Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-02
THE cARAveLS AT HAVANA.
How the American war.ships aud Their
Convey Were Received.


Tho arrival Of tho caravels at Havana.
Cuba, was made the occasion Of great
Itte bv the Spanish Authorities, says q cor
respondent of the New York Herald writing
from Fort Monroe. Early on the morning
Of March 2lst the Newark and the Benning-
ton we're off the harbor, with the caravels
In tow, waiting for daylight before taking
them In. They were seen and recognized
at early dawn. and by 8 O'Clock, when the
two war-shlps, with their strengthening
craft In tow, were slowly steaming in col
umn through the narrow entrance close
under the fortress Of MORO Castle, crowds
had gathered along the docks and wharves
on one SIDE and upon the high battlements
on the other, while swarms of small boats
shot out from shore 10 get nearer view.
EXTRAORDINARY HoN0Rs PAID OUR SHIPS.
The Spanish standards floating over the
fortresses on either side of the harbor en-
trance were dipped three times to each OF
the war vessels
These unprecedented salutes. which
were quickly returned by the Newark and
the Bennington, were the forerunners OF
other unusual honors Scarcely had the
Newark moored to q buoy when there
doomed ont from the fortresses and from
tho FIVE Spanish eun-boa IN the harbor
salute OF twentY-one guns, ana there
broke from the main mastheads OF the lat
ter the Stars and Stripes. Nor did these
flags come down, as is customary at the
end OF the salute. but with Spanish flags
at the lesser masts the war-shlps renamed
dressed throughout the day, while gaia
bunting huttered from merchant-yesseIS
aad housetops all around the harbor.
The Newark and the Bennington return
ed the salute. dressing ship with the Span
ISL flag at the main. while upon the cara
wells fioated the flags and banners OF 400
la al standards of (Qatlla
and Loon. the royal standards of SAVOY,
of Sicily. and of AIragon. and the standard
of Columbus as High Admiral of Spain.
The day was spent in official visits paid
and returned, and the booming of cannon
ceased only with the setting OF the sun.
Several Spanish gun-bOsts wore present,
including the lntanta YsGbel, the Nueya
Espana, the Concha and the Jorge Juan.
Fx-srCRETARY WHITNEY PRESENT.
The United States cruisers were followed
into port bv the steam-yacht Comanche,
Of Cleveland, o., having on board ex-Sec-
extraordinarily W. c. Whitney. Ad-
mlral Benhsm called upon Mr.. Whitney,
and on the following day the ex~Secretary
visited the Newark and the Bennington,
showing keen interest III tho record and
condition OF these two vessels, both Of
which were designed and partially built
during his adm inistratlon OF the Navy De-
bhItmenl.
As the darkness gathered there played
out from masthead to masthead on the
ships and along their mast-yards and rails
iewelled lines Of lights from hundreds OF
electric lamps Of many colors, while the
Vivid beams from tho search Lights were
turned upon the flags of the two nations
still floating 10 tho night breeze.
The preliminsrles Tor presenting the
caravels to the Spanish government having
been discussed OF the day of arrival, the
formaltles were conducted with impress
sive ceremony on the following day. All
the war-ships of the two nations were
dressed as on the previous oav, and the
two csravels were towed in close to the
government dock and moOred close to-
eether. Then between and o'clock IN
the afternoon Admiral Benh ANS ehief-of-
stat. Captain Sflas Casey, and the other
members Of the AdmiraPs staff went on
board the caravel PInta from the flagship
Newark ana there received the Spanish
naval officer of the port, with his stan,
coming from shore.