Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-10
ON THE COAST OF CUBA.
Blanco Throwing Up EarthwOrks Each Side
Of Havana,
IS PREPARING FOR A VIGOROUS FIGHT,
v. 9. Ships Near Mafanzas are Kept Busy
british Blocitnde Runner
Turned Back.

On Board the Associated Press DIS
patch Boat, Kate Spencer, off Carde
mas, May 9.-tVia Key West, Fla. Ma
10.)-The Spanish soldiers are display
ing much activity along the coast frof
Bahia Honda, I5 miles west OF Havant
to Cartienas, Go miles to eastward. A
the ships OF the blockading fleet hay
instructions to prevent erection Of ne'
Qualifications and have at variou
points shelled working parties, tn
task of strengthening existing de
lenses and throwing up eaTthwork
Is carried on principally at night saw
in the Immediate vicinity OF Ha
vana.
The narrow escape OF the Vlcksburf
and Morrill, on Saturday. when they
were Gecoyed within easy range of the
Santa Clara batteries, just west OF
MORO Castle. has taught some OF the
unarmored ships a lesson, and II Is not
likely that that class of boats Will ven
ture within close range Of the modern
nigh power GINS again. Along the
coast fresh sand batteries are being
thrown up almost every night, but
these are u flimsy character and would
be reduced by the fire of the big guns
In few minutes The officers Of the
blockading feet believe Captain Gen.
Blanco Is wasting a good deal OF ener-
gy In the erection of Insignificant
shore batteries. The strengthening OF
the more formidable works about Ha-
vana Is very different thing. 1t may
be, however, by the erection OF these
light batteries, which must be aban-
doned as soon as the serious work of
the feet begins, Blanco puts heart In
his starving soldiers and imbues them
no hnt pl tRts nstg
can be repealed at any point.
The Hornet and the Winslow, now
blockadirg Matanzas, have had live
ly time for several days. Smelling
Spanish details at work on batteries
and telcgraphing lines outside Of the
entrance Of the harbor There. as at
other points, moss of the work Is done
at night and each morning sees fresh
carthworks thrown up like fresh ant
hills against the rusty green of the
coast line.
On Sunday morning the Hornet found
a party putting a telegraph line from
the light house and signal station,
mile east OF Matanzas harbor 10 the
battery west of Point Sabanilla, on the
other side OF the bay. The batteries
here are said to be OF some magnitude.
mounting a few high power guns. To
stop this telegraph activity the Hornet
steamed quietly In and dropped shell
scattered like rabbits, and the line
grounded then and there. Several other
telegraph parties have been discovered
In the same way at other points. II
Is evidently the Intention of the Spanish
to establish communication by wire
with all their coast block houses and
batteries with view, possibly, OF mass
Ing troops and guns to oppose n land
ing whenever threatened. However, they
VIII probably carry their wires behind
the first range OF hills. where they will
he less subject to sudden interruption.
1t Is not possible TO mount them In
all the sand batteries springing up, but
as there is railway from Matanzas to
Havana. quite close to the shore,
the authorities may he deluding them
selves with the idea that they can
transport heavy guns to the batteries
nearest the threatened landing point
whenever the watchers telegraph the |
appearance of the American troops Off |
coast.
BLOCKADE RUNNER TURNED
BACK.
On board the Associated Press dis
patch boat Kate Spencer, Cardinals, May |
;, va Key West, Fla. May 10.--(Copy- |
righted by the Associated Press.) The. |
british tramp steamer Strathdee, Capt. |
Curr1e. attempted to run the blockade |
yesterday but was overhaued by the |
gunbcat Mnchias. The captain of the |
claimed that the vessel was |
!oaded with sugar and that he had on |
board number OF Spanish refugees |
from Sagua la Grande. He also said |
hat the steamer was bound for Matan- |
,as, where II was desired to dsembark |
some of the refugees. The commander |
of the Machias was skeptical OF this |
story. however. and warned the captain |
" the Strathdee that II he attempted to |
take the vessel into Matanzas she
~ ~. .a.l.
5trathdee put about and steamed away |
n the direction of New York.
SENATE.
Washington. May 1O.-Soon after the |
opening of todays session of the Sem |
ate Mr. Hale OF Maine entered n mo- |
lion to reconsider the vote by which |
he Senate yesterday passed the bill |
increasing the number of rear i'd
mirals from six to seven The motion |
created some surprise. but II is the |
opinion Of the committee on naval af- |
fairs that the President has ample
power to nominate Commodore Dewey |
rs rear admiral without the bill passed |
yesterday.
Mr.. Carter favornbly reported and
secured the passage OF a bin provid-
ng for the volunteers OF the national
corps for the existing war
MIR. Hawley secured the passage of |
ne House bill providing for the en-
lstment Of 10000 immunes in the
50 IN.
The postonice appropriation bill was
then taken up and passed.
The Senate has concurred In the
House amendments to the Immune and
.ngineer bill and 1t now goes to the
President.
HOUSE.
Washington, May 1o.-Today's ses-
lion of the House began with the con-
liberation OF legislation affecting the
district of Columbia. Mr. Hicks Penn
ylania, chairman of the committee on
,atents. called up a bill appropriating
hree commissioners to propose neces-
AIRY revision OF the statutes relating
o patents. trade and other marks
md trade commercial names. The
commissioners are to be named by
he President and are to report TO
congress such proposed reVisions as
nay appear necessary to make the
avs conform to recent international
greements. The bill was passed With
ut debate. The House adjourned nj
ESQ O'Clock.
Croker Wins asRace.
London, May 10.-At the first days
acing of the Newmarket second spring
Meeting today, Mr.. Richard Croker's
-year-old brown colt, Knlckerbocker,
ion the Exning plate OF 500 sovereigns
ne Iorillard-B eresford stables. g.
ear-old bay colt, Elgln, won the Bur
yell stakes.