The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-22
CRUISING WITH
SIMPSONS FLEET.

/. SIMPSONS FLEET.
| FIfteen Days Out On the Search for
| the Elusive Spanish Fleet, with
Incidental B0mhardments.
| Copyrighted 1898 By the Associated Press.
| ON BOARD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DISPATCH BOAT DAuNTLESS. KEY
| WEST. Fla, May B.-The Dauntlsss was
member of Admiral SIMPSONS fleet
| during the latter's cruise 10 intercept the
/ phantom Spanish squadron. TIE dispatch
boats voyage lasted fifteen days. and ex-
/! tended from Key West 10 St. Thomas and
| return, with two side trips TO Cape
| Hayden. Hayti, the total distance trav-
eied being about 2.soo miles, as against
| $500 miles by the fleet.
The Dauntiess occupied a grand stand
| position at the battle of San Juan. and
| bore the first details OF the engagement
| to the st. Thomas cable station The
| Dauntless, Immediately on joining the
| fleet IN the outer harbor at Key West,
/ was ordered by the admiral to take sta
| ton within haiiing distance of the New
York and to remain there. When she was
obliged 10 separate temporarily from the
!, feet, she was provided with light signals
and a sailing course. so that she readily
overlook the feet and was never held
up as suspicious.
When the cruise began, Il was believed
that the Spanish squadron OF cruisers tor
pedo boar destroyers and torpedo boats.
which had already sailed from the Cape
Verde islands was bound for the West In
dies. II was Admiral SIMPSONS plan to
put his fleet between the Spanish vessels
and the port Of San Juan, Porto Rico: fail
ing IN this, to attack the feet before it
could leave San Juan. or. II too late. to en-
gage the Spaniards anywhere on sight.
LEAVING on he f7ns,k
sailed In the direction OF Havana, then
turned eastward, keeping in sight the coast
OF Cuba. At night the beacons on the Gu
ban coast were lighted. rs usual, but they
gave guidance to few vessels besides the
enemies OF Spain. for the war had driven
ships from the sea. At night the feet car
r:ed no lights. but there was much sig
nal practice with colored lamps. Early in
the cruise the Terror and Indiana became
troublesome, because Of mishaps to their
boilers. The monitors were from the out
set drag on the progress of the feet, and
during most of the way to San Juan. tho
New York towed the Terror and the Iowa
pulled the Amphitrite. the Porter often
hitching behind the Terror.
The officers OF the fleet had many unkind
things to say about the GRABS" as they
! caEed the monitors.
On May Z. the Montgomery went into
Cape Hayden, TO send dispatches to Wash
entered the same port for Ike purpose.
The Daunsiess returned TO the fleet on
/ May 9. with dispatches. but she was sent
IN again for further news and in order
that President Sam might not be excited,
the Dauntless' captain stated that the
steamer had returned for bill Of health.
In this visit the Dauntless obtained from
thu American consul a circumstantiai re-
! port that fleet OF thirteen Spanish war
vessels had been seen to be heading for
Porto Rico.
In this report the naval officials placed
some credence and the bombardment OF
San Juan was planned. in the hope the
Spanish were In the harbor. The fleet
moved slowly onward on May 10 and May
II. and in the afternoon of the latter day
the Daunt-ess was ordered to be ready to
carry dispatches to st. Thomas at II
o'clock the next morning.
At daylight on May IL the fleet bonn
barded San Juan. the seaport. The
Dauntiess lay six miles of Fort Moro
and viewed the bombardment and the re-
ply of the forts. description of which
event has already been cabled from St.
. Thomas and Key West.
After the battle the Dauntless waited for
an hour for Admiral SIMPSONS dispatches
to the navy department, and Immediately
upon receipt OF them steamed for st.
Thomas. Ten miles from that port the
United states auxiliary cruiser Yale signal
ed the DaCniiess. which ran a little out OF
her course TO get within hailing distance.
There was much cheering for Sampson
when the Dauntless gave the news of the
The pauntiess hoped to reach Charlotte
the port of the Danish island of ST. Thorn
as before dark. but darkness dropped down
all OF sudden, and the steamer pushing
on 70 the town lights gave mortal offense
TO the Danish karbor master by falling to
stop al his hal. He expostuiated at once.
hxr~
ISOLATED Press at New York the batt;A
description. prepared hours before.
On May l3. the cruiser Montgomery, the
auxiliary cruiser Yale and the French
gunboat Genouilly came into the port OF
Charlotte and there was much salutine
. by the warships and the castle. Before
midnight CT the 18th the Dauntless set out
back TO Key West.
Early Sunday morning May Is. of
Puerto Plata. San Domingo the Daunt-
less resumed her old station near the New
York The feet in the meantime had
been joined by the hospital ship SoIace
and the auxiliary cruiser st. Louis. Tho
ST Louis. towing the tug Wampatuck
left Santiago de Cuba on the morning of
the 18th 20 cut the cable that connects
Spain and Cuba.
The Terror had broken down and was
being towed by the Niagara. and the Iowa
puiied the Amphitrlte The Montgomery,
which went into SANTANA bay on the after
noon OF the i4ih. had not rejoined the
fleet when the Dauntless. off the west
coast OF Hayti, May I6. pushed ahead for
Key West. taking the most direct course.
No More Going Through blockade.
CHICAGO. May IA special 10 the
Journal from Washington says: The navy
department VIII grant no more pe rnlits to
vessels OF any nature 20 pass the blockade
and enter Havana This action was decided
on az the urgent request OK officers in COM
u,and at Key West and on the blockade.
! They have united in q formal protest
against allowing information TO be carried
rhrn4,~h Havana right .ynaa~ t&eelr e~fsns