Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-05-20
CERVERA IS At HAND.
His Squadron Certainly Sighted
North OF the Island of
Jamaica.
SEEMED HEADING FOR CIENFUEGos
Seven Ships in the Fleet, Four Being
Large Cruisers and Three
Small.

Seen by the Captain and Crew of the
Steamer AduIa, Who Also Brings News
of Firing at Santiago de Cuba-Rebels
Thereabouts Active Fight at CienfueS
Very Deadly to the Dons Three Hum
dred Killed and BIore Wounded-An-
other Suspicious Squadron in the North
Atlantic.
Kingston. Jamaica. May 2O.-[Copy-
right. 1898, by the Associated Press. i
Two American warships whose names
were not discernibie from the shore ap-
peared off Santiago de Cuba Wednesday
while the steamer Adula, which has ar
rived here from that port with refugees.
was in the harhor. They approached and
drew the fire OF the batteries at the har-
bor entrance. 1t is not certain whether
the warships replied to the fire. The
firing continued from noon TO l o'clock.
Captain Walker, of the Adula. when
coming out. could not see any marks on
MORO castle. and inferred that the
American ships drew the fire of the bat
teries to learn the range. There was
much excitement in the city. The resu-
lars and volunteers were called out and
new eaIthwork batteries erected On each
side Of the harbor entrance.
Sighted Warships Going West.
Wednesday night, when about sixty
miles from Santiago de Cuba, seven
large steamers moving in two columns
crossed the Adula's course going west.
They were evidently warships. but their
nationality could not be identified. The
descriptions given by the first mate and
five seamen Of the Adula agree as 10
the fleet that crossed her course. Four
or the seven ships We're large cruisers
and three were small. They were dis
tant about four miles when the lines Of
the courses intersected. about thirty
miles off the north coast of Jamaica.
The Adula's crew believes they were
the ships of the squadron under Ad-
miral Cervera, and it is feared that if
they We're on the way to Cienfuegcs
they may destroy the American blockad-
ing squadron.
lnsurgent Bands Arc Very Active.
Refugees who arrived from Santiago
de Cuba on board the steamer Aiula
say the insurgent district commanders
In eastern Cuba are moving nearer and
rearer to Santiago de Cuba. 1t appears
that Brigadier General Mindez. by Or
der of General CaliXto Garcia, has
brought fnsurgent forces from the ex-
treme east to the neighborhood of Cal
manero, on the south coast, and Brig
adler General Castillo, of the insursent
army, has shifted his command to with
in twenty-five miles of Santiago de
Cuba. Small insursent bands engage in
nightly raids pasti the outlying garri
soned towns to within about six miles
of the city Of Santiago de Cuba. They
retire without pursuit after their forays.
The concerted design is to cut off the
meat, vegetable ard fruit supply of the
city and produce the effect Of a siege.
Spanish Governor Is Warlive.
Senior Enrique Capriles, governor of
Santiago de Cuba, in an interview
printed in La Bandera Espanala of Nav
is, is quoted as saying: Spain has 3OO.-
VVO regular troops and volunteers in
Cuba, and we fight on our own soil.
Those of us who are from Spain are ac-
climated and we are entrenched. There
fore one of us is equal to two invaders
yes, TO three invaders. We hear Amer
lea proposes to assail us with 100000
men. Some reports say 10000 men, and
raw levies. We invite four times that
number to enrich our fields with their
carcasses. The greater the number the
greater the glory. Our flag has been
called the golden and bloody flag of
Spain In our hands may it indeed win
that uamcr