The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-25
A Steamer and a Schooner Sent to
Key West as Prizes.
CHEERING ON THE CRUISER.
Sailors Enthusiastic Over the Days
Work.

On Board the Associated Press Dispatch
Boat Dauntless, Key West, April 24-The
Associated Press dispatch boat Dauntless
arrived in this harbor yesterday before
midnight, having in tow the first sailing
vessel prize of the campaign, the schooner
Mathilde Of Havana, sixty tons, loaded
with rum.
When the Dauntless left the main fleet
under Rear Admiral Sampson at S:15
O'clock Saturday afternoon, what seemed
a thorough blockade of Havana had been
successfully established.
The ships range from eight to ten miles
from shore, along which they are extended
for fully twenty miles in the following or-
der, running from west to east: May
flower, Iowa, Newport. Detroit Marble
head Indiana, New York and Whining
ton, with the torpedo boat Porter attend
ing the flagship.
Moro Castle and the city of Havana
are In good view from the flagship with
glasses, but the coast, as is always the
case, is covered with haze.
Soon after 9 o'clock yesterday morning
the Amphitrite, Puritan, Cincinnati, Cas-
tine or Machias and three torpedo boats,
after much interchange of signals, parted
company with the flagship, sailing in a
northeasterly direction, presumably to
blockade Matanzas, Carnenas and Sagua
la Grande.
Owing to her late arrival on the previous
night and with necessary delay. on the
following day, the Associated Press dis
path boat Dauntless saw the last boat Of
the naval and newspaper fleets leave Key
West harbor on Friday morning with her
anchor still down at 1850 O'clock when the
stern of the United States dispatch gun
boat Dolphin nearly fouled her while the
latter vessel was swinging out from a coal
pier.
The captain of the Dolphin sang out: 81
guess you are all right. We usually ram
with the other end"
At 7:55 O'Clock, with her anchor apeak,
the Dauntless got under way. AS she
passed out a hearty cheer was given for
the United States cruiser Nashville and
her prize. the Buena Ventura.
Then she squared away for the feet, not
even the smoke of which was visible ut
that time. The Dauntless dashed ahead
until O'Clock, when many black streaks
were seen making parallel lines across the
southern horizon. Ten O'Clock and the
vessels of the fleet could be counted, even
to the torpedo boats.
The Dauntless left Key West one hour
and twenty minutes behind the other
boats, but in four hours and a half she
was at the head of the procession, and
quiet Capt. Floyd, who knows the boat
better than any other person living, re-
marked: "She can't beat fourteen knots
at her best, but its funny how many six
teen and sevenleen-knot clippers she does
leave astern.''
When the. flagship New York, after the
hills of Cuba had been sighted, had started
off at a 2O-knot clip to capture the Span
ish steamer Pedro, the Dauntless veered
and followed and was in at the death.
Those on the Dauntless saw the first
hostile shot fired, and as the flagship
swung around for her chase after what
proved to be a German trading steamer,
they gave the New York the first cheer.
After a night Of rolling In the trough OF
the heavy sea to get under way In the
morning the better to see the Iowa and
Indiana, in fighting trim, start seaward
and better still to follow the New York as
she raced eastward 70 intercept what prov.
ed to be the Italian man-of-war, Giovanni
Bansan, from which vessel Rear Admiral
Sampson received his first rear admiraps
salute from a foreign warship, came the
stirring incident Of the Mathilde, followed
by the determination to return to Key
West with dispatches. This was the second
seizure Of the day, the first being that OF
the Spanish steamer Beuna Ventura, which
the fleet Of war ships met early In the
morning soon after they had left their an
chorage at Key West
A third seizure occurred Saturday morn
ing a few miles west of the entrance 10
Havana harbor II was a small schooner.
apparently a fshing craft, and she was
captured by the Cincinnati. The cruiser
towed her TO the hagship, and her captain
made satisfactory explanation to Admiral
Sampson, who released the vessel.
The Associated Press dispatch boat
Dauntiess was asked through the mega
phone 10 tow the Spanish prize 10 Key
West. which was ftting ending for the
day. II WIS example of thc grim Irony OF
fate which gave TO the most fam0st ox-