Evening star., 1898-04-25
FIRED ON THE FLEET
Guns Of MORO Castle Try the New
York for Target.
NONE OF THE SHOTS STRUCK
Captain Chadwick Did Not Reply
to the Shore Battery.
ANOTHER PRIZE CAPTURED

| ANIL II Eh fhlLE tAP \ ltED
| dispatch from the Associated Press cor
| respondent on board the flagship New York
| off Havana, dated April -, > am, SAYS:
| Mcrro Castle orened fire on the hghtIng
squadron Of the United States at II o clock
last night. About ten shots were sent in
the direction of our ships: but not one of
| them took effect. and no shots were fired
| in return.
The SDaniards had apparently seen the
lights Of the New York while the latter
was signaling TO ship of the squadron.
| The firing was reported by the officer Cf
| deck Ensign j. r. Edie, to Capt. Chad
| WICK, VINO was asleep at the time. The
| young officer asked the captain in some
| what excited tones whether the New York
had not better discontinue signaling.
| NO, muttered Capt. Chadwick, with the
| utmost cooiLess, there is no necessity for
| stopping the signals. Go ahead"
CiaGNicL Watches the Firing.
| Later Capt. Chadwick went I'D on the
| forward bridge. from whence he watched
| the tongues of fame shoot out from the
castle. lie glanced in the direction Of t.e
| Spanish torlncations for d few seconds
and then turned his back on ti IN in Silent
NoiilSiiipl anu bdtth ~ lea, peri
| certain :he Spaniards could do no Gai:.,ige
| at ii:e miles, which Was then the app.oA-
| innate distance of the flagship from MOTTO
Castle.
Another officer said: The Spania.us
probably became nervous, and decided tbs.
could not sleeo without soEle fireworks.
They can't hit anything, any way
There was no excitement On board the
flagship during the MORO Castles futile
attempt at gunnery. The discipline w:ts
| really splendid. III iact, al tti.s hour many
people on board the agship do not know
that SPANS first guns Of war have been
| fred and that the New York was Their tar
get.
Cincinnati Has Il Prize.
The United States cruiser Cincinnati,
Capt. c. NJ. Chester, reported to the Iag-
snip at midnight: Il have prize This
turned out to be Il fishing schooner which
| the torpedo boat Ericsson had captured al
most under the guns of MORO Castle.
The castle light which was burning
brightly all the evening, was put out at
midnight. The Spariards evidently real
| lied, though rather late that the sole use
OF Morro light up to that time had been to
serve as guide for the fleet of the United
States
The capture of the Spanish steamer Pc
dro and the incidents attending on the
squadron's appearance before Havana, al
ready reported briefly in these dispatches,
form an intensely interesting initial chap
ter Of the history of the war.
Line of Battle Formed.
About 4:aD pm. yesterday, when Havana
was fifteen miles distant the squadron was
signaled into battle formation of double
column. the New York leading the battle
ships and the Cincinnati leading the cruis-
ers and gunboats. Just as the evolution
was completed the following signal was
hoisted on the flagship: Disregard move
ments of commanGer-in- chief
simultaneously Capt. Chadwick sent
Chief Engineer {. j. Mcconnell this mes
sage: Get up all the sIeaIa you can. A
steamer mas teen sighted and the admiral
Wisaes to capture her.
y few moments later smoke was pouring
from all three of the New York's tunnels,
and she stood away to the southeast
The squadron, led by the Iowa. continued
On its course, heading in a southwesterly
dire ction.
The New York was tearing through
the water at u rapidly increasing speed,
and was fast leaving the squadron in the
rear.
Away in the distance, close under the
mst-covered hills Of Cuba, midway be-
tween Havana and IIa,anzas, could be
seen the outlines of a large steamer head
ing to the eastward. Then the old cry of
"A chase "A chase" echoed fore and aft.
and the officers and crew of the New York
gathered on her decks, eagerly watching
the flagship churn through the blue water,
foaming white at her stern. until she was
making about eighteen knots.
The admiral paced the forward bridge as
calmly as if watching a potato race
Gained ON the Prize.
The New York gained rapidly on the
stranger Until, to the great delight of all
on board the cruiser. 1t was evident that
the latter would cut off the steamer from
escape. The crew of the New York by this
time were at their stations and the guns
were loaded and trained. Then the Span
ish flag was seen flying at the strangers 5
stern A cry of delight went up from the
blue jackets on board the New York 1t
was evident that the Spaniard was doing
her best to get away from the cruiser, and
was heading in nearer and nearer to the
coast, hoping to find safety in shallow wa
ter where the warship could not dare to
follow Hir.
When the Spaniard vas about three miles
from the shore and about a mile from the
cruisers forward turret suddenly belched
out stream of fire, accompanied by a
crashing report. 1t was only meant as a
warning shot, but the steel projectile went
ricocheting over the water in dangerous
proximity to the fleeing merchantmen.
The echo of the report had hardly died
away among Cuba's hills when the Span
lard hove to. About ten minutes later the
New York was near her. In the distance a
few lonely looking houses could be seen
perched on wild-looking beach.
Prize Crew Goes Aboard.
prize crew, commanded by Lieut.. E. E.
Capehart and composed of Assistant En-
gineer Neall, four marines and a boats
crew, all well armed. were lowered over
the side OF the cruiser, and. amid exultant
cheers from their comrades on board the:i
New York. they pulled over to the Span
lard. which proved to be the Pedro of Bill
boa, an excellent prize.
Scarcely had the prize crew left the New
York for their new command before a
blank shot was fired from a forward four |
inch e11n of he Now vorlr Tt,;S L