The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-25
OPENS FIRE ON THE FLEET


avana harbor at the time she was
stopped, and Admiral Sampson sig
nailed To the Nashville. which brought
her to, to escort her to port, which was
done.
A third seizure occurred this morn
ing, a few miles west OF the entrance to
Havana harbo II was a small
er. apparently a fishing craft. and h
was captured by the Cincinnati. The
cruiser towed her to the flagship. and
her captain made satisfactory explana-
tion to Admiral Sampson. who released
the vessel.
Shortly before noon to-day the tor
pedo boat Porter captured a spanish
coasting schooner. Mathilde. which the
Dauntless towed into Key West to-
night.
The New York. with the torpedo boat
Porter in close attendance, was lying
about eight or ten miles on Havana
when the smoke Of a steamer was seen
| a few miles to the eastward. The lag
! ship and the Porter started for her inn
mediately. but when they drew near
they found that she was the Italian
man of war. Giovanni Basan, bound for
Havana The Italian ran up the Amer
lean colors to his masthead n fired a
rear admiral's salute of Is guns. II be-
ing the first salute Rear Admira Samp-
son had received from a foreign war
ship since his appointment to his pres
ent rank. The New Yor returned the
salute. and as the firing occurred only
| n few miles off shore, the incident prob
ably created CONSERVATION I'm Havana
Just as this ceremony was completed
two schooners were sighted in shore
from where the New York and the Ital-
ian lay, and the flagship signalied the
Porter Ia go after them. The torpedo
boat glided over the water at a very
rapid pace. and passed almost under
the bows of the Basan on her caputre
Of the MathiIde. As she ran the Por-
ter fired shots rom her six-pounders
across the bow of both schooners. one
of them came about Immediately. but
she proved to be a fishing boat. and
was released. But the Mathilde was
more obstinate. and probably did not
appreciate being stopped by what look
ed like a toy boat. But when two more
shots were fired from the torpedo a
n Mathilde came about. The Porter
ran alongside, informed her she was
seized by the United States. and
promptly took her prize i'm tow and
started off to the flagship with her.
The Mathilde was loaded with bar
rels Of rum. was sunk almost TO her
rails, and the Porter a much Difficult
Nv i'm dragging the heavy
through the water. but finally brought
her prize alongside the flagship. and
by this time she had hoisted the stars
and stripes above the Spanish flag at
the Mathilde's masthead. Nearly the
entire crew of the New York
on the deck, and as the Porter came
up with her prize they gave her a great
cheering.
The Dauntless was about ready To
leave for Key West. n Admiral
Sampson asked the dispatch boat to
tow the prize to that port for MIN
which was done. a prize crew from the
New York being placed on board the
Mathilde.
There was "A strong wine blowing and
a heavy sea running all the way from
Havana tn Key West. but the Daun
less ploughed through the water with
her tow. which had her rails under hall
the time. while great volumes of spray
dashed over the sailors and marines
from the New York. who sat on top oi
the schooner's cargo, each man ready
with his rifle to prevent any attempt
that might be made by the
own crew to cut loose from the Daunt-
less. The latter made the run of sc
miles. off Havana to Key West. with
her tow In eight hours, arriving at Key
West about midnight.