The herald., 1898-05-30
NO SPANISH SHIPS SEEN
NO TRUSTWORTHY REPORTS
RECEIVED
THE HARBoR TO BE WATCHED
Until It Is Absolutely Certain That
the Spanish Ships Have Not
Arrived There
Press Special Wire

OFF CIENFUEGOS, Cuba, May 3d.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.
Copyright, 1882 The squadron assigned
to special duty, which found its name
from the first nucleus the flying squadron.
left Key West on Thursday, May Is. 1t
consisted of the armored cruiser Brook
lyn, flying the commodore's flag of Win
field Scott Schley, and under command OF
Captain Francis A. Cook; the battleship
Massachusetts, commanded by Francis j.
Higginson; the battleship Texas, COM
manded by John w. Phillip, and the Scor-
pion, converted yacht, commanded by
Commander Adolph Mark.
Commander Schley's orders were to pro-
coed to Cienfuegos. where he would be
joined by the Iowa. then taking coal at
Key West, the Marblehead and Nashville,
and two torpedo boats; the Iowa, first
class battleship, commanded by captain
Robert Evans; the Marblehead, third-rate
cruiser, in command of Commander Bow
man H. McCalla, and the Nashville, third
rate cruiser, in command of Washburn
Maynard, togetheIl with the torpedo boats
and perhaps some fast gunboats, making,
it was believed, an invincible squadron.
Less than two hours out from Key West,
and while running to the southwest, the
cruiser Marblehead was seen going to the
northeast. She signaled that she was rum
ming into Key West for coal.
A half hour later the converted yacht
Wasp was sighted, and the Scorpion, at
Commodore Schey's order, was sent out
to intercept her and get news. She re-
ported that the Blockade at Cienfuegos
had been practically abandoned by the
small fleet that had done such splendid
work there, having received the United
States governments notice that the Span
ish fleet was supposed to be heading in
that direction. She also reported that the
Nashville had blown out one of her star
board high-pressure cylinder heads, and
was steaming in slowly for repairs. There
had been no firing at Cienfuegos since the
cable-cutting episode. The Wasp was al
lowed to proceed. The squadron took an
eleven-knot speed, and after the ships
were cleaned of the dirt made by taking
on coal, active preparations for battle were
made, the decks being stripped for action
and the main batteries loaded.
At l o'clock the Nashville passed the
squadron within hailing distance, bound
for Key West. She signaled her number
On Friday morning at o'clock, when
just in sight of Cape San Antonio light,
the lights of two steamers were made out
on the horizon. A call to the guns and
to prepare for action awakened the great
est enthusiasm among officers and men,
and much disappointment was manifested
when the strangers were made out to be
the United States cruiser Cincinnati and
the dynamite cruiser Vesuvius. Captain
Chester of the Cincinnati came aboard the
Brooklyn and Commodore Schley gave q
summary of their patrol work about the
coast
They had not seen the Spanish fleet nor
any indications of it. Captain Cook of the
Cincinnati said that he believed it to he
of no utility to attempt to land munitions
of war on the coast unless we landed troops
also, for absolutely no dependence could
be placed upon the insurgents for assist
ance. He believed that the arms and am
munition already landed were in the hands
of the Spanish. Maceo, the insurgent
leader, had not shown any interest in the
matter, but had claimed to have been
insulted because communications sent him
at great risk of life were not officially ad-
dressed.
The Cincinnati and the Vesuvius left for
Key West to get COAL On Saturday at .
o'clock Cienfuegos was sighted Sunday
morning at 1880, while at breakfast, a tor
pedo boat was seen near the entrance of
the harbor. There was a quick call to
general quarters. but. the boat disappear
ing, breakfast was resumed. At o'clock
the smoke of a steamer was seen to the
northwest. 1t proved to be the torpedo
boat Dupont with dispatches for the fleet.
A close inspection of the harbor of Glen
fuegos failed to reveal any indication of
the Spanish fleet, although the shore bat
teries defiantly raised their, Spanish stand
ard A group of cavalry was seen at one
point. but no attempt was made to fire on
them. At noon the Iowa steamed within
sight and Joined the squadron.
Commodore Schley allowed the men to
cheer. and Fighting Bob" and his SPLEEN
did ship were cheered to the echo. The
Iowa announced that the Marblehead,
Castine and collier Merrimac would be
here in the morning At 5 o'clock Com
modore Schley took his squadron, now a