batteries on the hills above the
harbor and to determine the position Of the
Spanish fleet.
Shortly before 10 O'Clock Commodore
Schley left the Brooklyn for the Massa-
chusetts, on board OF which hattleship he
remained during the fight. At O'Clock
the signal 30 form column was posted oD
the flagship. and the New Orleans. Iowa
and Vixen fell I'm, in the osdar named.
The Massachusetts, steamed slowly until
about sive miles west OF the hArbor en-
trance, when she turned toward the
shore. When about 5.0o yards off she
turned in again and bore down On the
harbor, the New Orleans beiug close up
and the Iowa half a mile behial. The
flagship gradually Increased her speed and
was soon running through the water at
the rate OF ten knots an hour. She drew
closer and closer to the batteries, ana to
the anxious watchers on the other ships il
seemed that she would never open ire.
When, however. she had passed the har-
bor entrance by IN0 yards great cloud
Of white aud yellow smoke burst from the
two i2-inch guns in her after turret and
TWO shells rose over the huB. one Of them
striking the Spanish flagship Cristohal
Colon rs she lay at anchor and the other
failing close alongside. The two guns on
the forward turret were then fired and
their shells exploding. threw up great gey-
sers Of spray close 10 the Colon.
All the shore batteries took up the chal-
leuEe. ard began a rapid fire on the Massa-
chuse-ts. But she was soon beyond their
range. ard the batteries thereupon turned
their guns OF the New Orleans. This
cruiser had been directed TO pay attention
;e the batteries. and draw their fire as
much as possible ana she oheyed lnstruc-
81
a large battery on the nil above Nero. L
feR sgcaish. into the fort aud must have
caused much damage. as r great cloud O,
1ast and debris rose as the shel burst. !
couple more shots sent part OF the walls
of More flying iuto the air. and then the
Nv Orleans confined herself to the bat
;eries, her are being rapid ana rxt-eneiv
accurate. Every shot she fred made trouble
for Spain
The Iowa. Ike the Massachusetts. d.
voted beg attention 10 the ships IN the ba--
toy. Her E-lnch shells made the wa,a~
ny aooa; ;aat part Of the harbor in which
The Crtsto'ai Caion iay. The latter how
eFer. was not seriously damaged. and ken.
ur her fire uatI long AFTER ~. Aruari~,,
s-'-l$ steamed oslt of.raasa.
Affer me I"Fa came the p.fis Wv,
which sHrarca.'y rad ~ business e., 81,
aghs where bast1esa.rs were enxsgs5 20.
sae srafiea along after 'he Iowa. .sise =
Tex terrier following uas,tr ana wba~
a' ia" proper pe,at she let fy wnh hop
oae-9odndcr 2nj g.:3ea a,v5v. rr,a.l.,.
conscious = havirg dare he- hsz-.