It was known beyond a question that the Spanish fleet under Admiral Cervera was hidden within the harbour, not daring to come boldly out while the blockading squadron was so strong, and the first thought of men as well as officers, when these stealthily moving vessels were sighted, was that the Spaniards were making a desperate effort to escape from the trap they had voluntarily entered. The search-lights of the _Texas_ revealed the fact that the two strangers were torpedo-boats, and a heavy fire was opened upon them instantly. With the report of the first gun the call to quarters was sounded on all the other ships, and a dozen rays of blinding light flashed here and there across the entrance to the harbour, until the waters were so brilliantly illumined that the smallest craft in which mariner ever set sail could not have come out unobserved. The same report which aroused the squadron told the Spaniards that their purpose was no longer a secret, and the two torpedo-boats were headed for the _Brooklyn_ and the _Texas_, running at full speed in the hope of discharging their tubes before the fire should become too heavy. The enemy had not calculated, however, upon such a warm and immediate reception. It was as if every gun on board both the _Brooklyn_ and _Texas_ was in action within sixty seconds after the Spaniards were sighted, and there remained nothing for the venturesome craft save to seek the shelter of the harbour again, fortunate indeed if such opportunity was allowed them. _May 31._ The U. S. S. _Marblehead_, cruising inshore to relieve the monotony of blockading duties, discovered that lying behind the batteries at the mouth of Santiago Harbour were four Spanish cruisers and two torpedo-boat destroyers. When this fact was reported to the commodore he decided to tempt the Spanish fleet into a fight, and at the same time discover the location of the masked batteries. In pursuance of this plan he transferred his flag from the _Brooklyn_ to the more heavily armed _Massachusetts_. [Illustration: U. S. S. MASSACHUSETTS.] Two hours after noon the _Massachusetts_, _New Orleans_, and _Iowa_, in the order named, and not more than a cable length apart, steamed up to the harbour mouth to within four thousand yards of Morro Castle. Two miles out to sea lay the _Brooklyn_, _Texas_, and other ships of the blockading fleet awaiting the summons which should bring them into the fight; but none came. The _Massachusetts_ opened fire first, taking the Spanish flag-ship for its target. An 8-inch shell was the missile, and it fell far short of its mark. Then the big machine tried her 13-inch guns. The _Cristobal Colon_ and four batteries—two on the east side, one on the west, and one on an island in the middle of the channel, replied. Their 10 and 12-inch Krupps spoke shot for shot with our sixes, eights and thirteens. It was noisy and spectacular, but not effective on either side.