The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-24
How the Germans Pounded Paris and the English
Wrecked Alexandria.

the more modern quality of the guns
and a superior class of gunners. This
last desideratum is a most important
one, for it is indisputable that with good
guns and weIl-trained men behind
them, even though the number OF both
leave much to be desired and the forti-
fications be anything but invulnerable,
any fort ought to give a good account
of itself against even greatly superior
Odds for a short time at least. With
the improvements of late years IN
range-finding instruments, and the
enormously increased destructive
range of high-power guns, the advant-
age is all in favor of stationary fort,
from which distances are merely
matter of momentary calculation and
directions easily observed, as opposed
to a constantly moving ship, on board
which distance observations are prac-
tically a matter of trial. while the
rolling of the sea constantly inter-
feres with correct laying Especially
is this the case in any kind of a heavy
sea; but once let the guns of fleet be
properly trained on the fort, and g.
couple Of good shots made, and it viii
take most powerful set of fortiflca-
tons to resist humiliation. for, once
the range is definitely obtained, the
pitching and tossing of the ship, as
well as its capability of constant mo-
tiOni altering both speed and direction,
combine to form great element of
security; whereas the fort is now a
fixed and immovable target. The cap
ture of Havana, therefore, would not
only be an important strategic move
ment, but also one easy of accomplish
ment, except in the event of the pres
ence of a large Spanish squadron in
the immediate vicinity of the harbor,
since there is no reason to fear the
power of the guns of Moro castle in
prolonged bombardment.
1t is a bit of history worth recalling
that Havana itself was once success
fully invested and cannonaded, and
that. moreover, the troops. to whose
courage and mettle the capture of the
city was almost wholly due, were Of
American, or, as it was then called,
provincial, extraction. On June 6, 1852,
a British fleet landed some 1000 troops
on the coast few miles east Of
Havana. The work of investment was
quickly begun, and Notwithstanding
the gallant defense made by the garri-
son and the mortality caused among
the British troops by disease and
famine, the 30th day of June saw the
opening of a fierce and destructive fire
on the forts of Moro castle. Seventeen
days later the Spanish guns had been
all but siienced, and a footing was
gained by the besiegers within the
ditch itself that forms the outer work
of the castle. One month after the
opening of the bombardment a breach
of sufficient dimensions had been made,
and a storming party composed of pro-
vincial troops, known as the Royal
Americans, carried the fortress by sur
prise. The city of Havana was subse-
quently reduced to surrender, and be-
came British property. Had its subse-
quent change for the Floridas not been
effected, how differently would have
read the story of the pearl of the
Antilles." 1t may be incidentally
mentioned that the fleet of ships of the
line were compelled early in the bonn
bardment to retreat ANONYMOUSLY.
when the admiral in command thought
to supplement the land attack by a
cross-fire from the sea-
R. o. SCALLAN.