Evening journal., 1898-04-25
PRIZES CAPTURED.
- .t.s-s t.-
Four Spanish Merchantmen
Are Now Held at
Key West.
BLOCKADE ESTABLISHED.
No Vessel Has Yet Passed Through
Our Lines.
ADMIRAL SIMPSONS FIRST SALUTE
italian Mnp-of-war Fires Fifteen Shots In
Honor of the Fleets Commander.
A Prize Court Has Been Estab-
Iished at Key West.

ltshed at Key West.
KEY WEST, April 25.-The capture Of
the Spanish steamer Pedro and the In
oidents attending on the squadron's APP
pearance before Havana, already re-
ported briefly In these dispatches form
an intensely interesting initial chapter
OF tho history OF the war.
About $3.50 n M. Saturday, when Ha-
vana was 10 miles distant, the squad
ron was signaled into battle formation
OF dolrble column, the New York leading
the battleships and the Cincinnati lead
ing tho cruisers and gunboats.
Just ~ the evolution was completed
the following signal was hoisted on the
fagshlp.
Disregard movements OF commander
in chief"
simultaneously Captain Chadwick sent
Chief Engineer Q. ). Mcconnell this
messages
Get up all the steam You can. A
steamer has been sighted. and the. ad-
hirai wishes to capture her"
a few moments later smoke was
pouring, npm all three of the New
Rorn's tunnels. and she stood away 70
me southeast.
Tho squadron, led by the Iowa. con
tinued GA its course, heading In a south
westerly direction. The New York was
soon tearing through the water at a
rapidly increasing speed and was fast
leaving the squadron In her rear.
Away In the distance, close under the
mist covered hills OF Cuba. midway be-
tween Havana and Matanzas. could be
seen the outlines of a large steamer
heading 10 the eastward.
4 .
York gathered on her deck eagerly
watching the flagship churn through
tho water, foarning white at her stern
She was making Is knots. The admiral
paced the forward bridge
The Nov York gained rapidly on tho
stranger, to the great delight OF all on
board the cruiser .ak
II WAS evident that the latter would
cut or the steamer quickly.
Tha orew OF tho New York by this
time were at their stations, and the
guns were loaded and trained Then
the spanish dag was seen dying at the
strangers stern. Al
A CRY OF delight went up from the
hAetankets on board Tho New York
n vus evident that tho Spaniard was
idOina her best to get away from the
cruiser and was heading IN nearer and
noAfH< 10 the shore, hoping to md safe
" In shallow water. whore the warship
would .not dare 10 follow her
When the Spaalard was about threa
mites from the shure and about mile
from the New York. an 5 inch gun from
the cruisers forward t,irret beIched out
a Etrenr OF fire, accompanied by a
crasffSig report.
II WAS only mpant as a warning shot,
but the steel projectiie went ricochettlna
over the water In dangerous proximity
TO the fleeing merchantmen.
The echo OF the report had hardly
Died away among Cubas hiits when the
Spanlard hove ~.
About ten minutes later the New
York was neav her.
In the distance a few IoneAy looking
houses could be seen perching On a wi1a
looking beach.
a prize crew. commanded by Iaeu-
tenant E u. Capehart and composed
OF Assistant Engineer Neall, four MAJ
rtnes and a poats crew. ali well armed
were lowered over the side ,of the
cruiser. and. amid exutant cheers FROM
their comrades on board of the New
York, they pulled over to the Spanlard
which proved to be the Pedro of bilbao
an excellent prize
The flagship ana her prize were all
most of Morro castle at about 7'p. m.
and about six miles of shore. The har-
bor lights Of Havana could be plainly
seen from the decks OF the aagship.
which during the afternoon had been
stripped for action and showed no lights
at al. Ensign Bumby Joined Lleuten-
ant CApehart on board the Pedrp. and
the pFize ssiled for Key West without
nn escort az s p. m.