Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-02
WITH THE BLOCKADE.
,xc.pnxTs or MEMS GATHERING
AMONG wARsHIps.
CONDITIONS IN HABASA.
rncr. Must he Famine There mn"
Nh, All of IL Among Rec""ce"-
trados-Probabiy sad F"'e -
Orphans.


the Associated frcssJ -
on BOARD THE DAUNTLEss' DIS
.mc,-.oAr OF THE ASSOCIATED
rprss MIDWAY BETWEEN hA-
,.SA AND KEY WEST. FLA April
% -News.gathering at sea has us a'''"s'
-. M, II also has its drawbacks. In
u,s.,,, after incident could be written
describing how, out of tie sem'-'"'"-
mass there rushed a long. black torpeoo-
-, and the hoarse order to heave-to
was followed on the instant by the threat
NJ q shot. Then there have been 'i"'eH
x,,.r all steam was called for, because
we were In grave doubt whether an APP
proaching stranger was American VI
sna,,sb and in no doubt at all as 10
ubst our fate would be should the I'M
known vessel prove 10 be Spanish gun
boat. for the Spanish would rather
ustb.r on the Dauntless than on almost
anv other craft that sails these seas.
on Matanzas the other night man
of-war's man assured some OF the crew
Of the Dauntless that two Spanish gun
boats had escaped the blockade at car
denas. ans were cruising outside, seek
ing to capture any unarmed craft carry
ing the United States colors. Probably
tho warn was false, but its effect on the
crew was far from reassuring. and 1t was
a positive comfort, the next night OH
Habana. TO be hailed by the Indiana
ordered TO heave-to and boarded by one
of the officers, who wanted to be wen
assured of our identity. The big battie-
shin gave a sense OF absolute security,
and now none of the crew believes any
Spaniard brave enough TO come within
score Of miles of this or any similar In
strument Of protection. -. ,r
At sea. and visiting them day after
day, the personality of the warships
grsv.s on YOU and your regard is totally
different from that which you feel to-
ward the same vessels when they are
in home harbor. or peacefully cruising
I'D and down a friendly coast. AT sea,
they seem grimmer-they certainly seem
greater for defence, for honor for sue
cess.
SHIPS NOT PUNCHED.
II any persons have the idea that the
ships of the blockading squadron off Ha-
bana remain punched together opposite
the Moro and the harbors mouth, they
should at once change their notion. Last
night the distance between the Whining
ton, on the eastern flank. and the Iowa,
on the western, could not have been less
than thirty miles. Lookouts in the lofty
tops. with long telescope glasses, can
sweep the coast-line and the sea for
MANY miles. without letting the smallest
of coasting vessels escape their observa-
tioc, and as long as the blockading YES
sells are within signalling distance, one
with another, the longer the blockade
line, the more effective it is. Results in
he way of captures have proven the
truth Of this.
None the less true is it, however, that
Rear-Admiral Sampson could use to great
advantage q number of small vessels.
They would render the blockade absolute,
and. at the same time. relieve the crews
,f the bigger ships from constant calls
10 quarters. These calls are barassing,
and as only one out of ten. probably
amounts to anything. are apt to prove
Irritating as WELL
Newspaper boats give the feet much
trouble at night. 1t is unintentional of
course, but true. for all that. All the
war-vessels are as dark as pitch at night,
aud the correspondents boats often run
directly within the prescribed limits of
approach before they have the faintest
notion of the proximity of a cruiser or
battleship. The moon. which is nightly
waxing In power. will help greatly In
quick Identification. but the Dauntless
recently succeeded in getting night or
der for signals. which will be better still.
HOW is IT IN HABANA?
Sitting near the Dauntless, with pair
of marine glasses that brought the SAT-
from bastions within a half mile, it was
impossible to keep from specializing on
the condition OF things within that city,
where, for two months many of us lived
on patience and the hope of a lombard
ment, which, II now seems, is not TO &C.
cur. We know as well as If we were eye
witnesses that famine is within; that 1t
Is not confined TO reconcentrados, most
Of whom must be dead by this time; but
embraces the lady of quality and her
liege lord. the professional man and his
family and the small storekeeper and
his brood, the artisan and his helpmate
Probably. as yet, the Spanish officer and
the wealthy contractor have food enough.
or the wherewithal to buy it, even with
beef at $3.50 per pound 0he last quota
ton reaching us). But beyond question
q large majority would welcome the bonn
bardment they daily expect. II assured
that when 1t was over and the city was