The herald., 1898-05-18
ON VESSELS WAITING TOR THE
sPANIARD
BL0CKADERS EAGER TO FIGHT
The Only Fear Felt Il for the Little
Cruisers Now or Cuba's South
ern Coast
Associated Press Special Wire


ON BOARD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DISPATCH BOAT KATE SPENCER, on
Havana. May 10, via Key West, May H.
The ships of the American blockadins
squadron are keeping vigilant watch for
the appearance of the Spanish fleet and
would not be surprised should the Spanish
men-of-war round Cape Antonio. the
westernmost point Of Cuba, and swoop
down upon Havana. All our ships have been
warned by Commodore Watson Of the pos
sibility of such a move and our sailors are
kept constantly in the tops, where they can
sweep the horizon for thirty miles, looking
out for the first sign of hostile ship.
All the naval officers on the blockade sta
ton are anxious for a meeting with the
Spaniards, and when informed that the
latest reports placed them Off the coast of
Venezuela they jubilantly declared that tho
enemy could be .hemmed in between the
Windward Islands and the Yucatan chan
mel to be destroyed. The only fear ex-
pressed was for the safety of the ships
now on the Southern coast Of Cuba. The
torpedo boats and fast yachts of the aux
iliary fleet keep the blockading ships in
constant communication with Key West,
whence the movements Of vessels are be-
ing directed.
The general opinion is that there will be
no move of the army in the direction of
Cuba so long as the Spanish fleet remains
in American waters or until 1t is met and
beaten.
The blockade Off Havana has been MAIN
tanned without incident since the Condo
vendito and Legazpi attempted to draw our
~ ~.
batteries on Saturday evening. The French
frigate Dubourdieu, which entered the Ha-
vana harbor week ago, after an unpleas-
ant incident which necessitated the firing
Of two shots across her bows before the
Frenchman would show his flag, passed out
at 4 o'clock this afternoon and headed
northwest. The Dubourdieu is a long school
ship carrying six-inch and five-inch guns
and one Founders, besides two torpedo
tubes. The Mayflower ran close enough
to the frigate to establish the Frenchman's
Identity and then stood OF. Our flag was
not saluted. She had on board many refu-
gees and is bound, probably, for some Mex
lean port.
The activity along the coast continues
Squads of Spanish cavalry and parties
working upon fortifications have been seen
daily along the shores, but they have not
been molested. Orders have been given
not to expose the small vessels of the
squadron to unnecessary danger.
Sunk a Derelict
KEY WEST, Fla, May 1.-THE United
States cruiser Wilmington, Commander G.
c. Todd, when about thirty miles east OF
Havana. fired four shells into Spanish
%uov to- %
and thus doing away with another piece Of
Spanish trickery. The commander Of 'tht
Wilmington had been warned by dispatch
boats that some dangerous wreckage was
drifting about the spot mentioned, AM
the cruiser steamed in that direction to in
vestigate the reports. An old Spanish
schooner, with her deck loaded to the rails
with rusty iron, car wheels, etc.. closely
packed together, was found floating In the
track Of the torpedo boats and dispatch
boats. The iron-laden schooner had evi.
IDENTIFY been sent out of Havana l1arbor In
the hope that torpedo boat or some craft
of the blockading force would crash into
it and be so damaged as to cause hel
to sink. As wires were noticed around
the iron rails of the schooner, Commander
Todd believed the Spanish trap might also
contain explosives, and therefore, laying
off a considerable distance from her, his
guns promptly sent her to the bottom.
Another commissioner from General
Maxine Gomez, the insurgent Commander.
in-Chief, arrived at Key West today. Mr.
John F. iowa, the former United Statea
Vice-Consul at Sagua la Grande, who was
landed by an American gunboat on the
coast of Cuba about ten days ago, was
picked up yesterday afternoon after an ex.
citing experience with Spanish gunboat
which an American gunboat chased into
her harbor. Mr.. Jovo succeeded in reaching
the camp of General Gomez, and has
brought dispatches from the latter to
Commodore Watson. He reports that Gen
eral Gomez and the several thousand mer