Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-07-18
Santiago Harbor
Explored by Schley,
Spanish Flag Over Moro Castle Hauled
Down--Submarine Mines Exploded--Par
of Spain's Fleet Will be Saved and
Added to American Navy.

Copyrighted by Associated Press-Un
der Morro castle, harbor of Santiago
July II, p. M, via Fiaya del Este.-A
Q o'clock this morning the Spanish fla
was lowered from the staff crowning tn
heights upon which the battered Morr
castle spreads half way. The LOWERING
of this emblem was witnessed by fey
Spanish and American troops on shore
and by the Brooklyn, New York, Vixel
and Vesuvius, lying within a few hun
dred yards of the harbor entrance. AL
most Immediately after the flag wa
hauled down, steam launches command
ed by Lieutenants Hobson and Paine
entered the harbor, penetrating as fa
as the firing stations of the submarine
mines. These mines were judged not tt
be so formidable as was expected, ant
later in the afternoon were all exploded
under the supervision of the Vixen. L
was seen that two mines had been eX
ploded at the time of the entrance OF the
Merrimac into the channel. Six or seven
steamers in the harbor fall as prisoners
to the army and navy. The Spanish
gunboat Alvares had already been taken
possession of by a prize crew from the
New York. Other vessels laid at the
other end of the harbor at Santiago
proper.
Soon after noon Commodore Schley,
with Captain Cook, of the Brooklyn,
Flag Lieutenant j. H. Sears, Lieutenant
B. w. Wells, flag secretary, and three
invited correspondents of the Associated
Press, went into the harbor Oh a steam
launch, which moved slowly in order to
make close observations of the Spanish
forts and batteries. Every one eX-
pressed satisfaction over the fact that
Moro castle had not been demolished
by the bombardment, Captain Cook say
ing: "We need Ell MORO as an object
lesson. and America is rather shy on
ruins any how. The old fort stands
on the bluff in terrace fashion. From
the waters edge to the cliff there are
numerous caves formed by the action of
the waves, and around the base and in
the superstructure are not a few caves
made by the navy's projectiles. 1t
would appear, however. that only one
bastion is knocked to pieces, while the
queer little sentry boxes, dating back
to the 10th century, escaped almost
intact. Moro castle is the only impos-
ing fortifcation in the harbor, and it is
so only in appearance, since not gun
is mounted within or on its crumbled
walls. In fact, all the batteries, masked
and open, dwindled in terror inspiring
qualities as the inspection grew closer
Cfownng the hill on the west side of
the entrance were the famous 6-inch
rapid fire guns from the Spanish cruiser
Reina Mercedes. These were ugly
looking and dangerous, while below and
on big foundations on the western shore
of the entrance were some revolving
guns These were the guns which
poured such bitter fire into the Merri-
mac. Directly east of MORO castle, on
the crest of the plateau-like cliff, were
six big guns, one or two of which were
dismonnted. The Estrela battery and
small neighbor further in, showed no
guns. while the famous Cayo Smith
filled the islet with blue, white, and
yellow houses, situated in groves of
towering trees, some of the buildings
looking as if they had been resorts of
pleasure seekers in happier times.
Strange to say, not one, apparently had
been touched by hostile projectiles. On
the inside slope and the hill to the
westward some hastily constructed, but
very comforting casematcs were seen,
into which the Spanish gunners were
won't to retire when our ships opened
fire. When the firing ceased the gun
ners had few steps only to climb to
the 6-inch rapid fire guns which almost
always fired few spiteful farewell
shots.
In Santiago there were four six-inch
guns, one above the other, none of them
protected even by sand or earth. These
commanded the harbor entrance pretty
we'll but could have been silenced by
one we'll directed, heavy shell. Commo-
dore Schley has over and over again eX-
pressed the belief that our fleet proba-
bly, could have entered the harbor with
out the loss of single ship. The mines
might have stopped the ingress by sink
ing the leading ship, but this is chance
of war, and not so grave as many that
were taken during the civil strife, nor
as serious as would have been the situa-
tion had there been good batteries.
properly manned, in the harbor.
Commodore Schley's party first steamed
around the wreck of the Reina Mercedes,
which lies with her bow pointed toward
the city. She had listed to starboard and
rested on reef near the foot of Moro
cliff. The cruiser was sunk to the up
per deck, on which one six-inch gun
remained. One torpedo tube was loaded
and an auxiliary battery seemed to be in
place. Evidently the crew of the Reina
Mercedes left her in hurry, This is
less to be wondered at when itis noted
that there are great gaps in her sides,
showing where two 12-inch and two 49,
inch shells struck her.
About 600 yards ahead of the Reina
Mercedes, and almost in line with her,
was the wreck of the Merrimac, lying in
fully six fathoms of water on the very
edge of the channel. Had not the cur
rent swung the doomed ship along the
side instead of athwart the channel, the
latter would have been well blocked.
When Assistant Naval Constructor Hob
son took the collier into the harbor, he
was hunting for a four fathom spot, and
only missed 1t by few hundred yards.
At a firing station on the west side,
which Commodore Schley inspected In
person, the American party met Span
ish artillery captain who was courteous
but gloomy. Commodore Schley advised
the officer with the few men under his
command, to 90 up to the city and sur
render as quickly as possible. Commo-
dore Schley then said he was determined
to have glimpse Of Santiago city, and
the launch was headed along the west
side of the channel, going slowly and
sticking to shallow water, lest some con-
tact mine put as the commodore re-
marked ''an end to our pleasure party"
Skirting the broad, lake-like spot in
the harbor where the Spanish fleet, de.
stroyed two weeks ago today, used to lie
during the bombardments, and noting
the brilliant painted buoys which marked
the shadows, Punta G0rda was rounded,