The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-04-25

teen knots at her best, but it's funny
how many sixteen and seventeen knot
clippers she leaves astern"
Flagship After the Pedro.
When the flagship New York after
the hills of Cuba had been sighted and
she had started off at a twenty knot
clip to capture the Spanish steamer
Pedro. the Dauntless veered and fol-
lowed and was in at the death. Those
on the Dauntless saw the first hostile
shot fired and as the flagship swung
around for her chase after what proved
to be a German trading steamer, they
gave the New York the first cheer.
But all these things were seen by
lot of correspondents wet from head to
foot with spray.
Another Prize.
After a night of rolling in a heavy
sea to get under way in the morning
and better to see the Iowa and the In
diana, in fighting trim, start seaward
and better still,to follow the New York
as she raced eastward to intercept what
proved to be an Italian man-ofWar,
from which vessel Rear Admiral
Sampson received his first Rear Ad-
miraPs salute from foreign warship,
came the stirring incident of the Ma
thilde, followed by the determination
to return to Key West with advices.
The Associated Press dispatch boat
Dauntless was asked through the meg
aphone to tow the Spanish prize to
Key West, which was a fitting ending
for the day. 1t was an example of the
grim irony of fate which gave to the
most famous ex-filibusterer the first
opportunity to tow Spanish prize to
the United States, for which the
thanks of Captain Chadwick were re-
ceived.
AS the Dauntless passed under the lee
of the New York, she received the hear
tiest of cheers from the bluejackets
while the officers of the flagship clap
ped their hands, the megaphone roar
ed some encouraging words and Ad-
miral Sampson lifted his cap in answer
to the salute of the correspondents.
The sea picture there presented was
worth remembering. The big hull of
the New York, like a steel gray gran
long black hull of the Porter with her
threatening looking torpedo tubes, over
which the spray dashed violently, and
saucy Dauntless with foresail and
mainsail set, her smokestack belching
forth thick smoke, the snaky hawser
leading to where the schooner, heavy
laden, was rolling with her scruppers
| under her crew busy getting up her
foresail, mainsail and jib, her Spanish
crew working away under the orders
of an American officer side by side, with
Uncle Sans tars, all around rolling seas
topped by white and over all the fresh
ening gale This picture had for a
background a pale haze beyond which
were the mountains of Cuba, and in
the middle distance saffron lined Ha-
vana with a speck Of yellow striped
with red floating from Moro Castle.
Rushing Home With News
How long will that standard stay
there? This was the thought which
entered every mind as the hawser
tightened and the Mathilde, following
the Dauntless, was rushed through the
water towards Key West. The pass
age to this port was a rough one, of
COulSc, DuL II was llO WORST lUdn usual
and without any special event to chron-
icle
Capture of the Pedro.
To the flagship New York belongs
the honor of firing the first shot that
announced the intention of the United
States to establish a blockade of the
port of Havana.
| The scene of this opening event of
| what may prove to be the prolonged
hostilities between the governments of
the United States and Spain was just
! off the coast of Cuba, at a point about
| ten miles east of Moro Castle. The
shot was fired across the bow Of the
Spanish steamer Pedro of Bilboa out
ward bound from Havana. She hove
to Immediately and in the course of an
hour prize crew was in charge of
| her and she was on her way to Key
| West The capture of the Pedro occur
red at o'clock on Friday afternoon in
| full view of the Dauntless which was
the nearest vessel to the New York at
the time. An hour before the fleet with
the Mayflower and the torpedo boats
behind, flanked by the Dauntless and
three other press boats, was proceeding
at nine-knot speed from Key West
to the Cuban coast. The vessels were
then about twenty-miles north of Ha-
vana A haze hung over the southern
| horizon and the faintest outline Of the
shore could be seen at intervals.
The Chase.
Suddenly the New York quickened
her speed and went alongside Of the
Mayflower and the leading torpedo
boat She halted moment and sig
nailed some instructions to the remain
der of the fleet and then drew away
from the others and started alone in a
southeasterly direction. Faster and
faster she went and longer grew the
distance between her and the other
| ships Black smoke poured from her
tunnels and she appeared to be trying
to equal her 22-knot record made on
the trial trip. At first it was supposed
she was making for the entrance of
Havana harbor, with the intention of
laying outside and sending boats
ashore with some formal communica-
ton to the authorities possibly giving
them twenty-four hours notice of a
bombardment. The Dauntless also
| crowded on steam and she sped after