The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-30
SPANISH VESSELS CAPTURED
FOUR SMALL CRAFT GATHERED
IN NEAR HAVANA.
Spanish Reports Say the American
Cruiser Displayed the Spanish
Flag-Spanish Vessels Abandoned.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.)
Havana, June % delayed in trans
mission). commander of the Span
ish gunhoat Ardilla reports that while
accommodating ON June 26, at Coloma,
Punta Cortes and other places at Coy
mela, he was informed that a strange
steamer with one smokestack, appar-
emily a warship of 5000 tons, was in
sight. The stranger soon caught sight
of the Ardilla and pursued her. The
gunboat kept within the blue sea and
succeeded in keeping out of range of
the guns of the pursuer. To the SOUTH
east the stranger which turned out to
be an American warship, appeared to
be in company with several other YES
sells. The Ardilla made a reconnaissance
the following day, June 81, and discov-
cred that the American ship had cap
tured the sloopS Memesia, of Batabano;
Amistad and Manuelita, of COlonla, and
the pilot boats Luz and Jacinto. 1t is
claimed that when the SlOOpS were.
sighted the American ship hoisted the
Spanish flag, which caused Pilot Joa-
quin Fernandez of the Luz to hoist the
Spanish fiag, believing he had to do
with Spanish warship. The pilot also
approached the American vessel and
blank shot, and afterwards a loaded
shell, was fired at the pilot boat. The
shell, it is claimed, exploded near her.
The American ship by this time seemed
to have driven the Spanish craft into
a bunch, including the Luz, Jacinto
Amistad, Nemesia and Manuelita. The
latter, it is further alleged, let go their
anchors and were abandoned by their
crews who made for the shore, going in
the direction of Punta de Piedras on
the southwestern extremity of Pinar del
Rio, between the Isle of Pines and the
main land. The commander of the
Nemeisia, with one of his crew, re-
manned on board his sloop and was cap
tured and taken on board the American
ship. Later he was set at liberty, after
having been questioned regarding the
Spanish fleet and the general situation
of affairs.
The American ship is described as
one gun, forward and one
astern and four guns on each side. She
is said to have been commanded by a
frigate captain ard to have carried
about 600 men with blue pants and red
fringe, who said they were going to
Cuba and afterward to Key West.
Key West, June 29.-The American aux
Hilary cruiser referred to in the dispatch
from Havana was undoubtedly the Yam
kee manned by the naval reserves which
arrived at Key West from Cienfuegos on
Monday last. She then reported that off
the Isle of Pines on the west coast of
Cuba, she captured, burned and destroyed
five Spanish small craft, loaded with fish,
and that she also captured two prisoners
who were released
The auxiliary cruiser, which was for
merly the Morgan line steamer FL Norte
also reported having been engaged with
4 Spanish gunboat, undoubtedly the Ar
della, referred to in the dispatch from
Havana. The Yankee met the Spaniard on
June IS, off Cienfuegos, and opened fire
On her with the result that the Ardella
was greatly damaged, the officers of the
American ship say, and probably sank
soon afterwards.