The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-10
NEW FORTS
Being Built All Along the Cubar
Coast to Repel the Invasion.

Coast to Repel the Invasion.
Cardenas, via Key West, Fla, May
10.-The Spanish soldiers are displaying
much activity along the line of coast
from Bahia, 45 miles west of Havana,
to Cardenas, 65 miles to eastward. AS
the ships of the blockading fleet have
instructions to prevent the erection of
new Notifications and have at various
points shelled working parties the task
of strengthening defences and throw
ing up earthworks is carried on princi-
pally at night in the immediate vicin-
ity of Havana.
The narrow escape of the Vicksburg
and Morrill,, on Saturday when they
were decoyed within easy range of the
Santa Clara batteries, just west of
Moro Castle has taught some of the
unarmed ships lesson and it is not
likely that class of boats will venture
within close range of the modern high
power guns again. Along the coast
fresh sand batteries are being thrown
up almost every night, but these works
are of f1imsy character and would be
reduced by the fire of the big guns in a
few minutes. The officers of the block
aiding feet believe Captain General
Blanco is wasting a good deal of energy
on the insignificant short batteries. The
strengthening of the formidable works
about Havana, is a. very different
thing.
these light batteries, which must be
abandoned as soon as the serious work
of the fleet begins, ,Blanco will put heart
in his starving soldiers and imbue them
with the idea that a Yankee invasion
can be repelled at any point. The Hor-
net and the WinSlOw, now blOckading
Matanzas have had lively time for
several days shelling Spanish details at
work on batteries and telegraph lines
outside at the entrance Of the harbor.
There as at the other ports, most of the
work is done at night and each morning
sees fresh earthwork thrown up like
fresh ant hills against the rusty green
of the coast line.
On Sunday morning the Hornet
found a party putting telegraph line
from the light house and signal station
a mile east of MatanZas harbor to the
battery west of Point Sabanila on the
other side of the bay. The batteries
here are said to be of some ma agnitude,
mounting a few high power guns. To
stop this telegraphic activity, the Hor-
net steamed quietly in and dropped
shell in the midst of the workmen. They
scattered like rabbits, and the line
grounded then and there. Several 9TH
er telegraph parties have been discov-
cred in the same way at other points.
1t is evidently the intention of the
Spanish to establish communication by
wire with all their coast block houses
and batteries with view possibly of
massing troops and guns to oppose a
landing whenever threatened. How
ever they will probably carry their
wires behind the first range of hills,
where they will be less subject to sud-
den interruption. 1t is not possible,
that there are enough guns at the COM
mand of the Spanish to mount them in
all the sand batteries springing up, but
as there is a railway from Havana to
Matanzas, quite close to the coast, the
authorities may be deluding them
selves with the idea that they can
transport heavy guns to the batteries
nearest the threatened landing point,
whenever their watches telegraph the
appearance of the American troops off
coast.