New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-30
COMPARTMENT OF SAN JUAN.
PORTO RICAN NEWSPAPER ACCOUNT OF
SIMPSONS ATTACK on FORTS.

of the bomhardment OF San Juan on May II by
SIMPSONS fleet hav4 come TO st. Thomas. one
thing is particularly noticeable. This is that
the official reports as we'll as the newspaper &C
counts that are issued under a censorship that
makes them official. and the reports of impartial
eye-witnesses to the bombardment are very
nearly identical There is not the great dis
crepancy between the Spanish report and the
facts that stories from cuba have so often
shown This can be considered a fair assur-
ance that the damage to property and life was
slight as the Spaniards assert. They also say
tho Spanish forces we're victorious. because the
American vessels withdrew under fire.
I-pon all sides ono hears criticisms OF the Wis
dom Of the homhardment Of San Juan. and
opinions that the Americans should never have
attacked the port without being prepared to land
troops TO hold the island and make the attack
n complete victory. There have been published
in San Juan many accounts Of the lombard
nent The translation which follows Is from
La Union:
Thursday at $50 in the morning, the Yankee
fleet approached the beach and began firing on
the town without previous notihcation Inc
enemys vessels kept up a sustained ana rapIu
fire which was answered by our batteries ana
forts In equal manner. The bombardment lasted
three hours. and. considering that the enemy
vessels discharged at least eight hundred or one
thousand projectiles Of various sizes. the city
suffered very little. in fact hardly AT all Sev-
eral shots did damage to certain buildings how
ever as is elsewhere set forth.
THE SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE.
The spirit " the people although they were
surprised by the barbarous attack. without the
previous notice that is always customary. rose
to the height that can always be expected from
the valiant Porto Rcans The city walls were
crowded with people to witness the attack. VINO
cried "Viva Espana" each time our batteries
fired as we'll when the traitorous shells OF
the enemy few whrling over their heads
The army. the brave artillerymen. the vol
unteers. tn. hremen and those or the lted
Cross. all at their posts showed an extraordi-
rary courage. admirable sang froid ana n
stoical valor The nation should be proud IN
possessing such soldiers. who know so well no"
to honor and defend the flag Of the mother couh-
try.
Judging from wha. could he seen. the enemy's
vessels must have suffered considerable dam
age The net result is this: \ bombardment OF
three hours duration. more than useless: ana
the enemy towards and traitors. repulsed viva
Espana."
During the height Of the bombardment We saw
several courageous women who. ignoring their
danger. carried water 10 the soldiers and volun-
tecrs posted at the walls
In the cemetery ~ san Juan there has
been found an entire projectlie, measuring /
metre 10 contimcires IN height by 80 cent?
metres IN diameter There is on view AT the
store called Paris Bazaar' piece % proJ"ctile
picked up near Fori Moro which appears 10 be
the quarter part II shell. measuring cent?
metres in width hy IN in thickness. and weigh
ing two hundred pounds
In the house u he Misses Abril. In Santurce.
n uroi.ciUe entered hy the Kitchen shattered
an interior wall and part - the balcony. went
through the noor tearing larg" hole ana
wounding Emilio Gorbea In ID" prison ban
that fell IN the chamber u preference slightly
wounded a doctor. man named Antonio Sal
gado. Santago lgesias and Hhsi"d. ~" I'M
prisoncd correspondent, - The New York Her
aid" who It Is reported hal been sentenced
10 nine years imprisonment
MANY RruLDTNl5s DAMAGED
The following houses were damaged by the
projecties. In the hrst place. Fort MORO. san
Cr,stohal. the barracks - Baiaja. the building
% Military Suh-Inspcciion. Hen"hci"nri the ca
thedral. la Aualenca. the White House. tho
seminary. the palace The church - 81 Joseph.
H.. Market place. aad 'hr"c houses N the district
Of Hayafa three in the district ~ san S"naS
tian two IN the district ~ cruz. three IN me
district II san Franchise. four ln ~" dlsiIlD -
Forfalcza and one 30 the district - san Justo.
Many balls fcll ~ la Marina, on" ~ th'in '"a'-
ing N woman's arm
IS the french uarship Admiral Rigault De
Gonouilly was leaving this port afi"r me pom
bardmeni and as she passed ~ front - MORO.
the crew .cheered and called viva Espaha"
"Viya Puerto Rico" which were answered from
the shore by cries 4 viva Franc.a"
The f4gIUls AT IN" f'Ninir HdH 'tlli'N a" az
by shot The steam freighfer Marrucla 70
ceived n shot amidshlps the transport Alfonso
XIII was struck In the pilot-house. ana the
Frenchman. Rigault de Gonouilly. was struck
In the smokcsiack and rigging. The greater
part ~ tho shots fell In the haroor: some struck
at Catano. and. according 20 reports. some came
as far as the houses on the Hacienda san IA.
tricio owned by Messrs. Cerecede Brothers. and
situated al the far side ~ the bay.
Some portions - the projectiles that fell we're
lettcred as follows: United States Porto Rico.
1898
Fortunately We have experienced very few
losses According TO the data which ne havo
been able 70 obtain, the casualties are as f"-
lows: In Fort MORO and Fort san Criatohal two
brave soldiers nero killed and two officers and
several soldiers wounded. Al the Market Plaoe
a typesetter ~ LA Correspondencia named
Martin BOnavide wae wounded, dying suDs"-
Quenty during the amputation 0f leg. Jose
Matato was also wounded here. as well as a
man whose name We do not know. Felix Suar"I
was wounded in san Justo-st by part 81 a
shell As viii he seen. the casualties. though
most unfortunate are very Few. considering the
sustained and fierce fire OF the enemy
NUMBER Of DEAD AND WOUNDED
The foregoing Ia the censored report OF .he
fight as published in San Juan. The Governor
General has issued a proclamation In which he
gives the number Of dead eight and the
wounded as thirty four It is impossible 10 as
certain the truth with regard 70 the dead and
wounded Passengers from San Juan sJeak
Of many funerals In that city. and some say tn"
total number " deaths is at least thirty
The accounts Of those present turing tn"
BON bardment more or less confused. hut
they bear out the official statements that com
parativcly little damage was done. Among TN =,
reports that came to ST. Thomas last night by
the French steamer Rodriguez. which left san
Juan on May II. are statements To the effect
that Moro and San Cristobal did not discharge
more than three hundred shots. and that the
cost OF the ammunition expended by the Ameri-
can vessels vas three times as great as the
damage done TO San Juan. II IL said. In partial
EXPLANATION OF this. that the greater number OF
the American shells did not explode.