The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-23
HOLDS THE FORT.
General BellO in Command OF
Eft. San Carlos
Continues to Maintain His Dan
gerous Position.
1000 SHELLS FIRED
SHELLS FIRED
BY the Attacking Squadron Of
German GunbOats.
Saws He Can Sink the Panther
If She Tries to Pass.


bort that the German warship Panther
had entered Lake Maracaibo and that
fhe Venezuelan cruiser Miranda had
surrendered TO her The rumor is be-
uered to- be without foundation.
STORY OF THE COMMANDMENT
Nfaracaibo. Venezuela. Jan 23.-The
bombardmert of Fort San Carlos by
the German cruisers Vineta, Panther
and Fake was continued Wednesday
afternoon until O'Clock. 1t was re-
sumed Thursday 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 Al
o'clock the engagement was proceed
ing as hercely as on the previous day
Twelve dead and fifteen badly
wounded Venezuelan soldiers were
counted in the fort at O'Clock by the
CORRESPONDENT of the Associated Press
The Panther iaft her position close
onto Fort san Carlos, which she took
up earlier I'm the day Wednesday al
ternoon at 8 o'clock and joined the
Fake This ship was half mile out
side the bar and about lNe miles from
the fort
At g o'clock the correspondent of the
Associated Press ia a ruwboat. APP
range and from this point witnessed
the long range fire of the German eruls-
ers. which was continued from until
o'clock
The Vineta and the Fake We're close
together and nearer the fort than the
Panther. The first two vessels at
range of four and a half miles poured
IN a continuous rain OF shell upon the
fort and only stopped firing with the
advent of dusk at clock. At that
hour the German vessels retired sea-
ward. after having made second IN
effectual attempt to land troops in the
village of San Carlos. situated al the
base of the fort
AT z o'clock Wednesday afternoon the
correspondent who was accompanied
by a government telegrapher bearing a
telegram from President Castro TO the
commaudant of SAN Carlos landed on
the island and entered the fort The
walls of the fora are terribly battered
and there were many evidences OF the
firing Twelve dead Venezuelan soldiers
were counted behind the rampaIts. and
fifteen other men, seriously wounded,
We're lying on a low platform
IF fort IS literally covered with
piece roken shells. Tt was seen that
q great many of the German shells had
NOT exploded. The magazine had a very
narrow escape, two shells having come
within am ace of penetrating it. The
walls of the fort which face toward the
entrance of the lake suffered particular
~ ana were greatly damaged
Tt IS estimated by the commandant,
General Bello, that tire German ships
fred more than 1890 shells at Fort san
Carlos. Although the damage inflicted
upon the fort by the sustained fire of
the German cruisers is very great. 1t IS
not all that could be expected from
such continuous fire from modern
high power guns. The village of san
Carlos suffered greatly. The aim of the
gunuers appears TO have been inaccu-
Fl. nc of
shells exploded i'm the village before
reaching the fort.
The cannon mounted at San Carries
nave not sufficient range to reach the
Fake and the Nineta so the fire from
these vessels was not returned, as thev
kept out Of ran-e of the Venezuelan
artillery. TEe Nlneta and Fake are OF
too great draught to cross the bar The
Panther alone can do this, and this fact
explains why the last mentioned cruiser
was the only one to come close to the
f0--.
Some of the artillery on the fort has
been destroyed by the German fire. bur
mere are sun I'VE guns that can be
nNed- General 8elo is a soldier of re-
markable courage and daring He has
SHOWN great bravery and is in no way
INUNDATED He VIII not abandon the
A'It, oNl VIII resist as long IS it is Dos
slple lor MIN 90 do SO. He sWeaIs that
ON january IT, the occasion of the frs,
bomhardment. the Panther fired uDon
him first without reason and without
provocatiOn.
The report that the biggest of the
Lnfee attaching vessels was either an
English or Italian ship is untrue 1t is
known that all three vessels are Ger
ulaa
The Neiezuelan gunbaat Miranda is I'M
Lake Maracaibo 81 was doubtless tbs
intention of the Panther i'm trvins, tN
pass me fort and get into the lake. to
capture this vessel The passage Owe.
LfH bar that leads int