New-York tribune., 1903-01-23

Paris. Jan. 23.-From Caracas the correspond
ent of the 'Matin" says in a dispatch upon the
bombardment of Fort San Carlos that the fort
has been totally destroyed and that the linn
tied range of the forts guns prevented them
from being effective against the German cruis-
ers The Panther has entered Lake Maracaibo,
according to the "Matin" but the other vessels
were prevented from following by their greater
draught
The British cruiser Tribune and the italian
cruiser Carlo Alberto anchored before La
Guayra The latter is in communication with
the vineta and the Gazelle by wireless telegra-
ply
Maracaibo Jan. 22-The bombardment of
Fort San Carlos by the German cruisers Vineta,
Panther and Fake was continued yesterday
afternoon until o'clock. Ii resumed this
morning at daybreak. The first shells were
hurled at the fort at o'clock at long range. At
o'clock the Panther. being of light draught,
closed in. and again became actively engaged.
The fort replied. At o'clock the engagement
was proceeding as ferceiy as yesterday.
A fisherman from the village of San Carlos
has arrived here in canoe with his family.
Two of this mans children were killed by Ger
> man shells. He reports that more than twenty
five Indian fishermen have been killed or
wounded at San Carlos The fishermen there
helpless.
WEDNESDAYS BOMBARDMENT
The Panther left her position close in to Fort
San Carlos which she took up earlier in the day
on Wednesday afternoon at o'clock. and Joined
the Fake. This ship was half mile outside the
bar and about five miles from the fort
At 3 O'Clock the correspondent of The As
sociated Press, i'll 4 rowboat, approached one
side of the fort. out of range, and from this
point witnessed the long range fire of the Ger
man cruisers which was continued from until
6 o'clock The Vineta and the Fake were close
together. and nearer the fort than the Panther.
The first two vessels. at range of four and
half miles poured in continuous rain of shell
upon the fort and only stopped firing with the
advent of dusk at o'clock. At this hour the
German vessels retired seaward. after having
made a second Intellectual attempt to land
troops in the village of San Carlos. situated at
At O'Clock on Wednesday afternoon the cor
respondent who was accompanied by govern
nent teIegrapher bearing telegram from Pres1-
dent Castro to the commandant of San Carlos,
landed on the island and entered the fort The
walls of the fort are terribly battered ana
there were many evidences of the fierce engage
ment Twelve dead Venezuelan soldiers were
counted behind the ramparts. and fifteen otner
men. seriously wounded were lying on low
platfornn. The fort is literally covered with
pieces of broken shells. 1t was seen that great
MANY of the German shells had not exploded
The magazine had very narrow escape, two
shells having come within an ace of penetrating
If The walls of the fort which face toward
the entrance of the lake suffered particularly
and we're greatly damaged 1t is estimated oy
the commandant, General Bello. that the Ger
man ships fired more than sixteen hundreo
shells at Fort San Carlos
VILLAGE SUFFERED SEFERELf'
Although the damage inflicted upon the tort
by the sustained fire of the German cruisers Is
--,, ,,.ao+ n is not all that could be expected