Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-08-18
The Rendezvous Of the Block
aiding Vessels DIFF the
North Cuban Coast.
BEING ORDERED NORTH.
Torpedo Boats Already Ordered to Nov,
The Flagship San Francisco Fired
Upon From MORO Castle and DAM
aged-Naval Officers Glad That
the War Is Ended.

Key West. Aug. 1i.-7:30 p. MIN ac-
cordance with orders from the navy de-
pdrtment following the Presidents procla-
nation of II suspension of hostilities, Com
modCrc Howell of the north Cuban coast
biockading squadron is rapidly assembling
his ships at Key West. Many arrived yes
tcrday and still more to-day. The flagship
San francisco with the commodore aboatd
arrived this morning. She looks none the
worse for her experience off Havana car
~ Friday morning. The hole torn In her
stern by the Pinch shell from MORO Cas-
tie has been neatly patched and the dam
age to the ship is inconsidcrablc.
The larger gunboatS and the torpedo
boat destroyors Il not yet received or.
dcrs hut the torpedo boats and revenue
cutters have already been called. North.
The revenue cutter Hudson, which won,
perhaps, the highest distinction Of all the
smaller craft by her gallant work at Car.
dcnas during the Winslow engagement
left for Norfolk this morning and the rev.
cnuc cutter Morrill, which arrived from
the Matanzas station this morning left fol
Norfolk this afternoon. They Will be fol.
lowed tomorrow by the revenue cutters
Woodbury. and Window which came from
Havana and the lighthouse tender Maplc
from the Isle of Pines.
The i'ishhawk. which only recent,
came down from Philadelphia, will return
~ A" t " fTN''ff - ''iA 80 FIi' AA'f Nan- !
on coal and water. The other ships Of tn,
fleet here to-day are the Bancroft. Mari
eta, Cast!ne. Newport, Marlborough
Apache, Peoria, Hornet. Oneida, Hawk
Dorothca. ~Buccanecr. Sylvia, Siren, Ran
ger, Piscataqua and tncas. Tho Tccum
sch and the smaller uuarmorcd tug.
Sioux, Calumet and Cheyenne left to-da,
for Tampa.
The gunboat Princeton. which has beef
doing special duty around Guantanam,
and British Honduras. opportunely re
turned to-day but she has received n,
further orders Other ships of the block
aiding squadron are expected tonight o
tomorrow.
Naval officers are unanimous i'm thci
expressions of qualification that the wa
is over and are anxiously looking for or
dcrs which will take them north.
Commander Geo. II. Peters of the flag
ship San Francisco reports that Thursda!
night. in anticipation of some unusual in
cidcnt, Commodore lowell CAV orders t.
close in on Iiavana. The blockade foe
patrollcd off the harbor entrance during
the night.
When the morning dawncd tho hagshiI
with the sylvia close astern. was within
three thousand yards OF Moro. Sudden
ly Il battery opened fire with %G-poundcr
to get the range. When the Spani1rd
were satisfied they had the fla sship wher
they wanted her they opened fire fror
their ~ and T. inch guns.
About twenty shots were fired. tn
shells passiug between the San Francisc
and the Sylvia. one shell exploded clos
to the flagship. a piece Of which tore
hole in tho stern of the San Francisco
passing through the commodorc's an
captains cabins ami cstroying the furni
turc, The Sylvia was not injured.
Signals were displayed from the nag
ship not to return the fire but to withdra
Out of the n of the Spanish batteries
TIL" Sylvia was manned by members q
TIE rooklyn Naval Reserves. who wcr
anxious to engage tho Spaniards.
After the hiring the Sylvia was sent int
the harhor under a flag of truce with Dies
patches from the Commodore. Steam,u
In undc" the frowning guns of MORO CAS-
tie. which were still hot from the shot
fired at the American vessels. the Sylvi
set her signals. They were answCre
shortly by the arrival of n Spanish gun
boat fro mthc harbor. Courtcsies were ok
changed, dispatches delivered for Genera
Blarco and the guEboat and the Sylvi
parted.
The nature of the communications ar
secret.