The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-28
C0rv0ra is CaUQht
In a P0rf6ot Trap
If the Spanish Admiral Attempts to Make his Way Out
Of the Harbor 1t Would be Mere Play for the
Americans to Sink his Ships.

p0llcE was 10 aNOlu an clcouHttl, anu
il would have been difficult for any Iii
vision Of Rear Admiral SIMPSONS fleet
TO have overhauled or captured them.
But now, il they are bottled up in San.
tago de Cuba and baffled at their own
game, the future seems bright and uil
that is waited for is the order to prepare
to protect the landing of our military
forces in Cuba.
Since Rear Admiral Simpsons squad
ron left Key West an intensely close
watch has been kept for the Spanish
fleet, in spite of the belief that it was
at the south Of Cuba. Several false
alarms have been given. the men on the
lookout in the tops being so anxious to
catch sight Of the Spaniards that they
would see five columns of smoke where
only one was really discernable and that
the smoke Of one OF Rear Admiral
Sampson own hoats.
The tension was naturally great This
was not caused by any feeling Of doubt
ms to the result Of naval engagement.
for Rear Admiral SSampson has been
so active since it left Key West that
the Spaniards would have been conn
plenty annihiated il they had courted
Il fight The fleet as at present consti-
tuted, without Commodore Schley's
command and without warships actually
engaged in the blockade, forms the most
powerful squadron ever gathered by the
United States navy. Then. again,
Commodore Schley's ships are fully able
to defeat the Spanish force under Ad-
miral Cervera. even under conditions fa-
vorabe to the enemy. a state of things
which is not thought to exist at San
- Il
time for the Massachusetts. Texas and
Iowa to sink the Vizcaya, Almirante,
Oquendo Cristobal Colon and Maria
Teresa, if they attempted to file ont Of
the harbor.
MADE READY FOR A BATTLE.
The newspaper dispatch boats aie oh.
liged by the admiral's orders to main-
tain a position no nearer than FIVE miles
astern, in order to be out of harms way
should a collision with the enemy occur
Several times each night the scouts far
out on the horizon flash their reports TO
the admiral, skimming through the wa
ter as fast as railroad trains and firing
their rockets aiioat into the blackness of
night.
1t cannot but occur to those unversed
in naval warfare that these brilliant
exchanges would serve as an admirable
advertisement Of the location of our fleet
should the enemy happen along.
The only exciting incident of the
cruise occurred about IL o'clock Tuesday
morning before a number Of the ships
which afterward joined the feet, had ar
rived. The fleet was steaming eastward
IN column abreast; but when the smoke
from three strange ships was made out
on the horizon. dead ahead signal flags
began to fly from the signal yards Of
the flagship as Rear Admiral Sampson
made his disposition for battle should the
strangers prove to be the enemy. Bu-
glcs sounded the call to general quar-
ters, and every executive officer rang
for steam, while the smOke-stacks of our
ships began to belch forth great clouds
of smoke as the vessels swung into line
ahead. 1t was evident that Sampson in
tended to adopt the favorite formation
| Of successful commanders in modern
naval battles and fibht his ships broad
side on.
The speed was quickly increased to
| ten knots and the course altered so as
to pass the strangers on the port quar-
ter Every ship seemed to scent battle
as they ploughcd through the heavy
swell, which was dead against them.
and flung it aside in clouds of spray.
The admiraPs commands were flung
hack from ship to ship. From the
Dauntess. with our glasses, we could
see the men at quarters stripped to the
waist Nettings to catch splinters were
stretched about the chart rooms, and
bridges and everything was made ready
for the fray. 1t was a sight to satisfy
every American as our feet bore down
| Meantime the military tops Of the two
strangers had removed all doubt as to
the character of the vessels. 1t was a
false alarm; and the disappointment oi
| our lhck tars must have been keen
Judging from the remarks they made
| atlerWard. They had been feeding
each other on promises of the many
ihlngs that they proposed to do to tho
Spaniards when they got them; and foi