Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-06-04
BEFORE SANTIAGO.
Schley Is Trying to Get at
the Fleet of Cervera.
CHANNEL FORTIFlCATIONS BOMBARDED

CHANNEL FORTIFICATIONS BOMBARDEI
The Spaniards Are Cornered and the Amer
leans Are Arranging to Gobble Then
Up-An Unim portant Action Tuesday
| Indicated the Imminence of a Desper
ate Battle Which May Now be In Pro
| gress.
A telegram of Tuesday afternoon
gave an intimation of fighting al
Santiago during the day. The AS
sociated Press dispatches of Wednes
day morning confirmed the intima'
tion but gave no further details. On
Wednesday afternoon, THE ENQUIRER
received a telegram which gave the
Spanish version of what purported to
be an important engagement at the
entrance to Santiago harbor. Thurs
day morning the Associated Press
dispatches included this story along
with few other important details
In the Associated Press dispatches OF
Friday morning the story is told in
full. 1t is interesting, but not nearly
so important as at first appeared.
Schley's fleet having already collect
ed before Santiago, on Tuesday morn
ing operations were commenced to
determine the location and strength OF
the Spanish batteries at the entrance
to the channel.
As the first move, the Marblehead
was ordered to 90 as closely as posi-
Bile to the entrance of the channel
with view of learning what was in
side. Having already secured com.
plete information as to the nature OF
the waters in the vicinity, the Marble
head made a bold dash diagonally
across the entrance of the channel and
almost directly under the guns OF
Moro. She was within easy range
and properly directed shot from an
eight-inch rife would have quickly
sent her to the bottom. But of this
she had no fear. The Americans
think that the Spanish gunners do
poor work at best, even at a stationa-
ry target, and the idea of their hitting
the Marblehead going at full speed was
to the Americans ridiculous. At any
rate, the Marblehead went as close TO
the mouth of the channel as the shoals
in the vicinity would permit, and pass
ed on by. The Spaniards did not even
risk a shot at her.
Upon her return, the Marblehead
reported TO Commodore Schley that
four cruisers, two torpedo boat destroy
ers, and the antiquated old tub Rena
Mercedes, were lying behind the bat
teries at Smith Bay, Churruca Point,
about two miles in. The Cristobal
Colon-Cervera's flag ship-was near
er the centre of the channel, and all
the vessels were under steam.
Schley's flagship, the Brooklyn, the
Texas and one or two other vessels
were taking on coal few miles out
at sea but on receiving the report OF
the Marblehead, the commodore de-
termined to begin operations at once.
Accordingly he transferred his flag to
the Massachusetts, and followed by
the New Orleans, Iowa and little
Vixen in the order named, started for
the shore at a point about five miles
west of the harbor entrance. When
within about 5000 yards of the shore,
she turned east, gradually increased
her speed to 10 knots, and as she reach
ed point about 500 yarC beyond the
harbor entrance, she let fly two shells
from her 13-inch guns. One of them
struck the Cristobal Colon fairly, and
the other fell in the water by the side
of that ship. The guns of Moro
opened on the Massachusetts,; but
she was quickly beyond range. The
New Orleans followed. She had been
instructed to give attention to the bat
teries and draw their fire as much as
possible. She did her work to perfec-
ton. Her first shot went straight in
to a battery located above Moro, and
sent clouds of dust and debris into the
air. A couple of more shots knocked
away portions Of the walls of MORO,
and every shot fired from the vessel
did damage. The batteries of MORO
were blazing away at the New Orleans
in the meantime; but none of the
shots struck her.
As the New Orleans passed out of
range, next came the Iowa, which, like
the Massachusetts, devoted her atten-
tion to the ships in the channel, blaz'
ing away at them with her 13-inch
guns but inficting no serious damage.
The Cristobal Colon fired at the Mas
sachusetts, the New Orleans, and also
the Iowa, as long as these ships were
in sight. Her shots all went wild.
Following the Iowa, came the little
Vixen blazing away with her six
FOUNDER, which could do but little
damage. But all the same she went
around the track and exposed herself
to even greater danger than was incur
red by the Iowa and Massachusetts
which are heavily armored.
Now the Massachusetts, made Cir
Gle. AS she passed the Vixen she
ordered that vessel to get out of the
dispute. Then she steamed in a thou
sand yards closer to the shore and
went by the batteries at a reduced
speed. This time the Massachusetts