Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-10
downright, Associated Press.)

downright, Associated PreSs.)
m Santiago, de Cuba, Saturday,
7rne D. M, via Kingston, Jamaica,
Monday. June 6, 8 a. m.-The firing by
rho New York and New Orleans, briefly
,soor,ed last night, was directed against
spanish torpedo boat destroyer, prob
.bv the Furor or the Pluton. The
osaraeter Of the enemy was not definite
Ky known until the next day when the
..-,ed3 boat Porter found two loaded
.o-nedoes floating off shore. Neither
of -bem had been discharged. One sank
Min fbs other was hauled on board the
T,rtfr. 1t exactly fitted the descrip
HIN Of the torpedoes carried by the
plnton and Furor 1t is believed the
,oroe3o boat destroyer escaped. She
r,as seen by the New Orleans when too
Car away to do any damage and the
heavy fire must have driven her back.
When the New York arrived she would
have had time to stink along the shore
and back into the harbor.
TIE daring attempt of the Spaniards
which was fortunately frustrated by
me vigilance of the New Orleans look
oui is the first instance of its kind since
NE beginning of the war It illustrated
b,w hard it is to hit a small object at
ligAt
As seen from the flagship the scene
was brilliantly dramatic. The New
York was lying several miles to the
fls, of Moro Castle The New Or
leans was on her starboard hand, close
in shore, ready to pounce upon any
craf, which might attempt to steal out
Under the shadow of the hills.
SHORTLY AFTER 10 O'CLOCK
the New Orleans flashed her private
signal. 1t was answered by the flag
ship and in a few seconds colored
lights sprang up into the darkness
from the New Orleans deck. They sig
ufed that the enemy was in sight. A
little later she burned another colored
light This meant that a hostile tor
pedo boat was approaching, although,
later Capt FOlger, of the New Orleans,
was not certain whether this was COR
rect Instantly the semi-circle Of
blockading ships flashed night signals.
CT nd
Of the harbor, they twinkled brilliantly
in the darkness and then went out.
simultaneously flashes Of fire shot from
the New Orleans sides.
On board the flagship men and Off
GERS had scrambled out of their hunks
and hammocks in response to the call
to general quarters" They stood in
groups on deck, and around the guns,
watching the short, sharp flames which
Showed the activity of the New Or
leans rapid-fre battery.
The flagship was then too far away
to hear the sound of the firing or see its
object
The New Orleans kept her brilliant
searchlights playing in all directions
and other ships near her did the same.
On the decks of the New York the
marines were crouched down, peering
into the darkness with their rifles on
their knees, watching for the sailors
most dreaded enemy-the torpedo boat.
The l0okouts were in every conceiv-
able spot, and guns were trained in
the direction where the New Orleans
seemed to be firing Every now and
again
SPARKS OF RED FIRE
lew up in the distance, marking the
explosion Of shells. Many persons then
thought they were exploding on a tor
pedo boat but to-day it is believed that
they found their mark on shore. The
moon, which had been hidden behind
lhe clouds, came out at about II o'clock.
me New York was then steaming at
null speed towards the shore to head
Oh if possible, the retreat of the enc
my into the harbor.
The evOlutions had to be carried on
with great care, to avoid getting in line
Vi IRE from the other American ships.
ne searchlights played frequently
and private signals burned brightly.