The Mena star., 1898-06-08
SANTIAGO FORTS IN RUINS.
The American Fleet Bombarded the Batteries at the Harbor with
 Most Destructive Effect.
CUBAN TROOPS MAKE 1 LAND ATTACK.
An Engagement Also Reported Between a Column of Spanish Troops and an Amer icsn Force Just Landed-The spanish Cruiser Maris Teresa Sunk by the Fire of the American Vessels.


 of the American Vessels.
 CAPE HAYTIEN, Hayti, June 7.-The
 fghting before and in the vicinity of
 santiago de Cuba continued the great
 CT part of yesterday, from 7:45 a. m.
 until nearly II o'clock. Ten of the
 American warships maintained
 steady and carefully directed fire
 against Fl Moro castle and the bat
 teries at Punta Gorda, Socapa and Gin
 eoreales, in addition to bombarding
 the Spanish fleet in the harbor. The
 percentage of effective projectiles was
 very large. It appears, from the best
 information obtainable at this place,
 the cable station connecting with San-
 tiago, that immense damage was in-
 ficted on the enemy. The Spaniards
 admit that-the bombardment from the
 American fleet was most destructive.
 About 1,600 projectiles were said to have been fired by the American war ships and it seems the responsive fire from the Spanish forts and ships was scarcely felt at all by the Americans The Notifications near the entrance of the harbor are described as being rid dled with solid shot and shattered by the explosion of the immense shells fired by the American battleships. The Spanish batteries are understo tood to have been virtually silenced and Fl Moro and the Notifications at Socapa and Punta Gorda are reported to have been demolished by the three hours uninterrupted hammering of the American fleet.
 The American attack is next said to have been specially directed against Aguadores, a small coast town little to the east of the entrance of Santiago bay. The idea of the American admi- raj, it appears, was to land troops and siege guns there, after reducing the defenses of the place, and thence make a close assault upon Santiago, which, in view of the present condition of its Notifications, may be expected to yield very soon after the beginning of such an attack. The latest advices received here from Spanish sources do not indi- cate the duration of the fire or whethe American troops and siege guns were actually landed at Aguadores, but, from the information obtainable, it cannot be doub that the net result ef Mondays fighting was extremely disastrous to the Spanish defenses.
 It is also understood here that the Cuban troops maintained throughout the greater part of yesterday an at- tack by land upon Santiago, and the &na ich ho 1~a heavily in killed and wounded. In the naval force, the Spaniards say that the officer who was second in command of the partly dismantled Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes and five sailors and an ensign were killed. The Spanish sail ors wounded, it is asserted, number 16 men. The loss on the American side, the Santiago report says, is not known.
 Later in the day, it appears, a land ing of American troops was effected near Daiquiri, some distance east of Aguadores and near the railroad sta tlon connecting with Santiago de Cuba Later an engagement took place between the American forces and column of Spanish troops which had been sent against the landing party. The accounts of the battle ob- tainable here, being from Spanish sources, do not set forth the result and, therefore, it is to be inferred that the Americans were victorious and that is the belief which prevails here.
 There is a report current at Cape Haytien that the frst-class armored Spanish cruiser Maria Teresa was sunk yesterday by fire of the American ships.
 It is said that only 500 American troops were landed at Daiquiri, or possibly at Aguadores, the two places being confused in the reports reaching here. 1t seems to be admitte1 that the fre of the American soldiers was so accurate that the Spaniards were com pelled to flee from the Qualifications they were defending.
 The Americans are now said to be i entrenched near Daiquiri and landing | heavy guns preparatory to moving them toward Santiago and laying siege to the city. There is a panic in Santiar go. The residents who can are fleeing to the country, joining the insurgents or doing anything to get away from the certain destruction that now waits Cervera's fleet and the forces of Pando and Linares.