New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-11
SPANIARDS BUSY AS ANTS
SAND BATTERIES SPRING UP BY NIGHT
ON CUBAS COST.
AS FAST AZ THEY ARE DISCOVERED BY THE
RLOCKADING FLEET THEY ARE kNo'hr'
powN-T14B HORNET FIRES AGAIN
AT MATANZAS

AT MATANZAs
fc,,v-,,-- 1sas by the Associated Press
I'm Rosrd the Associated Press Dispatch-boa
Kate Spencer. off Cardenas, May .. Via Key
West. Fla. May 1O-The Spanish soldiers are
displaving much activity along the coast from
Bahia Honda forty-hve miles west OF Havana
70 Cardinals sixty five miles east. AS the SHIPS
of the blcckadlng feet have instructions 10 pre-
vent the erection OF new fortihcatons. and nave
AZ variou, places shelled working parties. the
task OF STRENGTHENING existing defences ana
throwing up earthworks is carried on princi-
pallv AZ night. except IN the Immediate vicinity
OF Havana
The narrow escape Of tn. Vicksburg and the
Morrill, en- Saturday. when they were decoyed
within easy range Of the Santa Clara batteries
,ust west OF Moro Castle has taught some or
the unarmored ships a lesson. and Il is not likely
that that class Of boats will venture within close
range o. the modern high-pOwer guns again
But along the coast fresh sand batteries are be-
ing thrown UP almost every night. AS these
works are OF a r,nsy character. and would he
reduced by the FIRE Of big guns In few minutes
the officers Of the blockadins feet believe cap
tain-General Blanco Is wasting a good deal o.
trouble. The strengthening Of the fornidaoe
works about Havana Is a different th'ns IL
may be- however that By the erection OF these
Hight batteries which must he abandoned as
soon rs the serious work of the feet begins
Blanco puts heart into his starving soldiers ana
irnbues them with the idea that Yankee inva-
sion can be repealed.
The Hornet and the Winslow. now blockading
Matanzas. have had a lively time ,or several
days Smelling Spaniards at work on batteries
and telegraph lines outside o, the entrance Of
the harbor. There ~ other places. most ~
the work Is done at night. and each morning
sees fresh earthworks thrown UP Ike ant-hils
against the rusty green u the coast line
on Sunday morning the Hornet found a party
putting up telegraph line from the lighthouse
and signal station a mile east o, Matanzas Har-
Dor 70 the batteries west ot Point Sabani!la- on
the other side Of the bay. The batteries here
are said 10 be OF some magnitude. mounting A
few h,gh-power guns To stop this tciegraphlc
activity the Horne; quietly ran IN and dropped a
she'll IN the midst % the worknen. They sent
tered Ike rabbits and the telegraph nrc
grounded then and there. Several telegraph
parties have been discouraged in the sare way
AZ other places. II Is evidently the intention os
III. span,ards to establish Communication with
all their coast blockhouscs and batteries ~
wire Hereafter they Will probably carry their
wires behlnd the Nrst rang o' hllt' "He'r 'He'
Will he les. subject 70 sudden interruption. Il Is
not possible that there ara enough heavy guns
at IN. command Of tho Spaniards q mount
them In all the new sand batteries spr.nging NJ.
hut. a. there I. railway from Havana 10 Ma
tanzas quite close 70 the coast. the authorities
may really delute themselves with the iiea that
they can transport heavy guns 20 the batteries
nearest tho threatened landing places whenever
their watchers telegraph the appearance O,
American transports OF the coast