The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-13
SLIPPED BY THE FLEET
BLOCKADE At CHARLESTON Sue
CESsFULLY RUN BY THE DOLPHIN.
Arrival of the Indiana and Vesuvfus
After an UneventfuI Voyage
Bunce's Squadron Growing.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 1.-THE blockade
runners at Charleston have scored the first
blood, and. in spite of all OF the prepara-
tons made by Admiral Bunce to detect any
attempt to pass the long line of ships he
had strung out across the entrance of the
harbor, the Dolphin, not by any means a
fast boat nor as invisible as a regular
blockade runner slipped quietly around one
end OF the line on the Sth inst and when
the department next heard of her she was
at the bar off st. Johns river Florida. The
officials at the department were puzzled
when they were notified by Commander
Glover by telegraph of his whereabouts. but
private letters received here from persons
on the squadron explain her movement as
n successful runner of the blockade. The
Vesuvius, which arrived az Charleston to-
day. will try to run the blockade soon. The
little Vesuvius is swifter than anything in
the feet and like regular blockade run
ner. lower in the water than the Dolphin.
Moreover. the Vesuvius is painted a dingy
invisible shade of gray and so is much moro
likely to make a successful run than the
Dolphin. Secretary Herbert expects to
leave here on the 18th for Charleston TO see
for himself how the blockade progresses
and it is probable that he will have some
Advices from Charleston say that the bat
tie ship Indiana and vesuvius. which ar
rived there last night, anchored consider
able distance outside, owing 10 the heavy
mist and fog prevailing, and ii was not
until 10 O'Clock this morning that they
weighed anchor and took the positions in
line ordered by Admiral Bunce. An officer
of the Indiana stated that the battle ships
passage from Hampton Roads was as easy
and smooth as il could possibly be. the
weather was fair most OF the way and
trip more quiet and uneventful could not
have been had. The squadron Is daily en-
gagged in target and rowing practice. The
monitor Amphitrite. which went up TO
Charleston city yesterday afternoon Is ssill
anchored in the stream awaiting her supply
of coal. The remaining members of the
fleet are still at the anchorage ground,
twelve to sixteen miles from the city. The
vessels have not changed the positions they
took several days ago for blockade pur-
poses The flagship New York the cruisers
Marblehead and Columbia and the monitor
Amphitrite have been assigned to patrol
duty al the south channels entrance. and
it is the intention of Admiral Bunce to
station all subsequent arrivals at the north
channel. II Is pretty well settled that the
dispatch boat Dolphin, the dynamite cruiser
Nesuvius, the torpedo boat No. and prob
ably the Gushing will be the blockade run
ners.
The aymored coast-defense ship Puritan
and the Terror are the latest vessels TO be
ordered to Charleston. Admiral Bunce will
probably have i'm all about twenty odd
ships within the next week.
A dispatch from Jacksonville, Fla. says:
The Dolphin has been anchored of the
st. Johns bar all this week, and has not
run the blockade at Charleston. The re-
port that the Three Friends was fired on
is not believed to be true. The Dauntless
started to go down the river this afternoon
to tow z schooner TO the bar and was
stopped by the cutter Boutwell, and ordered
back to the wharf.