The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-07-02
WILL CLOSE CUBAN PORTS.
President Issues q Proclamation Or
dering General blockade
Of the Coast.

dulng nDout oOo mites ol Cuooh
coast-line In addition to the sec
tions already blockaded. This in
creases the extent of the blockade fully
fourfold, IL having been confined here
tofore TO a stretch Of little more than
100 miles on the north and the single
port of Cienfuegos on the south coast of
the island. The demands upon the navy
in the way of ships 10 patrol the coast,
however. will not be nearly SO heavy
in proportion TO the territory TO be COW
cred as in the case of the initial block
ade, for the reason that the new block
AIDED coast-line lies entirely within tho
great blight on the south Cuban
coast, In which the water is generally
very shallow and the ports are few into
which vessel of any draft could en-
ter. The most important OF these ports
are Manzanillo. Trinidad and Tunas.
West OF Trinidad Is Cienfuegos. which
is already blockaded effectively. From
that point westward for nearly lao miles
there Is no point 10 be blockaded until
Batabano Is reached. This port Is dis
tant only about 40 miles from Havana
by rail and is believed to have been the
principal source of food supplies for the
1
this, clear over to Cape Frances, the
western edge OF the blockaded terri
tory, there are no ports for deep vessels
OF any considerable draft. and even IL
there were the country in the interior,
Pinar del Rio, is in the hands of the in
surgents and supplies could not be sent
through TO Havana. The purpose OF
extending the blockade westward TO
Cape Frances was to command the chan
mel between the west side of the Isle
Of Pines and Cape Frances, and thus
render much easier the task OF the
blockading vessels.
The proclamation Is as follows:
whereas. For the reasons set forth I'm
my proclamation of April 22, 1895. block
AIDE OF ports on the northern coast OF Cuba
from Cardenas to Bahia Honda. inclusive.
and OF the port of Cienfuegos. on the
/ south coast OF Cuba, was declared to have
been instituted, and,
whereas Ii has become desirable TO ex-
! tend the blockade to other southern ports.
Now, therefore, /. William Mckinley
president OF the United States. do hereby
declare and proclaim that I'm addition TO
the blockade OF the ports specified I'm my
| proclamation OF April 22 1898. the United
/ States Of America has instituted and Will
! maintain an effective blockade OF all ct
| the ports on the south coast OF Cuba
! from Cape Frances to Cape Cruz. inclusive,
and also of the port OF San Juan in the
| island OF Puerto Rico.
Neutral vessels In any OF the ports to
which the blockade is by the present proc
! lamation extended Will be allowed so days
10 issue therefrom with cargo.
I'm witness whereof. etc..
WILLIAM M'KINLEY,
president OF the United States OF Amer
lea"
June q. 1898. BY the President.
~. y. MOORE.
Acting Secretary OF state"
The vessels for the additional block
ade service will be supplied almost en-
tirely from the patrol fleet which under
Commodore Howell has been guarding
the North Atlantic coast from Maine to
South Carolina. This service has been
abandoned Lecause the only avail
able Spanish warships are with Admiral
Camara, thousands of miles away from
the nearest point on the Atlantic coast.
The vessels are already on their way
southwark, having been reinforced by
several OF the new torpedo boats which
are particularly adapted because of
their light draft for blockade duty in
the shallow waters lying behind the
Isle Of Pines and Cuba.
claimed is in reality already In effect,
having been initiated by Capt. Sigsbee
last week when he turned back from
that port "A British steamer laden with
supplies. The difficulty of maintaining
blockade at this port. in the face OF
the Spanish forts and three Spanish
war vessels in the harbor, would be
considerable bad not Capt Sigsbee by
disabling the only formidable one of
these vessels made the task easier.
Washington, June 29-The navy de-
partment Tuesday posted the following
bulletin:
Admiral Sampson reports that the Yale
arrived yesterday and DISCHARGED her
troops.
Capt slgsbee reports that on wednes-
: day afternoon while Off San Juan Puerto
Rico. he was attacked by n Spanish un-
protected cruiser and the Spanish torpedo
boat destroyer Terror The Terror made
dash, which was awaited by the St
/ Paul The st. Paul hit the Terror three
/ times. killing one officer and two men and
wounding several others. The Terror
Drop back under cover OF the fortiica-
tons with difficulty and was towed into
the harbor In a sinking condition. where
she is now being repaired Later a cruiser
and gunboat started out. but remained
under protection of the forts
In defeating the Terror, Capt. Sigsbee
has rendered most important service
TO our navy and indeed to all navies. He
has not only deprived SIMPSONS feet
Of apprehension OF an attack in the rear
some dark night by this vicious little
boat, but he has demonstrated that an
auxiliary cruiser Is amply able TO take
care OF herself against a torpedo gum
boat, showing that the offensive power
of this craft has been very much over
rated. The torpedo gunboat was an
untried quality in naval warfare up to
this time.
Capt. Sigsbee has shown that with an
unarmored cruiser, armed with only
fiye-inch guns. the torpedo gunboats are
not to be feared. at least not In day