The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-01
ONLY TARGET PRACTICE.
The New York Puts Few Shots
Into Cabauas.
THE SPANISH CAVALRY STAMPEDED.
Admiral sampson, After Drawing
the Fire of the spaniards Re-
turns His Compliments.

York, via Key West, Fla, April Jul ne
full details of the Cabanas affair are that
the New York was lying quietly outside
the picturesque harbor of Cabanas about
two miles off shore, an inspection trip Of
the coast having just been completed. The
flagship was accompanied by the torpedo
boats Porter and Ericsson. A return to
the station off Moro Castle. Havana, was
contemplated, the band was playing its
usual dinner music. when from hill to
the eastward of Cabanas harbor came a
sound Of volley firing. 1t was plainly
a small arms attack. though no smoke was
seen. The enemy was thought to be hidden
close to the beach and in front of ruined
white building. Now and again individual
firing was heard and volleys continued
at intervals. 1t was conjectured that one
troop OF cavalry, disrnounted. was doing
the firing The officers of the flagship
stood on deck trying to ascertain definitely
the exact location of the enemy, more
amused than annoyed at this novel method
of attacking an armored cruiser. However.
Rear Admiral Sampson and Captain Chad
wick decided that the lesson taught at
Matanzas must be taught again at Cabauas
'a,Ian the port battery" was the
order.
At few minutes past 6 o'clock the four
inch guns in the after port battery sent
shot flying over the water into Cuba's
SOIL raising little cloud Of dust about
100 yards in front of the white building
and just above where the Spanish cavalry
stood. Before the hills, growing dim in
the evening mist, had ceased echoing and
reverberating from the first report. the
other four inch gun in the after battery
landed its proJectile. few more shots
from this battery were fired but he
ground was evidently damp. as no dust
arose and II was hard to tell whether the
shell struck.
They were fred at 1900 yards range.
The Spaniards were not heard from after
the first shot.
The New York then turned her bow east
ward. The target practice was apparently
over for the evening. Her batteries now
bore on the coast moment or so later
Captain Chadwick saw the Spanish cavalry.
then mounted. ascending a hillside and he
personally trained a four-nch gun and
planted two shots the second one pumping
right among the Spanish, who scattered
in all directions The New York then
steamed ahead towards MORO Castle and
the band continued playing. Most OF the
crew were on deck watching this lesson
to the Spaniards, but there was no excite
ment.
The trip, which ended In the target prsc-
tice at Cabauas, commenced ahout noon.
after which the flagship and the torpedo
boats started westward.
Admiral Sampson was anxious to per-
sonally inspect the blockaded harbor. On
this occasion the first good view OF the
city Of Havana was obtained; the Parade
and Cathedral and tho Qualifications were
plenty visible In the bright sunlight Hav-
ana then looked anything but the "City
OF Saffron Dirt" as some people though,
she looked When out of range of the
| Santa Clara batteries, after passing tn,
| Iowa Detroit, Mangrove and Mayf,ower
| the flagship proceeded westward steamlnf
| about two miles distant from the shore
When Mariel. twenty-five miles off Hav
| ana, was reached, the flagship came to
standstill and the gunboat Castine, which l!
guarding that port, was hailed. Captain
Berry thereupon went on board the fagshiy
and had consultation with the admiral
A careful inspection Of Mariel harbor re.
'ealed the presence of two small Spanish
sunboats and four schooners we'll in be
hind an old fashioned martello tower or
one side and flimsy little fort on tn,
other side. The combined batteries of th,
two Notifications" is one muzzle -loadin.
cannon. The last block house of the west
ward trocha doomed up on a sharp bluff
shadowing the little town. After lying fol
forty minutes close into this picturesque
harbor. with its low red rooted warehouses
royal palms and mountainous setting, tn,
edmiral proceeded to Cabanas SAYING iok.
inely to the correspondent: "Mariel look.
altogether too peaceful 10 he disturbed, y"
IL Is believed, however, that In spite o
ITS peaceabe appearance mines have beer
laid beneath the smooth waters of Cabana.
harhor.
WASHINGTON, April 30. Secretary Lon,
received a dispatch from Admiral Sampson
relative to the sheling of Matanzas todey
but had no information whatever as to tn
reported attack on Cahanas yesterday
Impression prevails at the department
among those who are not taken into tn
secrets Of the naval war board that thes
moves Of Admiral Sampson are OF
strategic character and not accidental hap
penlngs, as might BE- supposed from thei
apparently spontaneous character. Ike,
West evidently is TO be made a base o
the first order Of Importance so far a.
the feet Is concerned, otherwise Secretar,
Long would net have yielded on an office
OF such high rank rs Commodore Reedy L
command The station
Chief Constructor Hichborn said toda
that when the department has placed m
contracts for the vessels authorized by tn
pending naval appropriation bill the GOV
eminent would have under construction a
one time n greater number of vessels thai
II has ever had building since the war, an,
n greater tonnage In the aggregate than a
any time during the civil conflict, Their
will be no less than .hirty-six vessels al
together thus placed under construction
three battleships, sixteen torpedo boat dc
stroyers, twelve torpedo boats. four coas
defense monitors and one gunboat on tn
lakes,
MAY BoMnARp MARIEI.
Washington, April 3c--tspecial to Tn
Post, There is information at the nav