The evening times., 1898-06-18
RUNNING THE BLOCKADE
spanish Ships Said to Be Slip
ping Past Our Fleet.
FOOD SUPPLIES FOR HAVANA
Our Squadron Reduced In Numbers
to Convoy the American Troops.
The Blockade Effective Under
International Law, Eve N If 1t Has
Been Broken.

Some apprehension is felt in official cir
cles that rs a result of the weakening of
the blockadinr squadron SUCCESS may at
tend the operations of the blockade run
ners. 1t is known n official circles that
Havana has been receiving food stuffs,
and 1t is regarded as quite probable that
these supplies were brought by blockade
runners, who have used neighboring West
Islands as a base of operations just as
Nassau was used during the civil war
1t is not meant by this that The block
ade is ineffective. On the contrary, the
officials assert that the United States
in accordance with the principles of in
ternational Law, has been patrolling the
district declared in the Presidents proc
lamation as in state of blockade with u
force rendering access to the prohibited
places manifestly difficult and danger
ouS.''
To be effective officials declare that n
blockade need not be perfect II is not
enough to make II ineffective the say.
that on some particularly stormy night a
blockade runner slip through the block
aiding squadron. Nor is it enou;;n that
through some exceptional and rare, neg
ligence of the officers of one of the block
aaiiS NessSis a runner was
lowed TO pass when perfect vigilance
could have arrested him.
To be Ineffective, they say that the
blockade runners must get through be-
cause of general laxity or inefficiency, and
they assert that this is not the case " ith
the blockade now maintained.
1t developed yesterday that eighteen
men-of-war had been withdrawn from The
blockading squadron to form the convoy
ing squadron, under the command of
Captain II. c. Taylor, commanding Ee
battleship Indiana. Before the withdraw
al of these ships the blockade squadron
had been reduced by the departure of
Rear Admiral Sampson with the New
York, Oregon, Mayfiower, Porter and sev-
eral other vessels.
The consequence is that a small force
has been distributed over considerable
stretch of territory. and while the vigil
lance of the officers of the ships has been
redoubled 1t is appreciated in official cir
cles that their task is much more diff
cult than ii was when the districts TO
which they were assigned for patrol duty
We're of less area.
Jamaica especially is understood to be
point from which blockade runners
have sailed. The story published yester-
day on this point is confirmed by the Of
hcials. who have received Information of
a similar character from Consul Dent.
VINO Is stationed at Kingston.
The Purissima Concepc.on. the authori-
ties say. will never reach Batabana, as
Rear Admiral Sampson has been in
structed to capture her. and he will easi-
ly do so. IL is believed, with the force he
has available TO carry out the instruc-
tons.
No protest was made to Great Britain
nor TO any other power with respect to
the fitting out of ships in their colonies
with supplies for Havana. as in the first
place 1t would establish a bad precedent,
and in the second would be contrary TO
the principles heretofore followed by the
United States. But the vessels attempt
ing TO run the blockade will suffer the
penalty of condemnation if they should
be captured
1t is understood that It is the purpose
OF the department to strengthen the
blockade as promptly as possible. The
cruiser Newark has received orders to
proceed to Key West as the flagship OF
the blockading squadron. and as soon as
the troopships have reached Santiago de
Cuba. the conveys will be returned TO
their former stations.