The Portland daily press., 1898-05-26
BEFORE HAVANA.
EVERYTHING Peaceful Along Blockade
Line.

Copyright, 1898. the Associated pross
On board the Associated press ao.nata,
boat Manda, of Havana, May 24-(Filed
at Key West. May %. )-The h,oc1,ade
Of the northern ports of Cuba from Ha
vana to Cardenas continues to ba rir;d1,
enforced. To an outsider, however, +,,s
pleasure and freedom with which the
American squadron cruises within s,oht
and range of the shore batteries su,gest.
ed a yachting trip rather than act1,al
warfare. The stern grimness of the wa,
painted vessels alone dispels the illnsion
of floating pleasure craft out for a
summer cruise.
Unohallenged and undisturbed. the
movements of the American yesssls IN
front of Havana are kept up constantly
by day, as If to remind the Spaniards
behind the walls of the fort Of their for.
lorn and hopeless condition. At night
the fleet moves further off the shore,
two or three Of the larger ships command.
ing the approaches to the harbor and the
smaller craft strung out in line between
them Signalling by means of red and
white lights is kept up constantly during
tho night between the vessels Of the fleet
and only in the event of alarm is the
search-light turned to scan the ocean.
During the last four nights, only once
has the search-light been turned on by
any vessel of the blookading squadron
and then only for very few minutes.
With the exception of small signal
lights which cannot be distinguished at
any great distance. the vessels Of the fleet
are kept in total darkness, no side-lights
or masthead lights being displayed.
themselves aboard the fleet and the
smaller boats creep up in shore. cruis-
ing several miles eastward and westward.
patrolling the coast and keeping sharp
lookout through telescopes and glasses.
The weather for the last 10 days has
been exceptional for this season of the
year, more closely resembling the un-
settled and equally bad conditions of
October than those generally prevailing
light craft, such as the recently recon-
structed tugs and yachts and especially
the little torpedo boats are therefore ex-
periencing very rough weather.
On shore, all along the line from Car.
denas to Mariel, no signs of life are visi-
BILE. From the Diana Key lighthouse at
the mouth of Cardenas harbor, to Morro
SdSulOs ~ euo ouITdAC6 I'D VQ0 Day OF d6-
vana. the coast presents the appearance of
a deserted island. Not building, not
even a hut is in sight.
Occasionally, in the distance, between
two ranges of hills, a cloud Of smoke
relieves the monotony of the desolate
panorama. It probably marks the death
pile of some smouldering village, burned
by the Spanish troops or cane field set on
fire by Gen. Blanco's soldiers in the blind
Innnnfnnf ror nf r9.aCt yrff ton,
Smoke by day and the lurid gleam of dis
tant confagration by night are the only
evidences Of life of human existence on
the shore. Havana itself offers but few
more visible signs of life. Moro castle
is in1 completed darkness. Tie revolving
light on its lighthouse, which, in the
expectation of the arrival of Admiral
Cervera's squadron had been kept burn
ing for several nights. as beacon to well
come him to shelter and safety, was ex-
tinguished Sunday night and has not
been relighted.