The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-16

a mouse, gave a slight start, then swing
ing her engines ana the tiny squadron into
line, dashed in to cut them off.
The Spanish boats crowded on steam
and stood along the coast as long as they
dared to give zest to the chase. The May
flower signalled her consorts CLOSE in and
charge"
Word was flung on from ship to ship
as they steamed IN column en- eehelon.
Seeing the bait had apparently taken, the
Spanlards veered about and bringing their
stern chasers TO bear on the Americans
doubled back for Moro.
Ii was n beautiful running fire, viewed
from where the Kate Spencer lay, seven
miles off Moro castle.
Little puffs Of white smoke burst from
the sides of the gunboats, and occasionally
an explosion Of a she'll I'm the air, like a
spark of fire. could be discerned with the
aid of glasses.
The flash of the spanards guns were
plainly visible but the reports OF the same
We're dun and indistinct.
Two of the shells from the Vicksburg
burst IN the rigging OF the Alphonso and
some of It came down, but 1t was, Of
course, impossible 10 know whether any
fatalities occurred.
The American fire was much more accu-
rate than the Spanish as every shell Of
the latter fell short Of their pursuers.
The Spanlards were a mile off MORO,
and our ships fully four miles further out
when flame leaped from the batteries Of
Santa Clara forts and clouds of white
smoke drfted up the coast. Half a minute
later a dun heavy roar of a great gun
came like "A deep dapeson of an organ on
the high treble of smaller guns II was
from one Of the 12-inch Krupps. mounted
there and an $50 pound projectile plunged
into the water half a mile inside of the
American line. throwing uo a tower OF
white spray. II ricocheted ana struck
again a half mile outside.
The mask was now off. Maddened by the
failure Of their plot the Spaniards contln-
ued to fire at intervals Of about ten min
utes.
In all thirteen shots were fired, but not
one struck within 200 yards of one of our
ships.
As soon as the battery opened, Com
mander Lilly and his fleet stood Off shore.
Capt. Mckenzie. on the bridge of the
Vcksburg, watched the fan of the shells,
but he considered il useless TO waste am
munition at that distance. lie appeased
the desire of the men at the guns, how
ever, by letting go a final broadside at the
Spanish ships In chance hope of making
them pay for their daring before they
guinea tue udIDDIg but LiltJ bASaittA ~
under Morro's guns untouched, and as
they disappeared fired several shots. Sew
eral shots were sent after them at that
moment by the Annapolis, which dropped
inside the harlpr, probably creating con-
sternation AMONG scores of BUM boats on
the water front.
At the close of the action, just at sun
down, the Associated Press dispatch Kate
spencer ran up alongside of the Vicks-
burg. Her men, many of them stripped to
their trousers and pistol belts, were still
,at the guns.
They and their officers received the news
of SIMPSONS capture of San Juan with
cheers that reached the Mayhower quar-
ter OF a mile off. bringing her crew to her
side.
Commander Mckenzie thinks, as do 9TH
er officers Of the feet that the Alphonso
XII has been stripped of battery and guns
and those used to-day were only tempor-
arly mounted.
If it was the Alphonso XII she must
have found new builders, since lately she
was a helpless cripple in Havana harbor.
From the action of the Krupp guns Il
is evident the Spaniards have no cordlte
and are using ordinary cocoa powder.