The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-08-23

YANKEE DARING.
Ensign sullivan's Cool Inspection OF
Spanish F0rtihcations.

Ensign sullivan's Cool Inspection Of
Spanish Fortihcations.
| Every one likes to read stories OF
daring and of courage, and here is one
Of that character. Ensign Franklin B.
Sullivan is as smooth and urbane a
young man as was ever graduated from
Annapolis, and for clean strain courage
his superior has not passed the neces-
sary examination. Mr.. Sullivan is the
grandson Of old Admiral Buchanan and
his personal characteristics may thus
be readily accounted for. One night
the professional bad man of Key West
drew six shooter and proclaimed
himself supervisor and boss Of Duval
street. Sullivan took the revolver
i away, elected the cartridges and cast
the weapon with much vigor at the
owners head. The town terror ducked
and at once unlimbered another pistol
which Mr.. Sullivan also captured, but
did not return. g.
In the Navy Department at Wash
the strength Of the defences of Havana,
the number Of guns, the supply Of am
munition, together with statistics con-
corning calibres and mounting sufficient
to Ill book. Admiral Sampson-the
newest but not the least able of feet
commanders similar information.
1t was furnished by Commander w j.
Barnette, late Of the coast survey
steamer Bache, and his officers, Lieu
tenants Archibald Davis, Frank M.
Russell and Ensign Sullivan. The
BacAs was in Havana harbor more
days than she was elsewhere after the
assassination of the Maine and up to
the ume Of Lees exit 1t was in these
days that the report on the batteries
and forts was made.
Ensign Sullivan's Investigations were
the most searching as to detail. He
personally visited each fort and sand
battery, counted the guns and took
stock of the garrison. The long days
the Bache lay in Havana harbor a
floating refuge for Americans in case
Of Spanish uprising gave him time for,
the work. and from the Vidado on the
West to Martinez Campos battery No.4
across the bay, the Ensign visited all.
Each minute he was thus employed
was a risk. At best it would mean
weary days in Cabanas, and when war
was declared-well, Spanish sensibili-
ties are not fine in these matters and
1t would have been another walk "un-
der the laurels" with firing squad.
The last expedition undertaken by
Mr.. Sullivan was the week before Lee
left. He rose from the table In the In
glaterra Cafe, where we had been sit
ting, and declared his intention Of 60
ing out for drive.
III I'm not back in four hours" he
said cheerfully, Organize relief party
and come over to Cabanas and Morro."
Four times that afternoon he was
halted by "ordens publico" and civil
guards, who permitted him to continue
his sightseeing after bis explanation
that he was an English tourist, bent on
pleasure and self entertainment only.
His last visit was at the new sand bat
teries when some eight-inch guns were
being put in their emplacements, and
where certain mortars had been taken
for mounting. Here he mounted to the
top of the works, and was only dis
suaded from climbing over the battery
by sergeant and file Of soldiers, who
put him under arrest. They escorted
him down to the street and turned him
toward the "Prado" with the polite but
firm assurance that English tourists,
though insane, would not be permitted
to investigate the defences.
Mr.. Sullivan then proceeded to the
Bache and wrote up his log. 1t was
included in Commander Barnette's re-
port and completed an almost micro
scopic description Of Havana's equip
ment for beating off an enemy.