The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-25
THOUGHT 1T THE vIzcAYA.
Excitement When the Fleet sighted
the German Cruiser.


Copyright, 1898, by the Associated Press)
ON BOARD THE FLAGSHIP NEW
YORK, off Havana, April %, p. m., filed
Key West at midnight, April 23.-The Puri-
tan, Nashville, Marblehead and Ericsson ar
rived from Key West this morning. The
Ericsson almost Immediately returned to
Key West with dispatches. AT 10 o'clock
this morning the monitor Puritan the cruis-
er Cincinnati, the gunboats Machias, Nash
vile, Castine and Newport and the torpedo
boats Foote and Winslow left the squad
ron to blockade Matanzas, Mariel and Car
denas. They formed separate divisions and
after they had passed out Of sight the re-
mainder of the fleet took up a regular for
nation, having drifted some fifteen miles
from MORO Castle. The general advance
was made at half speed. Capt Evans, not
quite certain of the position he was entitled
to take with the Iowa, caught up abreast
of the flagship and shouted through the
megaphone: How near may 1 go?"
Rear Admiral Sampson, who was stand
ing on the after bridge, replied: las near
as you can without drawing the fire of the
batteries"
"All right" Capt. Evans shouted back
in tones that expressed the keenest disap-
pointment. The Iowa then went ahead.
About half an hour after the squadron
was well under way the cruiser Cincinnati
was seen in the eastern horizon, the smoke
pouring from her tunnels. She had been
headed for Matanzas and evidently, had
turned back to chase some vessel. The OBJ
ject of her pursuit was soon made out,
standing well in towards the coast. The
flagship, the cruiser Marblehead and the
gunboat Wilmington Immediately turned out
OF course to head the war ship off. The re-
mainder of the squadron proceeded to the
westward. Smoke poured from our ships.
The flagship was making eighteen knots,
the whole vessel throbt'ng with the vibra-
lions of her twin screws. The little Will
mington steamed up in splendid style, and
the fast cruiser Marbehead kept nearly
abreast. The formidable trio bore down on
the war ship. Then shout went up, "She
is a Spaniard." For the next ten minutes
the excitement was terrific. The distance
which separated the vessels rendered 1t i'm
possible to make out the warships identity
She was thought to be the Vizcaya or the
Almirante Oquendo, heading hard for Ha-
vana.
The men at the guns shouted with glee.
The soldiers off duty below cheered vocif-
erously and begged to be allowed to go on
deck to help shoot at the first armed enemy
met. The officers crowded on the quarter
deck as elated as the men, though under
better control The bugler blew general
quarters" All hands flew to their posts.
Down came the shrouds with rattle. The
life lines vanished from the deck Rear
Admiral Sampson, standing on the bridge,
FOL IN ro1ytg w
the Oquenda or the Vizcaya," and then
added: II should like to bag them BOTH
Then it was seen that the chase was flying
an Italian flag, but that was no proof that
behind her still invisible guns Spaniards
were not concealed, ready to shoot under ad-
vantage or subterfuge.
All the guns ON the New York's port side
and in the forward and after turrets were
trained on the stranger.
a. few moments later, when about 1500
yards separated the New York from her
target the American flag was run up by
the war ship and then it was known she
was not Spaniard.
A. puff of smoke issued from her sides
and the boom of a gun sounded across the
waters 1t was only salute, but at first
many on board thought Rear Admiral
Sampson had been deceived. But the war
ship fired fifteen guns as a salute. which
was returned by the flagship, which also
flew an italian flag. The stranger was then
made out to be the Giovanni Bausan. a
powerful cruiser Without further formali-
ties she pursued her course and entered
Havana harbor. Thus an exciting incident
ended in disappointment, but it served to
show how anxious all hands are for real
fight and how splendid the discipline is
when contingency seems imminent.
The salute Of the Giovanni Bausan had
scarcely been returned before a schooner
was seen on the coast. The torpedo boat
Porter, which had been following close to
the flagship, was dispatched TO capture her.
The Porter fairly flew through the water
and after a few shots fired from her one
FOUNDER the schooner Mathilde hove to.
Captain Fremont did his work well and
quickly. When he towed the MathiIde back
TO the flagship 1t was found she was from
Sierra Morena. east OF Cardenas. and bound
for Havana, laden with sugar and manned
BY Spanish naval reserve men. thus proving
quite good prize. The captain of the
schooner was brought on board and the