Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-28


| In the meantime the Puritan was tai
Ing care of Point Maya. 1t was lon
shot to that battery. II was SO WEI
masked that the only target was tn
| infr5quent smoke from the battery. b.
when the Puritan got the range. he
| shells burst every time within the for
tifcations. and great was the eN
| ploslon thereof
High up into the air would go n cloud
of dust atoms OF the Spanish fort
looking for all the world like the es
| plosion of magazine of brown pris
matte powder.
The Puritan was doing fully as much
harm on the east side OF the bay as the
New York was doing on the west side.
All this time the Cincinnati had re-
manned out OF the action.
Captain Chester signaled fC. permle-
sion to engage. and 1t was granted b!
the flagship. The Cincinnati steamed
up to within 1000 yards, brcadside on,
and began to let fly with her guns.
The batteries and the New YorK
were Just giving the signal to retire
when one defiant shot was fired from
Rubalcava. 1t ives the last shot that
battery was ever to fire.
one of the big guns on the Puritan
answered back. 1t was the best shot Of
the day 1t struck the battery Just
where the gun was, tore Its way into
the earthworks and exploded. doing
|
Captain r. Machugh. an artillery
officer of the British army. who was a
spectator of the engagement. said 1t
was one of the best shots he had ever
seen made.
Having practically demolished tho
Spanish batteries the ships stood out to
sea. Not a shell had struck one of
them, but there had been three narrow
misses Of the New York.
The Spanish fred scrapnel once
which had burst above the ship. shell
had struck just fore of her and another
struck Just aft.
The fact that the Spaniards failed to
strike such a large target as the New
York, towering as She does like a
house out of the water. was taken as
evidence that they are not good marks
men. On the other hand. every shot
that the New York fired after she got
the range was pitched right into the
batteries.
In point of time the engagement lasted
Just is minutes. 1t began at 81 minutes
past II o'clock and ended at quarter
past one.
The Puritan and Cincinnati were left
on guard at Matanzas and the New
York returned to her old position.
All told, the United Staes ships fired
SO shots at the forts. The forts fired
probably % shots.
But farmore important than the des-
the conclusiog about the future which
may be drawn from the bombardment,
This conclusion is that Havana Is abso-
iutely at the mercy of the United states
fleet whenever we choose to open fire.
Washington, April 2s.-Secretary
Long says this morning he has no re-
ports yet of the bombardment OF Ma
tanzas. The strategy board believes
that the only purpose of Admiral
sampson was to draw the fire OF the
Matanzas batteries. and learn their
number and strength. II any batteries
were building, Sampson would prevent
work on them.
WAS ONLYfTO DRAW FIRE.
Washington. April 2s.--Intense inter
est was shown at the navy department
today in the published reports from on
board the flagship New York and from
Key West, of the engagements at Ma
tanzas yesterday noon between the
shore batteries and the vessels of Ad-
miral SIMPSONS feet. The navy de-
partment itself had absolutely no re-
port from any of Its agents or any of
the officers of the blockadlng fleet of
this affair.
The fact that Admiral Sampson has
not made any report as yet, notw1th-
standing he must have had the same
opportunity to communicate with Key
West us was enjoyed by the press.
leads TO the belief that the affair was
not OF great consequence. Indeed they
say 1t is Uncomfortable that any very
extensive damage could have been In
hlcted upon properly placed batteries
al the distance reported, varying from
~ to miles in the short space of il
minutes, during which 1t is said the
engagement lasted.
A member of the strategy board
VINO Is or course thoroughly convers-
ant with the plans of Admiral Samp-
son, so far as they have been general
ized, made the statement that the ad-
mlral had no intention whatever TO
lombard the Matanzas battery. To
do so at this time would be bad
strategy and of little avail for in the
absence OF any landing force the ad-
mral would be unprepared TO take
advantage of the victory he might
gain through n reduction of the forts
and the spaniards might have ample
opportunity over night to repair in a
large measure the damage inflicted
on the Notifications. 1t is stated the
purpose was simply to ascertain II any
shore batteries existed at Matanzas.
and II SO to draw their fire and as
certain their character. In other
words. 1t was simply naval recoii-
nolaance.
In the event that during his obser
vations the admiral discovered that
new defenses were under construction
on Shore, he would, 1t is said, of course
not lose the opportunity to cripple
them by throwing few shells into the
earthworks and endeavoring to knock
over n gun or two.
II is the general belief at the de-
partment. however. that Matanzas is
to be soon reduced and made a base
Of operations in the campaign against
Havana.
1t is the present purpose of relieving
the reconcentrados who are numerous
around Matanzas. Unless relief is cN-
tended they viii undoubtedly perish
during the progress of a long drawn
out war.
The reported seizure by the Spanish
military authorities. at Matanyas of
stores contributed by Americans and
held In trust there for the relief of these
poor sufferers is regarded as clear In
dication that even II the Red Cross
steamer Texas is permitted to land her
cargo of supplies at Matanzas. under
existing conditions, the food will not
reach the ,recencentrados, but VIII only
40 to support the Spanish garrison In
their resistance. Therefore II Is be-
lieved that the President contemplates
the early seizure of Matanzos not only
because OF Its importance, but In order
that he may hold out helping hand
10 the starvtngtpeasantry. 1t is likely.
therefore, thar while Admiral Samp-