New-York tribune., 1907-12-01

Of the city. TIE interior defences were arranged
In what might be called two tiers, the second
upon a slightly higher level than the first. Upon
the lower level we're several lines OF infantry
trenches and protected casematCs for machine
and automatic quick firing guns, while uIon the
higher level were the classmates for the guns OF
heavier calibre. The strength Of the garrison
was not accurately known. but il was estimated
at near its actua! strength Of five hundred men
1t was expected that even If the explosion of
the mines resulted successfully there would be u
fierce struggle before the garrison over
powered and the fort taken. Consequently great
precautions were taken that the assaults which
were to follow the setting off Of the mines should
result successfully
Before 10 o'clock on the morning Of the 18th
the hour fixed for the explosion of the mines
the sappiug trenches leading the fort hill
were crowded with troops II was arranged that
there should be two stormiug parties of one bat
TALON each, while two more hattalions were
held in rcscr:e Tho assaultinG parties had been
carefully instructed and the officers were de
tormined that the fort should be taken at all
hazards.
From Spectacular point of view this was
by all means the most terrible OF the explosions
that had taken I;lcc during the siege. The
five mines were fired after another with a
spectator III" same as if they had been all
fired together. The dctonations were d,afening
and a huge column of black smok" rose W over
the fort several hundred feet into the air while
showers Of rock md debris of I'll kinds de
sccnled upon every part Of the fort hill. Though
Il lasted only few seconds the scene rcsembied
the eruption OF 4 volcano more than anything
else.
"As the great cloud of smoke and dust rolled
slowly away 1t became evident that the results
came up to expectations. The north end and a
portion OF the east and west walls had been
entirely wrecked and the north section of the
interior converted into a twisted. broken mass
Of ruins: but the rear sections remained partly
intact.
Although the heads of the sapping trenches
we'll the fort moat had been filed with
debris from the explosions, small assaulting
parties made their way over the open ground to
the ruined fort walls They were met bv a
heavy rifle and machine gun fire as soon as
they reached the crest of the parapets and were
practically ahnIflliated In the mean time the
MAN bodies of the Storming force gained the
meat and advanced toward the crest of the
pararcts in ave large detachments They we're
also met by Il heavy fire, but taking cover in the
openings made by the explosions. they succeeded
Icy ; O'Clock in the afternoon in securely in
trenchng themselves upon the crest
with great difficulty the mountain gun which
had been brought up the sapping trenches early
III the day was taken in sections to an emplace-
ment prepared for it upon the top of the nara
pet Two or three machine guns were also
mounted in the same place. Under cover of
the direct h'e of these guns a small : sault-
ing party succeeded in gaining a footho,d in
the interior of the fort close to the machine
gun casemates which were carried with splen-
did rush. This enabled the rest of the two