A FIGHT AT SANTIAGO.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 149, 27 June 1898, Page 5

A FIGHT AT SANTIAGO.

WASHINGTON", May 24. A despatch from St. Thomas says: —

The tiring at Santiago <!<• Cuba on Wednesday, May 18, was between the Spaniards there and two American vessels.

Acting- under orders from Admiral Sampson, the auxiliary cruiser St. Louis and the tug Wumpatuek went to Santiago for the purpose of cutting" the cable there. The cable was picked up within range of the guns of Morro Castle, and the Spaniards at once opined fire on the Americans. Two sand batteries and one mortar battery on shore at the bottom of the height on which Morro is situated joined in the tiring1, 1o which the Americans responded. The aim of the Spanish gunners was atrociously bad.

The men who were detailed to cut the cable grappled for it. from the deck of the St. Louis. They found it with little difficulty and coolly lifted it to the forecastle of the St. Louis, where jfc was cut, the Spaniards meanwhile doing- their best to disable the cruiser.

The engagement was lively while It lasted. The St. Louis brought her total armament of four six-pounders into play, while the Wampatuck used her one three-pounder. With this small armament, the Americans finally succeeded in silencing1 all but two or three of the Spanish guns.

Neither of the American vessels was seriously damaged. A topmost; backstay on the St. Louis was shot, away, and the pilot house of: the Wampatuck .slig-htly splintered.

One man on the St. Louis had a finger broken by a flying- fragment of shell while handling the cable.

When the Americans had completed their work at Santiago they proceeded some 20 miles to the eastward, where they entered the bay of Guantanamo, they being under orders to cut the cable there also.

While they were picking1 up the cable in the bay the Spanish batteries opened fire on them, but the guns being small and poorly handled were ineffective. Two well placed shots from <he St. Louis secured comparative quiet, and the work of further crippling Franco's communication with the outside world was peacefully accomplished.

The Americans laugh at the gunnery of the Spaniards. They are highly pleased with the success of their task. The armament of the St. Louis and Wampatuck is ridiculously small for fighting 1 purposes, and it is thought more powerful vessels should be employed when it is necessary for them to run directly within, range of shore fortifications.

Contrary to the generally expressed opinion, Santiago harbour is poorly protected. Like Havana and. San Juan tie Porto Rico, it has its Mowo Castle, which is even a better target than those of Havana and San Juan. The only danger to be feared is from the mines which have bden laid in the channel of Santiago since war was declared. But counter-mining would probably render these mines harmless, should it prove desirable for Commodore Schley's ships to enter the harbour. Such, a step, however, is unlikely.