The Portland daily press., 1898-04-26
ON BOARD NEW YORK.
Blockade Varied by Searehlights
From Moro.
Copyright 1898 by the Associated prass

Copyright 1898 by the Associated press
On Board the flagship New York. Off
Havana, April a5.--l0 a. m.-Tbe ear,v
morning hours today were taken I'M nv n
vigorous chasing of moving lights. The
only vessel spoken was the British
schooner Iolanthe of Windsor, N. S.
She WAS allowed to proceed. She was
just out of Matanzas. No shots have been
fired since yesterday morning ON either
side.
The Dolphin and the converted Yacht
Eagle, arrived from Key Vest this morn
ing. TIE Dolphin carried the officers and
prize crews who had been placed on the
steamer Pedro and the schooner Antonio
All were glad to get back. although they
said they had no trouble with their prizes.
The torpedo boat Porter made a DARING
trip into the shore under cover of dark
commander, landed with a small party
and obtained valuable information. The
| blockade continues under beautiful
weather conditions.
| The flagship returned to the blockade
| line about 6. 30 O'Clock last evening, after
an uneventful trip. Nothing of import
| ance apparently had occurred during her
absence. When darkness came on last
night MORO castle showed powerful
search light and flashed it nervously
around the horizon. Another shore scare h
| light was also seen. 1t looked to be in
the direction CT the Santa Clara batteries
to the Westward Of FL MORO. The search
light itself could not be distinguished,
| only it's rays being visible This is either
| due to the extremely low position of the
light or to its distance from the blockade
line. The MORO light is placed higher
and is an excellent light
| Last night was the first time these
search lights have been used. What bene-
| fit they viii lie to the Spaniards no one
knows. They may possibly induce the
batteries to expend some more ammuni-
tion in futile shots at the fighting SQUAD
ron but the blockade continues as before.
searchlights or no searchiights, as of
course, they do not reach far enough to
show our ships.
If any ships run he blockade they will
have to run gauntlet of vigilance that
has never been surpassed The alertness
of the officers and men continues at the
same pitch as was exhibited the first
night the squadron arrived Admiral
Sampson is more handicapped in his
blockade than were the naval commanders
during the civil war. In many cases the '
were able to anchor while Admiral Samp-
sons fleet is obliged to drift around in a
two knot current, with no stationary
shore light to guide.
1t is believed that every steamer which
has attempted to enter Havana since the
blockade began, has been captured.
One of the sights of yesterday was the
handling of the torpedo boat Cushing by
Naval Cadet Boyd, the only survivor of
the Maine with the fleet Lieut. Cleaves,
commander OF the Cushing, spent the
better part of the day on the flagship.
During his absence, Cadet Boyd handled
the Cushing with a dash and skill that
was remarkable considering the fact that
he was assigned to her only yesterday,
and had never handled torpedo boat be-
fore, and all this in sight of Moro Castle
in the shadow of which lies what is left
of Cadet Boyd's old ship, the Maine.