New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-16
BLANCO'S TRICK FAILED.
ANoTHER ATTEMPT TO LURE BLOCK
ADERS TO DESTRUCTION.
TWO SPANISH wARsH1Ps SENT OUT OF HA-
VANA HARBOR TO Re CHASED IN
SANTA CLARA BATTERY DIDN'T
AIM WELL ENOUGH.



AIM WELL ENOUGH.
Copyright: 1895. The Associated Pre.s)
On Board the Associated Press Dispatch boat
Kate Spencer. off Havana. May A. 8 p. m via
Key West. Fla. May 15.-Captain- General
Blanco two hours before shutdown tonight at
tempted 10 execute a which. II successful
would have cleared from the front Of Havana
six ships of the blockadng squadron. Unable
to come out 10 do battle. he adopted the tactics
Of the spider, and cunningly planned to draw
the prey into his net.
Though clever and pretty scheme as an orig
na proposition. it practically a repetition
of the trick by which the gunboat vicksburg
and the little converted revenue cutter Morrill,
were last week decoyed by a fishing smack
under the big Krurp guns Of Santa Clara bat
teries. Thanks TO bad gunnery. both ships
that occasion managed to get out OF range with
out being sunk though some OF the shells burst
close and the Vicksburg's Jacobs ladder was
cut adrift. The wary are never caught twice in
the same trap
SPANIARDS SIGHTED
Late this afternoon the ships on the Havana
station were dumfounded to see two vessels
steam out Of Havana Harbor and head east.
Dense smoke was streaming like black ribbons
from their stacks. and glance showed that
they were under a full head Of steam. BY the
aid Of glasses Commander Lille. OF the May
flower. which was flying the pennant made cut
the larger vessel Of the two. which was about
two hundred feet long and Of about four thou
sand FIVE hundred tons displacement, to be he
cruiser Alfonso XII, and the small one to he
the sunboat Legazpi, both Of which were known
TO he bottled up in Havana Harbor.
At first he supposed that they were taking sd
vantage OF the absence Of the heavy nehtlng
ships and were making a bona fde run for the
open AS superior officer he Immediately
signalled the other ships on the station. tie
Vicksburg. the Annapolis. the Wasp. the Tecum
sch and the Osceola. which were moving III. TO
form a column with gunboats on the light
flank The little squadron moved in oblIquely
toward the fleeing spanards. keeping up run-
ming fire they went
The Alfonso and her consort circled in shore
about FIVE miles below Havana. ard after
ming in for half mile headed back for MORO
Castle. Our gunboats and the vessels ~ The
mosquito fleet did not follow them in COM
mander Lille saw that the Spanish plan to
draw them In under the guns of the heayy bat
teries. where spanish artillery officers could Ilot
out the exact range with their tclemct"rs and
pot them So the return was made In line all, ad
parallel with the shore.
BATTERY OPENS Up.
Commander Lille had not been mistaken. As
his ships came abreast ~ the Santa Clara Int
terry the big guns opened fire. and AIRED thirteen
shells at a distance 81 about Ave miles The
range was badly judged. more than half the
shells overshot the mark and others fell short.
some as much mile.
The Associated Press dlspatch-boat Kate
Spencer Witnessed tho action. which lasted over
an hour As a spectacle. the greatest master Of
could not have evolved a finer sritirg.
The low sun dyed the cuban hills royal pur-
pie 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 broad band
If the rainbow. woven in and ont through dense
gray clouds. until lost at the zenith.
Two shells from the Vcksburg burst in the
rigging Of the Alfonso. and some Of II came !
down. but it was. OF course impossible to know |
whether any fatalities occurred. The American !
fire was much moro accurate than that Of the
Spanish boats. which used their stern -chasers |
as every shell Of the latte fell short Of the pur
suers
SCENE ON THE vrCKsBrRG
At the close Of the action. just at sundown.
he Kate Spencer ran up alongside Of the Vicks-
ourg Her men, many OF them stripped to their
rouscrs and pistol belts. were still at the guns.
they and their officers received the news Of
Sampson bombardment Of san Juan with |
.heers that reached the Mayfower. a quarter Of
| mile off. bringing her crew TO her sice.
Commander Mckenzie. Of the Nicksburg.
links as do other officers Of the feet that the
Alfonso has bccn stripped of her battery and
INNS and those used to-day were only tempo
arilv mounted She must have found new boil
RS since lately she was helpless cripple
n Havana Harbor From the action Of the
{rrpp guns. il is evident the Spaniards have no
ordite and are using ordinary cocoa powder.
THE SPANISH VERSION OF 1T.
Madrid May II. p. m.-The impartial" to-