The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-19

rapid FIRE into the shore batteries and q
small gunboat nearby. ct the aanns time
hs aiding for the warShips ReinA CTiBtina
and Don Juan do Austria
The Baltimore then received the oonoen-
trated fire Of al the remaining guns In the
fort. the enemy seeming TO fire with greater
elaboration. One Of their shells exploded
on her deck, slightly Wounding Eve men with
splinters. The impatient Baltimore gun
neFs had difficulty restraining themselves
an the missiles Of the ~Spaniards splashed
around them.
Finally the Baltimore swung ar ound and
poured q broadside into the CriStina with
terrific effect. Admiral Montojo's old flag
ship was torn to pieces, and the captain and
most Of his men were killed. After the
destruction OF the ReinA Cristina the Baltl-
more turned her guns on the Austria.
Finally she sent q shot into the warBhip's
magazine. which ended that ship.
The Baltimore. Boston and Concord then
attacked the stone fort OF Caytte and soon
demolished 1t. Two Of the enemy.s 'shots
struck the Baltimore and wounded glx men
and two oe3cers. Six Of the men were hurt
by their own ammunition, as the first
BpNnish ahell exploded In a boz Of three
FOUNDER ammunition. Not one OF the
injured mon would 90 into the sick bay,
however.
During this engagement Ave email pro-
~jeotiles struck the Baltimore and with one
exception exploded or broke up. The most
serious blow was from q a. steel shot which
entered the side forward Of the starboard
gangway, q foot above the line Of the main
deck.
II passed through the hammock netting,
down through the deck plates and steel
deck, bending and cracking the deck beam
in the wardroom Of stateroom 6. II then
glanced up through the engine room, bang
ing against q six inoh gun on the port side.
putting 1t out Of action. Then II was de-
.hected to starboard, striking q ladder and
dropping on deck, In its passage II struck
the box Of ammunition which caused the
injuries Of the six men.
A second shell entered a foot above the
berth deck. forwsrd Of the blowers. passed
through the athwartship gangway. and
hit the exhaust pipe Of the starboard blower.
causing a slight leak. The third shot
entered two feet above the water line on
the port side and passed into the coal
bunker, where II exploded.
The fourth entered six feet above the
berth deck and exploded In a locker. The
1fth struck and slightly bent the starboard
forward ventilRtor.
The Baltimore was almost as badly in
jured by the shock Of her own guns a
by those Of the enemy. Her upper cabin
skylight, the after range finder and two
whaleboats at the davits were destroyed
by the conclusion Of her 8 inch. guns.
No matter what her calling In the future.
the Baltimore Ia never likely TO lose her
reputation a. a staunch vessel that always
fulfilled expectations. Capt. Schley, who
had the Baltimore during the first two years
after she went into oommission. reported
that her speed az we'll as her stability an a
gun platform at sea was u~nequnlled. He
questioned whether in her olaas abe had
q superior In the navies Of the world.
The Baltmore's behavior on her last
three years cruise on the Asistic station.
from which she returned TO 60 out of com
a month ago, has been no less
commendable. Although her engines were
OF shape and her boilers all needed
repairing, she made the long run from
Manila to the Brooklyn Navy Yard on
schedule time to an hour.