Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-05-18
Another Spider and Fly
Trick Which Failed.
ENGAGEMENT OFF HAVANA
Decoy Ships Sent Out to Bring
United States Ships Under Big
Guns of Moro and Santa Clara
Yankees Had Fallen Into Trap
Once.

havana OF SlA SulPo oh oH O
blockading station. Unable tc
come out to do battle, he adopted
the tactics of the spider and
cuningly planned to draw the prey
into his net, but though clever
and pretty scheme, as an original
proposition, it was practically a
repetition of the trick by which the
gunboat Vickburg and the little
converted revenue cutter Morrin
were last week decoyed by a fish
ingsmack urder the big Krupp
guns of Santa Clara batteries.
Late this afternoon tbs ships on
the Havaua station were dumb
founded to see two ships steam out
of Havana harbor and head east.
Dense smoke was streaming like
black ribbons from their stacks,
and glance showed that they
were under a full head Of steam.
By aid OF glasses, Commander
Lilly, of the Mayflower, which was
flying the pennant, made out the
larger vessel of the two, which was
about 200 feet long and $500 tons
displacement, to be the cruiser Al
phonso XII, and the smaller one
to be the gunboat Legazpt, both Of
which we're known to be bottled up
in Havana harbor. At first be
supposed that they were taking
advantage of the absence or the
heavy fighting ships and were
making a bone fde run for the
open sea. AS superior officer, he
Immediately signalled the other
ships on the station, the Vicksburg,
Annapolis, Wasp, Tecumseh and
Osceola, which were moving in, to
form column en- echelon, with
gunboats on the right flank. The
little squadron moved in obllquely
toward the fleeing Spaniards,
keeping up running fire as they
went.
The Alphonso and her consort
circled in shore about five miles
below Havana, and, after running
in for half a mile, headed back for
Moro castle. Our gnnboats and
the other thinskinned vessels of the
mosquito fleet did not follow in.
The Associated Press dispatch
boat Kate Spencer witnessed the
action, which lasted over an hour.
IS spectacle, the greatest master
of stagecraft could not have evolved
finer setting.
The big Alphonso and her convoy
steamed swiftly from the dark
shadow of the harbor's mouth, and,
turning sharply east, ran along
the coast as though to slip through
the Gordon of blockade. 1t was
q told trick and not at first
transparent, although the folly OF
Il created a suspicion as there was
no hope of ultimate escape, and nc
object in escaping. The Mayfower
standing well out, like a cat with q
mouse, gave q slight start, then
swinging her engines and tiny
squadron into line, dashed in tc
line, dashed ID to cut them off
The Spanish boats crowded on
steam and stood along the coast as
long as they dared give zest to
the chase.
The Mayfower signalled he1
consorts, "close in and charge
Word was flung on from ship tc
ship, as they steamed in column
en- echelon.
Seeing the bait had apparently
taken, the Spaniards veered aboat
and, bringing their stern chaserE
to bear on the Americans, doubled
back for Moro.
Two of the shells from the Yicks.
burg burst in the rigging of the
Alphonso and some of it came
down, but it was, of course, impos,
sible to know whether any fatali.
ties occurred. The American fire
was much more accurate than the
Spanish, as every shell of the lat.
ter fell short of their pulsuers.
The Sprniards were mile of
Moro, and our ships fully -four
miles further out, when flames
leaped from the batteries of Santa
Clara forts and clouds of white
smoke drifted up the coast. Halt
a minute later a dull, heavy roar q
a great gun came like a deep diap.
ason of an organ on high treble Of
smaller guns. 1t was from one O!
the 12-inch Krupps mounted there
and an S5o-pound projectilc plung,
ed into the water half a mile inside
of the American line, throwing ur
a tower of white spray. 1t richo.
chetted and struck again half g
mile outside.
The mask was now off. Mad.
dened by the failure of their plot
the Spaniards continued to fire al
intervals of about 10 minutes. In
all, 19 shots were fired, but not one
struck within 200 yards of one Of
our ships. AS soon as the battery
opened, Commander Lilly signall-
ed, AMI his fleet stood off shore
Captain Mckenzie on the bridge
of the Vicksburg, watched the fall
Of the shells, but he considered it
useless to waste ammunition al
that distance. He appeased the
desire of the mon at the guns, how