Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-23
BONBARDNENT IS RENEWED
German erui'ers Open Fire Again on San
Carlos Fcft,
WEDNESDAYS BATTLE IS CONTINUED
Twelve -eneEueIan KILLED on First
Day, F~ortiacstiops Damaged and
Guns Dismounted I'm spite OF
bad Workmanship.

ment OF Fort San Carlos by the German
cruisers Vineta. Panther and Fake was
continued yesterday afternoon until 9
o'clock.
II was resumed this morning at day
break.
The first shells we're hurled at the fort
at 4 o'clock at long range. At s Panther
being OF light draught. closed in and again
became actively engaged. The fort re-
piled. At s. the engagement wHs proeeec-
ing as hercely as yesterday.
Twelve dead and fifteen badly wounded
venezuelans we're counted in the fort at Z
last night. The result of today's bonn
bardment is not yet known.
Reports First Days Fight.
Panther left it's position close to Fort
San Carlos, which II took up earlier in
the day, yesterday afternoon at 3, and
Joined Fake, half a mile outside the har-
Dor and about FIVE miles from the fort.
At 3 the correspondent OF the Associated
Press, il a rowboat, approached one side
Of the fort, out OF range, and witnessed
the long range fire of the German cruisers,
which was continued from 3 till 6. Vineta
and Fake we're close together and nearer
the fort than Panther.
The first two vessels. at a range Of four
and a half miles. poured in a continuous
rain of, shell and only stopped firing when
It became dark. Il this hour the German
vessels retired seward. after having made
two Intellectual attempts to land troops in
the village Of San Carlos, situated at the
base Of the fort.
At Z on Wednesday evening the corre-
spondent, who was accompanied by a gov
eminent telegrapher bearing a telegram
from President Castro to the commandant
OF San Carlos, landed on the island and
entered the fort. The walls we're terribly
battered and there we're many evidences
OF the fierce engagement. Twelve dead
Venezuelan soldiers were counted behind
the ramparts and fifteen other men, Sc
%riousl.' wounded, were lying on a low plat
form.
The fort was literally covered with
pieces of broken shells. though many OF
the German shells had not exploded.
The magazine had a narrow escape, two
shells having come within an ace Of pene-
trating It.
1t is estimated by the commandant, Gen
eral Bello. that the German ships fred
more than 1900 shells.
German Aim is Bad.
Although the damage inflicted by the
HuSldlutu III VI the ItIuldu CTulbSEb IL
great, It is not all that would be expected
from such a continuous fire from modern
high power guns.
The village of San Carlos suffered
greatly. The aim Of the German gunners
appeared to have been Inaccurate, for mora
than so per cent of their shells exploded
In the village before reaching the fort,
The cannon mounted at San Carlos had
not sufficient range to reach Fake and
Vineta. so the fire from these vessels was
not returned. Vineta and Fake draw toe
much water to cross the bar. Panther
alone could do so, and this explains why
IL was the only one to come in close to
the fort.
Some of the artillery on the fort has
been destroyed by the German fire, but
there are still FIVE guns that can be fired.
General Bello has shown great bravery
and is In no way intimidated. He will not
abandon the fort. but will resist as Ions
as It Is possible for him to do so. He
swears that on January II, the occasion Of
the first bombardment, Panther fred upor
him first. without reason and without pro-
vocation.
The report that the biggest of the three
attacking vessels was either English OF
Italian is untrue. All three vessels were
German.
The Venezuelan gunboat Miranda is in
Lake Maracaibo. II was doubtless the in
tention OF Panther, in trying to pass the
fort and get into the lake. to capture this
vessel. The passage over the bar that leads
into the lake is narrow and the fort com
mands It. General Bello is confident tina.
he can sink Panther II it attempts to gel
by with the fire OF the Ave guns that re-
main to him.
Wednesday night passed without incident
and the garrison of Fort San Carlos rested
from the fight of the day and made prep
a~rations for what the morrow might bring
forth.
A fisherman from the village of Sar
Carlos has arrived with his family. Two
of his children we're killed by shells from
the German cruisers.
He reports that more than twenty-five
Indian fishermen have been killed o.
wounded at San Carlos. The fishermen
there are helpless.
Last night there was a popular demon.
s~tration on the streets OF this town.
Caracas Is Surprised.
CARACAS, Jan. 22.-The German BON
bardment of Fort San Carlos is incompre,
hensible here, The Smelling was begun
without any warning whichever. The for
eiRn residents OF Caracas are greatly dis
satisfied with this action OF the German
waships, especially as the Venezuelan gov
eminent rpaintains a fair and generous at
titude in the matter of claims.
Senior Baralt, foreign minister, said to
day:
What more can we do than accept tn
terms OF the powers and send MT. Bower
with full powers from Venezuela TO ne
gotiate at Washington. Have we refuse,
TO agree 10 the terms?
State Department II Reticent.
WASHINGTON. Jan. ga cablegran
has been received here from Mr.. Russell
American charge at Caracas. confirming tn,
press report to the effect that three war
ships began TO lombard Fort San Carlo
yesterday.
The yablegram does not indicate the re
suit OF the bombardment, and, in fact, con
tains no other detail.
There 10 a singular reticenee on the par
Of the State department o~ficials, suddenl.
developed. in connection with the Venezue
Ian situation and especially with reference
to the German bombardment, which ma.