New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-13
FOE on THE COAST, THEY SA y
4 BRITISH STEAMERS STORY OF SPAN
ISH WARSHIPS NEAR NAN
TJCKF-T SHOALS

TUCKET SHOALS.
The British steamer Menantic. from Antwerp
which arrived at this port yesterday. reported
sighting two vessels near Nantucket Shoals
which. in the opinion of the officers If the
Merantic. were spanish torpsio-b boat destroy
ers looking after American vessels As a
result Of these stories. Major Adams. the
engineer officer in charge Of the submarine
defenCes. last night had contact mines placed
across the channels leading from the sea to the
harbor. These will be taken up in the daytime
so as not to interfere with commerce.
According to Captain Mann Of the Menantic
the first of the two vessels seen about
o'clock on the moraing Of May II. The vessel
was built similar TO an English torpedo boat
she had only one stack and was low in the
water. Tho second vessel was seen just after
daybreak and had two stacks. with one mast
we'll forward The vessels were both less than
a quarter Of mile away from the Menaniic
Captain Mann was positive that the vessels
were Spanish torpedo boats that. when near
the Nantucket nehtship, he ran within ION
yards of her and asked the men II ihoy did not
want to be taken IF. He also reported - them
the sighting of the strange vessels. They re
piled that they would remain on the hghtship
and all they desired was 10 he reported as we'll
as they did not believe that Spanish warships
were in the neighborhood.
THE FIRST OFFICERS STORY.
Mr. Plante. the first officer Of the Menantc,
when seen yesterday. gave the following Dc
scriDtion Of the sighting of the strange vessels.
when | mounted the bridge 10 relieve m"
second officer and take my four hours watch
found Captain Mann there. He had been
called up by Second Cficer Dansneld. and he
told me Of the strange torpedo-hoai that had
shortly before run up on each side - me
steamer. and :hen hal gone of TO 'he north
ward and eastward. and said he believed that
a man-of- war was lying near about WIN h"r
lights out He told me 70 keep sharp lookout
7 doubled the lookouts and kept continually
svooring the horizon with my night glasses
Presently. about 100 n m, | saw rocket
eo up from the torpedo boat which had disap-
peared IF our port quarter. and then. after
q v.h,le over on our starboard quarter. should
say about seven miles away. there Mashed ou'
i'm the darkness a dot-and dash light "a naval
code sicnaD. Through ny night glasses could
make out n huge mass. having the seInnlah'r
of line-of- battle ship, but ! could not MAKE
or. am, n,asts or tunnels. or anything 10 dis
tinr,Iish what she was, except her general ap-
nearance owing 10 the darkness. She looked
much lager than such vessel as the Wmie
Star liner Majestic under the circumstances.
tn re was not the sign of light about her
II watched the warshp till she r'ced"d from
sight She was lying still. and We were max
ing about twelve miles an hour. kept on
watching closely for / expecting some
thing more 10 happen and shortly after day
hr9ke NJ $40 o'clock. Captain Mann came on
the bridge with the second officer About !
.o,,.l, ,rc diecovcrod q large torpedo boat de-
strover painted light color with one funnel.
and having a gun mounted On her bow. lying
OF to TIE eastward about two miles. There is
not The slightest doubt Of the character Of tn"
vessel The second officer. who was on the
bridge and saw her. belongs to the Enghsh
Naval Reserve. | am connected with u, ana
/ va both have had naval training aboard war
vessels # different types and therefore kno" a
tain Mann also agreed with as we'll as
| others on board as 10 the character % the yes
/ SOL We know that there Is no torpedo boat
DESTROYER in the American Navy. and believe
! that a foreign battie-snip. most probably span
I eb with the twO smaller vessels acting as
/ scouts was lying in wait TO intercept some yes
Gel bourd for Nsw-York. Absolutely no lights
were shown and every appearance OF secrecy
was maintained. While the spot where We Ine'
,bars was about fifty miles to the eastward or
Nantucket right in the track of vessels bound
o. NaW-YOrk"