Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-05-21
UP GOES THE CURTAIN
First Act of the Drama About
to Begin. :.
HOSTILE FLEETS TO NEE 7
Naval Men Confident That IA Few Days.
Perhaps a Few Hours, VIII Bring
Them Together significant
Incidents at Key West. e.
CIV TalsgnanhA

KEY WEST, FLA, May 2O.-The
prologue has been spoken and the cur
tain is about to rise on the first act of
the drama. This is the unwavering
opinion of naval men here. Dewey's
brilliant achievement at Manila is re-
garded as q separate episode. San
Juan is already memory. and the
sporadic encounters along the Cuban
coast are accepted as merely prelim-
mary skirmishes, tentative rather than
decisive.
The meeting of the two great hostile
fleets is the pivot upon which the Sit
uation turns, and that a few days. per-
haps hours will bring them together. is
the universal opinion here. This view
is confirmed by the news that Admiral
Cervera's squadron has reached San
tiago de Cuba. The intelligence came
today, and il it did not affect the sit
uation it was q singular coincidence
that activity among our ships was per-
ceptibly heightened and the work of
coaling and provisioning those in the
harbor was pushed with more than us
ual haste.
The ships were surreptitiously creep
ing toward the open sea as the day
waned. and the ranks of naval men
ashore We're constantly thinning until,
at dusk. there was scarcely one to be
seen. The newspaper dispatch boats
have nearly all departed. with partic-
ular care not to lose sight of the Uni
ted States warships.
The center OF interest again shifts
away from Key West, but whittier is
the question none can answer Other
wise the day has been dull and empty
OF action. Some little stir was created
by the discovery of a secret ct,Spl e; r..
the leAaa SfotF ss5ainish Prize Steamer
Argonauta. containing fifteen cases Of
ammunition. over a hundred mauser
rifles and other war stores. The find
y WAS made a,.a by thsgnitsd States mar;
doubts as to the Argonauta as prize
of war.
The Argonauta was taken three
weeks ago by the United States gun
boat Nashville off Cardenas. On board
We're Colonel Vicente Cortijo. said to be
brother-in-law OF Lieutenant General
ish soldiers. now in Fort Mcpherson, as
we'll as mail matter and DISPATCHES for
General fBlanco and other Spanish
officials in Cuba.
The reports that several new Spanish
prizes We're being brought in today are
unfounded The only new arrival of
this character was the barkentine
Carlos F. Rosas. the story of whose
capture last Tuesday has already been
told. She was brought in here by a
prize crew and anchored along With the
other prizes in the harbor.
the argonauta will not change the
status of her case before the prize
court, as it had already been decided
today. before learning of the find, that
the steamer was legitimately a prize of
war. no claims having been filed by the
owners of the ship or cargo.
A like decision was rendered in the
cases of the steamer Ambrosio Bolivar
and the schooners Candidita, Nethilda
and Sophia.
The only formality remaining to make
these vessels the absolute property Of
the United States is the confirmation
by the federal court authorities Of the
finding of the prize commission.
The cases Of the Buena Ventura. the
first capture of the war. and the Pedro
Catalina, Miguel Jover, Panama and
Guido. all large and valuable steamers
will have to be tried in regular form by
the United States court. claims having
been fled by the owners OF the ships
and cargoes.