The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-04-26
THE BLOCKADE OF CUBA.
Moro Castle Fortress Now Displays
a Searchlight.
A DARING TRIP BY THE PORTER.
The Little Torpedo Boat Landed a Party on
Cuba's Shore, and Valuable Information
Was Obtained-Not Single Vessel Has
Run the Blockade.

was ODtdlueu-N0t SluYle VESSEL uda
Run the Blockade.
Off Havana. April 2s-The early
morning hours yesterday were taken
lights. The only vessel spoken was the
British schooner Iolanthe, of Windsor,
N. s. She was allowed to proceed. She
was Just out of Matanzas. No shots
have been fired since Sunday morning
on either side.
The Dolphin and the converted yacht
Eagle arrived from Key West yester-
day. The Dolphin carried the officers
and prize crews who had been placed
on the steamer Pedro and the schooner
Antonio. All were glad to get back,
although they said they had no trouble
with their prizes.
The torpedo boat Porter made a
daring trip into the shore under cover
Of darkness Sunday night, and Lieu
tenant Fremont, her commander, land
ed with small party and obtained val
liable information. The blockade con-
tinues under beautiful weather condi-
tions.
The flagship returned to the block
ade line about $3.50 Sunday evening
after an uneventful trip. Nothing Of
Importance apparently had occurred
during her absence. When darkness
came on Sunday night Moro Castle
showed powerful searchlight, and
flashed 1t nervously around the horizon.
Another short searchlight also was
seen. 1t looked to be from the direction
Of the Santa Clara batteries, to the
westward of Ell Moro. The search
light itself could not be distinguished,
only Its rays being visible This is due
either to the extremely low position OF
the light or to it's distance from the
blockade line. The Moro light Ia
placed higher, and Is an excellent light.
Sunday night was the first time these
searchlights have been used. What
benefit they will be to the Spantards
no one knows. They may possibly In
duce the batteries to expend some
more ammunition In futile shots at the
fighting squadron, but the blockade
continues as before, searchlights or no
searchllghts. as, of course, they do not
reach far enough to show our ship. If
any ships run the blockade they will
have to run gauntlet of vigilance that
has never been surpassed. The alert
ness Of the officers and men continues
at the same pace as was exhibited tho
first night the squadron arrived.
Admiral Sampson Is more handicap
ped in his blockade than were the naval
commanders during the civil war. In
many cases thew were able to anchor,
while Admiral Sampson's fleet drifts
around in two knot current, with no
stationary shore light for guide. 1t
is believed that every steamer which
has attempted to enter Havana since
the blockade began has been captured. |
One of the sights Of Sunday was the
handling of the torpedo boat Gushing
by Naval Cadet Boyd. the only sur
vivor of the Maine with the fleet.
Lieutenant Gleaves, commander OF the
Gushing, spent the better part Of the
day on the flagship. Duringhis absence
Cadet Boyd handled the Cushing with
a dash and skill that was remarkable, |
considering the fact that he was as
signed to her only Sunday, and had
never handled a torpedo boat before, !
and all this in sieht Of Moro Castle.
in the shadow Of which lies what Is
left of Cadet Boyd's old ship, the
Maine.