Rensselaer Democrat, Volume 1, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 May 1898 — CUT CABLES UNDER FIRE. [ARTICLE]

CUT CABLES UNDER FIRE.

Blanco Entirely Separated from Spanish Powers Ontside of Cuba. L A few hours before the Winslow was caught in the Spanish trap off Cardenas four boats’ crews of men from the Marblejiead and the Nashville went tjirpugh 1 somewhat similar experience off Cienfuegos on the opposite side of Cuba. The tire that rained on them was from a thousand rifles and machine guns handled in rifle pits on the beach less than 900 feet from where the boats lay, and the record is two killed, two mortally wounded, and four seriously wounded of the forty who were in the boats. The Spanish loss is believed to have been very heavy. The lighthouse fort and the arsenal at Cietnfuegos were destroyed duriug the engagement, and the shells from our warships set fire to the town. Our greatest success, however, was the cutting of two of three cables running out of Cienfuegos, for which purpqse the action was undertaken. The fleet in the vicinity consisted of the Marblehead, which had been on the station three weeks; the Nashville, which had been there two weeks, and the revenue boat Windom, which had arrived two days before. It was the intention to finish cutting the third cable on the next day. All three cables at Cienfuegos belong to the Cuban submarine System. The smaller one, which was not C\Jt, extends no further west than Manzanillo. The other two run to Santiago de Cuba, where connection is made with lines to both Jajgpica and They were a pari of the Tast channel of cbhi munication between Havana and the outside world except through Key West, and with both of them cut Gen. Blanco is entirely separated from Madrid and the Spanish powers outside of Cuba.