The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-04
Bombardment Of Santiago a Pre-
liminary Attack.
THE BATTERIES ARE LOCATED.
First shot strikes the Flagship Cris-
tohal Coiou-srufs~r New Orleans
Draws the Fire From All the Suns
on shore. and sends Destrucove
tioas-spa mia rsls' Wild "1nners'

Copyrighted, fsss. BY the Associated Press
PORT ANTONIO Jamaica. Ja.2e lon
board Associated Press dispatch boat
Dandy-Fcr Al hour yesterday afternoons
the Massachusetts Iowa, NeT Orleans ana
Vixen. cf Commodore Schlsys squadron,
exchanged shots with tire Spanish under
Admiral Cervera. and with the lane bat
teries guarding the hsrbor of Santiago de
Cuba. behind which the feet IL hidden
The engagement is the first which has &C
CURED between the TWO naval forces. anu
was but a prelude TO serious work in the
latter part Of the week. No attempt Was
made BY the Americans 20 bring on a gen
eral engagement, Il being the desire to 10
cate the batteries on the hills above the
harbor and to determine the position OF the
Spanish feet.
Shortly before 10 O'clock Commodore
schiey left the Brooklyn for the Massa-
chusetts, on board OF which battleship he
remained during the fight Al o'clock
the signal 10 form column vas posted on
the flagship, and the New Orleans, Iowa
and Vixen fell in. in the order named.
The Massachusetts steamed slowly until
about five miles west of the harbor en-
trance, when she turned toward the
shore When about $500 yards cn she
turned In again and bore down en- the
narbor, the New Orleans being close up
and the Iowa half "A mile behind Inc
flagship gradually increased her speed 3nd
was soon running through the water at
the rate of ten knots an hour. She drew
closer and closer 10 the batteries, and TO
the anxious watchers on the other ships II
seemed that she would never open fire.
When however, she had passed the har-
Dor entrance by 5o0 yards great cloud
OF white and yellow smoke burst from the
two Pinch guns in her after turret and
two shells rose over the hull. one OF them
striking the Spanish flagship Crlstobai
Colon as she lay at anchor and the other
falling close alongside. The TWO guns on
the forward turret were then fired and
their shells exploding. threw up great gey-
sers Of spray close to the Colon.
All the shore batteries took UP the ehal-
lenge, and began rapid fire on the Massa-
chusetis. But she was soon beyond THAR
range, and the batteries thereupon turned
their guns on the New Orleans. This
cruiser had been directed to pay attention
TO the batteries and draw their fire as
much as possible and she obeyed instruc-
lions 10 the letter. Her first shot located
a large battery on the hill above Moro. 1t
few straight. into the fort and must have
caused much damage. as a great clous of
dust and debris rose as the shell burst
Of Moro flying into the air. and then the
New Orleans confined herself to the bat
terles. her fire being rapid and extremely
accurate. Every shot she fired made trouble
for Spain.
The Iowa. like the Massachusetts de-
voted her attention 20 the ships in the hsr-
Dor. Her 15-inch shells made the water
fly about that part OF the harbor in which
the Cristobal Colon lay. The latter. how
ever. was not seriously damaged. and kenr
up her fire until long after the American
ships steamed out of range.
After the Iowa came the little Vixen.
which apparently had no business in =
fight where battieships were engaged But
she scudded along after the Iowa. like a
fox terrier following a maStiff and when
at the proper point she let fly with her
one-poun6er and glided away. proudly
conscious Of having done her best
After the Vixen had passed the for;s.
the Massachusetts, turned axain to the
westward followed by the other ships in
the same order. the one exception being
the yacht Josephine. which was ordered