The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-16
OUR SHIPS GIVE CHASE
SPANIARDS RUN IN UNDER SAN
TA CLARA'S HEAVY GUNS.
SHE'LL FROM A KRuPP FALLS SHORT
Spaniards Drop The Mask Little too Soon, and
Their Batteries Flame With Heavy Dis
charges, but the Little American
Squadron is Untouched.

Squadron is Untouched.
Copyright 1898 by Associated Press.)
Key West, Fla, May 15.-On board
the Associated Press dispatch boat Kate
Spencer, off Havana, May IA, s p. M,
via Key West, Fla, May u, ) a. NJ
Captain General Blanco, two hours be-
fore shutdown tonight attempted to exc
cnte ruse, which if successful would
have cleared the front of Havana of
six ships on that blockading station.
Uhabe to come out to do battle, he
adopted the tactics of the spider and cum
ningly planned to draw the prey into his
net, but though Il clever and pretty
scheme us an original proposition. it was
practically a repetition Of the trick by
which the gun boat Vicksburg and the
little converted revenue cutter Morrill,
were last week decoyed by fishing
smack under the big Krupp guns of
Santa Clara batteries.
Late this Afternoon the ships on the
Havana station were dumb-founded to
see two ships steam out Of Havana har-
Der and head east. Dense smoke was
curling like black ribbons from THEN
stacks, and glance showed that they
were under full head of steam. BS
aid Of glasses Commander Lilly, Of the
Mayllower, which was flying the PEN
nant, made out the larger vessel of the
tvs. which was about POO feet long and
4.I00 tons displacement, to be the cruiser
Isl ho1fse XII, and the smaller one to be
the gun boat Legazpi, both of which
were known TO be bottled up in Havana
harbor At first he supposed that they
were taking advantage of the absence
Of the heavy fighting ships and were
making bona fide run for the open
sea. As superior officer. he Immediately
signalled the other ships on the station.
the Yiclsburg Annapolis, Wasp, Tecum-
sch and OsceOla. which were moving in,
to form a column en- echelon, with
gun boats on the right flank The little
squadron moved in Obliquely toward the
fleeing Spaniards, keeping up a running
fire as they went The AlphonsO and
her consort circled inshore about five
miles below Havana, and after running
in for half mile headed back for MORO
Castle. Our gun boats and the other
thin-skinned vessels of the Mosquito
fleet did not follow in.
The Associated Press dispatch boat
Kate Spencer, witnessed the action
which lasted over an hour. AS Il specta-
Gle, the greatest master of stage craft
could not have evolved a finer setting.
The big Alphonso and her convoy
steamed swiftly from the dark shadow
of the harbor's mouth and turning sharp
~ east ran along the coast as though
to slip through the Gordon of blockade.
1t was a hold trick and not at first
transparent. although the folly of it
created a suspicion as there was no hope
of ultimate escape and no object in
escaping The Mayhower standing well
out like cat with Il mouse, gave a
slight start. then swinging her engines
and tiny squadron into line, dashed il,
10 cut them off. The Spanish boats
crowded on steam and stood along the
coast as long as they dare to give zest
to the chase. The Mayhower signalled
her consorts Close in and charge"
Word was flung on from ship to ship
as they steamed in column Ell echelon.
Seeing the bait had apparently taken, the
Spaniards veered about, and bringing
their stern chasers to bear on the Amer
leans. doubled back for MORO.
Two of the shells from the NicksburS
burst in the rigging of the AlphOnso ana
some of it came down, but it was, Of
course. impossible to know whether any
fatalities occurred. The American fire
was much more accurate than the Span
ish. MS every shell of the latter fell short
of their pursuers.
The Spaniards were Il mile off Moro,
and our ships fully four miles further
out. when flames Ieaped from the batter
les of Santa Clara forts and clouds of
white smoke drifted up the coast Half
IL minute later a duh, heavy roar of a
great gun came like a deep diapason
of an organ on the high treble Of the
smaller guns. 1t was from one of the
twelve inch Krupps mounted there and
an $50 pound prOjectile plunged into the
water half mile inside of the Ameri-
can line throwing up a tower of white
spray. 1t richOchetted and struck again
half n mile outside.
The mask was now off. Maddened by
the failure Of their plot the Spaniards
continued firing ut intervals of about
ten minutes In all thirteen shots were
fired. but not one struck within 200
wards of one of our ships As soon as
the battery opened Commander Lilly
signalled and his feet stood off shore.
CaDtain Mckenzie. on the bridge of the
Vicksburg. watched the fall of the shells,
hut he concluded it useless to waste am
at that distance. He appeased
the desire Of the men Mt the guns, how
ever. by letting 80 a final broadside at
the Spanish ships. in chance hope Of
making them pay for their daring be
fore they gained the harbor, but they
steamed in under Morros guns untouch-
ed, and as they disappeared fired several