The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-03

Vessels Torpedo Boats Slipping
About in the Dark.
Copyright by Associated Press.)
on Board the Flagship New York,
April ell a. m.-Via Key West, Fla
April 30.-The blockade continues as
before. The flagship lies to the west
ward OF Havana.
The torpedo boat Porter, while close
into shore last night, reported having
been fired upon by the COjimar battery,
which is to the eastward of MORO Cas-
tie. The plucky little Porter escaped
~unscathed.
The coast Of Cuba is being patrolled
by the Spanish cavalry
Captain Taylor, Of the Indiana, came
On board the flagship today and had a
long consultation with Rear Admiral
Sampson.
News of the movements Of the United
states army is eagerly awaited by the
fleet, and there is much speculation as
to when the troops will be ready.
While the Dauntless, the dispatch
bOat Of the Associated Press, was max
ing her way from Key West early this
morning, she was sighted by the flag
ship. The ookOuts on the New York
were unable to make out her identity,
owing to the mist and the distance
which separated her from the flagship,
and a 4-inch shell was fired in her di-
r~ectiOn. 1t was not aimed at the Daunt-
less, but was only sent near enough to
make her heave-tO. The Dauntless,
thinking she was being fired at by a
S~paniard, promptly put about and
teamed away. Then she was recognize
ed, and a few minutes later the recOg-
milton became mutual and the Daunt
less ran alongside the New York. La
ter she proceeded to Matanzas.
Learning that mines and earthWOrks
were being placed and built at Mariel,
in the porvince of Pinar del Rio, not
far from Havana, the flagship moved
in that direction, accompanied by three
torpedo boats, but there was no sign
of movement at Mariel, and the flag
ship proceeded to a point twenty-five
miles west of Havana and about ten
miles beyond Mariel. There suspicious
movements We're observed ashore, prob
ably work on Notifications. COnse-
quently the flagship fired three shots
in that direction from one of her big
guns. The firing. however, brought
no response, and the flagship returned
to her station.
A strict watch for a possible torpedo
boat attack is being kept on board the
flagship. All the available officers take
deck watches at night. including the
chaplain. paymaSter's clerk and the as
sistant surgeon.
The small craft captured by the Will
mingtOn yesterday vas only taken to
Key West because her crew were mem
bers of the second Spanish naval re-
serve. 1t was thought also that they
~irh hA rnnrnInCC of h ornDy IF nnC
of the torpedo gunboats for which yes
sells a very sharp oOkOut is being kept
The full details of the Cabanas af-
fair are that the New York was lying
quietly outside the picturesque harbOI
of Cabanas, about two miles off shore
an inspection trip of the coast having
just been completed. The flagship was
accompanied by the torpedo boats POr-
ter and Ericsson. A return to the sta
ton off MORO Castle. Havana, was
contemplated, the band was playing its
usual dinner music, when from a hill
to the eastward of a harbor
came the sound of vOlley firing. II
was plainly a small arms attack
though no smoke was seen. The enemy
was thought to be bidder close to the
beach and in front of a ruined white
building which sloped to the beach anC
as if it had once been the
hacienda of a tobacco plantation. Now
dllu oSallI IN u l. '"o Ah~NAN
and we'll regulated volleys continued
at intervals. 1t was conjectured tina
n troop of cavalry. ~dismounted, was
doing the firing. The officers of thu
flagship stood on her deck trying t.
ascertain definitely the Exact locatio
of the enemy, more amused than an
noyed at this novel method if attacking
an armored cruiser. However, ReaI
Admiral Sampson and Captain Chad
wick decided that the lesson taught a
Matanzas must be taught again at Ca
banas.
Man the port battery was the or
der.
At a few minutes past 6 o'clock I'll,
4-inch gun in the after-port batter.
sent a shot flying over the water int
Cuba's soil, raising a little cloud o
dust about 100 yards in front Of tn
hacienda and just above where tn
Spanish cavalry stood. Before the hills
growing dim in the evening mist, ha'
ceased r~e-echoing and reverberatin
the first report. the other 4-inch gun L
the a~fter-battery had lande its pro
jectile. A few more shots from thi
battery were fired, but the ground wa
evidently damp, nc dust arose, and
was hard to tell where the shell fel
They We're fired at 500 to 400 yards rang
The S~paniards were not heard fror
after the first shot.
The New York hen turne her boy
eastward. The target practice wa
apparently over for the evening. He
starboard batteries now bore on tn
coast.
A moment or so later Captain Chad
wick saw the Spanish cavalry, the
mounted, ascending a hill. toward tn
hacienda, and he personally trained
4-inch gun and planted two shots, tn
second one Pumping right among tt
Spaniards, who scattered in all diree
tons. The New York then steame
ahead toward MORO Castle and tn
band of the flagship con- nued its MI
steal programme.
Most of the crew were on deck watch
ing this little lessen given to the Spar
iards, but there was no excitement.
NE trip which ended the targt
practice at Cabanas, commenced abOl
noon, when the flagship, with tn
Ericssen and Porter, started weStwar'
The admiral was anxious to PERSONAL
investigate the Blockade in the hal