Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-06-04
SCHLEY FIGHTS.
A Report that He Attacked SPANS
Fleet at Santiago.
He is Said to Have Engaged the Forts a'
che Entrance to the Harbor ms Well
as the Ships Composing Cervera's
Squadron-Naval Omciais at
Washington Say the story
IL improbable.

Port au Prince, Haiti, June L.
About . o'clock Tuesday afternoon an
American squadron composed of IA
warships, of which the cruiser New
York displayed the flag of Rear Ad-
miral Sampson, and a number of tor
pedo boats began a BON mbardment with
heavy guns of the forts and harbor
of Santiago de Cuba. The American
fire was directed principally against
the forts and the harbor. The forts
of MORO castle, La Zocapa and Punta
Gorda suffered especially. The can
nonading was very persistent and can
not have failed to be destructive. 1t
lasted until 3:45 p. m. The town, which
is situated near the inner end of the
harbor, escaped damage. AT 3:45 p. IN.
the cannonade diminished. About 4
o'clock cannon discharges were heard
at distance presumably at seal, con-
tinuing for some time, when the firing
ceased completely. The Spanish au-
thorities maintain strict silence as to
the number of victims, who were appa-
rently numerous.
Cape Haitien, Haiti, June 1.-Advices
L
day afternoon the American feet at
Santiago de Cuba began cannonading
the batteries of Moro castle, La 10
capa and Punta Garda. At the same
time, it is added, the American ships
were engaged with the Spanish war
ships. The firing was extremely heavy.
AT 3:45 p. m. the cannonading became
less heavy against the Notifications,
but was more accentuated in the lo-
cality where the fleets were engaged.
The advantage is said to have been
with the Americans.
Moro Castle is at the entrance oi
| the harbor of Santiago de Cuba. La
| Zocapa, also shown on the maps as La
Locapa castle, is short distance in
side the harbor entrance and Punta
| Garda is situated on point well in
| side the harbor of Santiago, showing
that the American fleet entered the
harbor and engaged the Spanish fleet
| there.
London. June IA dispatch to the
Mail from Kingston, Jamaica, says: A
large American squadron, supposed to
be Admiral SIMPSONS, was seen Tues
! day off Port Antonio, on the north
coast of Jamaica 25 miles northwest of
| Morant point, the eastern extremity of
the island. steaming westward.
Washington, June Naval officials
absolutely discredit the news to the
| effect that Commodore Schley forced
the entrance to Santiago bay and en-
gagged the Spanish fleet in the harbor.
While no official advices have been re-
ceived from Commodore Schley since
the battle is reported to have oc-
Cured the naval officials declare with
positiveness that it is not only improb-
| able but in the circumstances almost
impossible that an attempt should
have been made by the American COM
mander to force an entrance to the
bay.
The latest official advices received
| from Schley were contained in a cable
gram which came late Tuesday after
noon, and in that the commodore gave
no indication of an intention to try to
enter the harbor of Santiago. While
| the contents of the dispatch were not
made public the bulletin issued upon
it by the navy department indicates
IIldG 10 SIlil W bC'
| termine just what Spanish vessels are
| in the harbor. The bulletin follows:
Commodore Schley's fleet has
| sighted another vessel of the Vizcaya
class in Santiago harbor."
The naval officers declare that Schley
would not endeavor to force his way
into the harbor in view of the great
difficulties of navigation which would
have to be surmounted. The entrance
to the harbor is a channel nearly three
quarters of mile in length and at one
point only about 100 yards wide. While
the channel has plenty of water to
float the Ships. it is tortuous and al