Evening star., 1898-11-14
TOUR OF, THE PORTS
Chief Of Revenue Cutter Servics Es-
Neutrality-suspicious. Offices.
OLD GLORY IN P0R9O RICAN CAPITAL
Letter Descriptive of Climate, So
ciety andSFortifications.
TWO FINE TUES

| Capt. Shoemaker. chief of the revenue
| cutter service, is now making a tour of in
| spection of the Cuban and Porto Rican
| ports, with the view Of establishing the
| customs service in the islands. He is max
ing the trip on the cutter Manning. Capt
| Munger, which rendered such brilliant SER
vice IN Cuban waters during the war, and
| which arrived at San Juan just in time to
| participate in tile ceremonies attending the
| raising of our flag in the Porto Rican cap
| ital.
Lieut.. Paul c. Prince Of this city writes
nome from San Juan, Porto Rico, Under
| recent dates an account of the experiences
| there, as follows:
AT last we are at the end of our run of
l,295 miles from Baltimore. We anchored
about O'Clock this evening October II. Our
trip was as smooth and quiet as usual up
TO the time we sighted land off Arecibo,
tnlS afternoon about 80 o'clock. From
| there we cruised along the coast and soon
| sighted Morro's yellow mars. The coast
! nne Is as mountainous as that of Cuba, but
more NOR ,r rugged and picturesque, We steamed
| INTO the inner harbor, very close to Morro
| ana mad fine view of its high masonry
walls. They do not appear to have suf-
1ereo at all from bombardment, and the
! town looks as quiet If it were not cap
| tured city. and reminds me much of Gibral-
tar in the style of it's buildings. 1t is Ger
| tainly imposing and most beautiful.
| we are Just in time, too for tomorrow
our nag is to be raised over Moro. 1t is
! something l would not miss for a great
deal"
To-day (the 19th) has been my day on
| anly, ana amid my usual routine and work
nave managed, l hope, to reduce yester-
days Impressions to coherent form.
wish l had the ability of the average re-
porter and his unlimited assurance that
might try to tell you of yesterday with
some confidence that Seaiup
things as through my eyes
AS we lie at anchor off the arsenal
there rises between US and the sea The
town. in tier upon tier of ivy-covered walls
and white houses, crowned with really i'm
posing buildings, and Iianked on cast and
west by the castles of San Cristobal and
Moro.
Flags Hauled Down.
The Spanish flags had already been haul
ed down when the surrender took place.
We had no blank cartridges and so unload
ed six-pounder shells with which to fire
a salute, we desired that some guns
should be fired from the water When the
captain called on the admiral in the morn
ing he was asked to fire a salute before
he had time to offer, so we were just In
time. We were also requested to attend
officially and help out the admiral, who
had only staff of three or four officers. So
Captains Shoemaker and Munger and the
rest of US got into blue blouses, white hats
and trousers, put on our swords and gloves
and went ashore in the steam launch.
We landed near the arsenal and went to
the Hotel Ingleterra to find that the ad-
miral had left; so we walked through the
crowded streets to the palace, which is
set squarely across the main street, where
our troops were waiting. We assembled
in the audience room, which is large
chamber opening on a balcony which fronts
on the main street. The street broadens
with parking on either side about one
hundred yards before the palace door is
reached In the room was a large military
map with the pins and tags still stuck in
it. There were many army officers pres
ent few naval officers and two or three
ladies, but none of the Spanish. Two hos
pital nurses, one of whom was Miss Chan
ler of New York, came in.
From the balcony we looked up the main
street massed with people. The nearest
roofs were crowded and every balcony aid
window was full Of faces. AS we watcned
we saw flags up the street, and then,
through the parting Of the crowds,
soldiers in their dusty blue shirts and yell
low canvas suits.
There were only the 11th Infantry and
Troop II Of the 9th Cavalry, but the
infantry swung into company front and
ma rched down the square at half distance,
filling it from wall to wall, IT made ones
blood thrill and made one proud to be
American for they were a splendid body
of men, Behind them came the cavalry,
and then the crowd closed in as far as
we could see.
Awaiting the First Gun.