The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-16

OFF HAVANA, May IA (on board the
Associated Press dispatch boaD.-Capt.
Gen. Blanco, two hours before sun
down tonight. attempted to execute a
repetition of the trick by which the
gunboat Vicksburg and the little con-
verted 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 dumbfounded to
see two ships steam out Of Havana
harbor and head east. Dense smoke
was steaming like black ribbons from
their stacks and a glance showed that
they were under full head Of steam.
BY aid Of glasses Commander Lilly, Of
the Mayflower, which was flying the
pennant, made out the larger vessel of
the two, which was about zoo feet long,
about 4,500 tons displacement, to be the
cruiser Alfonso XII, and the smaller
one to be the gunboat 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
ard were making a bona fide run for
the open sea.
IN HOT PURSUIT.
AS superior officer, he Immediately
signaled to the ships on the station, the
Vicksburg, Annapolis, Wasp, Tecumseh
ard Osceola, which were moving in, to
form a column Of echelon, with gun
boats on the right flank. The little
squadron moved obliquely toward the
fleeing Spaniards. keeping up a running
fire as they went.
The Alfonso and her consort cir
cled in shore about five miles below
Havana, and after running in for half
mile headed back for MORO Castle. ,
Our gunboats and the vessels of the
Mosquito fleet, did not follow them
IN. Commander Lilly saw that the willy
Spanish ruise was to draw them in I'M
der the guns Of the heavy batteries,
Where the Spanish artillery officers
could plot out the exact range with
their telameters and pct them. So the
return was made in Line ahead parallel
with the shore
Commander Lilly had not been mis-
taken. AS his ships came abreast of
the Santa Clara battery the big guns
opened and fired shells at a distance of
about five miles. The range was badly.
judged, as more than half the shells
cverskot the mark and others fell short,
some as much as a mile.
ACTION LASTED AN HOUR.
The Associated Press dispatch boat
Kate Spencer witnessed the action,
which lasted over an hour AS a spec
tacle, the greatest master of stagecraft
could not have evolved a finer setting
The low sun dyed the Cuban hills a
royal purple, against which Havana's
white walls cleaned like alabaster
Morro's gray sides and yellow tower
stood out against the blue waters Of the
gulf, while directly behind sprung a
broad band of the rainbow woven in
and out through dense gray clouds
until lost to the zenith
The big Alfonso and her convoy
rteamed swiftly from the dark shadow
Of the harbor's mouth, and, turning
sharply east, ran along the coast as
though to slip through the Gordon Of
blockade. It was a bold trick and not
at first transparent, although the folly
of it created a suspicion, as there was
no hope of ultimate escape and no OBJ
ject in escaping.
The Mayf1ower, standing well out like
a cat with a mouse, gave a slight
start, then swinging her engines and
tiny squadron into line, dashed in to
cut them off. The Spanish boats crowd
ed on steam and stood along the coast
as long as they dared to give zest to
the chase. The Mayhower signaled
her consorts "close in and charge"
Word was flung on from ship to Ship
as they steamed in column echelon.
Seeing the bait had apparently talk
en-, the Spaniards veered about, and,
bringing their stern chasers to bear on
the Americans, doubled back for Nor
70. 1t was a beautiful running fire,
viewed from where the Kate Spencer
lay, seven miles off MORO castle Lit
tie puffs of white smoke burst from
the sides of the gunboats, and occasion
ally an explosion of a shell in the air
could be discerned with the aid of
glasses. The flash Of the Spanish guns
was plainly visible. Reports Of the
same were dull and indistinct Two