Evening star., 1914-05-05
OLD FORTRESS AT VERA
CRUZ OFTEN ATTACKED
Fertilization of San Juan da Uloa
Has Had Most Event
full History.
Was Started in 1852 by Spanish
Conquerors and Has Cost
Millions of Dollars.
BY WINGRovE BATHoN

BY WINGROVE BATHON.
STAFF Correspondent Of The Star with the L Tnited
States Forces at Vera Cruz.
VERA CRUZ Mexico. April "a. by mail
steamer.-One of the most interesting ac-
counts of the old Fortress of San Juan
de Uloa. which guards Vera Cruz har-
Dor. and in taking" which Washington
boys played so prominent a part is found
in rare book, the personal journal of
Nine. Calderon de la Barca. wife of the
Spanish minister to Mexico. in 1910.
She says. in part
San Juan de Uua, in spite of the mis-
cradle condition in which it now is. re-
mains lasting memorial of the great
works which, almost Immediately after
their arrival on these shores. We're under
taken by the Spanish conquerors.
Built on Small Island.
In 1852. siNty-one years after they had
set foot on Aztec soil. they began this
fortress. in order to confirm their power.
The center of the space which it oc-
cupies is a small! island, where the Span
lard. Juan de Grijalva, arrived. one year
before Cortes reached the Mexican CON
tinent. Having found the remains of two
tlVes why they sacrificed men to their
idols. and, receiving for answer that it
was by orders of the kings Of Acolhua.
the SpaniardS gave the island the name
of tlua, by natural corruption of that
word.
1t is pretended that the fortress cost
four millions, and though this immense
sum is no doubt an exaggeration. the eN-
pense must have been very great. when
we consider that its foundations are be-
he pfar flH h1t fnr no ri
centuries it has resisted all the force of
the storm waves that continually beat
against it. Many Improvements and ad-
ditions We're gradually made tn the castle,
and in the time of the viceroys a first
rate engineer paid it an annual visit to
ascertain its condition and to consider its
best mode of defense in case of an at
tack. In 1908, however Vera Cruz was
sacked by the English corsair. Nicholas
Agramont. melted by one Lorencillo. who
had been condemned to death for murder
in Vera Cruz and had escaped to Jamaica
Seven millions of dollare We're carried off,
besides 300 persons of both sexes. whom
the pirates abandoned in the Island of
SACRIFICES when they re-embarked.
Strong Bulwarks Erected.
In 11Il the viceroy, then the MARQUIS
de la Croix. remtted million and half
of dollars to the governor. in order that
| he might put the castle in a state of de-
fense. and strong bulwarks. which still
remain attest the labor that has been be-
slowed upon it The outer polygon, which
looks toward Vera Cruz, is 300 hundred
yards in extent while low battery is
situated as a rear guard in the bastion of
Santiago, and on the opposite front is the
battery of San Miguel. The whole fort
ress is composed of stone. which apounds
in the neighhoring island. species of
coral tpiedra mucara) excellent for build
ing.
In 1922 no stronghold of Spanish
power remained but this castle. whose
garrison was frequently reinforced by
troops from Havana. Vera Cruz itself
was then inhabited by wealthy and in
fiuential Spaniards. Santa Anna then
commanded the province. under the
orders of Echavarri the captain gen
eral. and with Instructions from Ytur-
bde relative to the taking of the cas-
tie The commandant was the Spanish
| Gen Don Jose Davila. 1t was not, how
ever till the following year. when
Lemaur succeeded Davila in the com
mand of the citadel, that hostilities
We're begun by bombarding Vera Cruz
Men, women and children then aban-
Alvarado. twelve leagues off. while
those who were driven from their
houses by a shower of balls sought
a miserable asylum among the burn
ing plains and miserable huts in the
environs. Some made their way to
Jalapa, thirty leagues off. others to
Cordoba and Orizaba. equally distant
With some Interruptions. hostilities
lasted two years. during which there
city to the castle. and from the castle
10 city