The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-01

OF Volley firing.
1t was plainly small arms attack.
though no smoke was seen. The enc
my was thought to be hidden close
to the beach and in front Of a ruined
white building, which sloped as If 1t
had once been the hacienda Of to-
bacco plantation. Now and again in
dividual firing was heard and well-reg-
ulated volleys continued at Intervals.
1t was conjectured that one troop Of
cavalry, dismounted, was doing the
firing.
The officers Of the flagship stood on
deck trying to ascertain definitely the
exact location of the enemy. Rear
Admiral Sampson finally decided that
the lesson taught at Matanzas must be
taught again at Cabanas.
At few minutes past o'clock, one
of the four-inch guns In the after port
battery sent shot flying, raising a
little cloud Of dust about 100 yards in
front of the hacienda and just above
where the Spanish cavalry stood. A
few more shots from this battery were
fired, but the ground was evidently
damp, no dust arose and 1t was hard
to tell where the shells fell. They were
fired at 3,4OO yards range. The Span
iards were not heard from after the
first shot.
The New York then turned her bow
eastward. The target practice was ap-
parently over for the evening. Her star
board batteries now bore on the coast.
A moment or SO later Capt. Chadwick
saw the Spanish cavalry, then mount
ed, ascending a hillside towards the
hacienda, and he personally trained a
oo1, nj
the second one Pumping right among
the Spaniards, who scattered in all di-
rections.
The New York then steamed ahead
towards Moro castle and the band of
the flagship continued it's musical pro-
gramme.
The trip, which ended in the target
practice at Cabanas, commenced about
noon, when the flagship, with the Eric
sson and Porter, started westward. The
admiral was anxious to personally in
vestigate the blockaded harbors Upon
this occasion the first good view Of
the city of Havana was obtained. the
New York steaming within range OF
her batteries, the Palace the cathedral
and parade and the Notifications"
were plainly visible.
When out of range Of the Santa Clara
batteries, after passing the Iowa, De-
troit, Mangrove and Mayf1ower, the
flagship proceeded westward steaming
about two miles distant from the shore.
When Mariel, twenty-five miles from
Havana, was reached, the flagship
came to standstill, and the gunboat
Castine which was guarding that port,
was hailed. Capt Berry, thereupon,
went on board the flagship and had a
consultation with the admiral
A careful inspection Of Mariel har-
Dor revealed the presence Of two small
| Spanish gunboats and four schooners,
| well in behind an old fashioned martello
| tower on one side and flimsy little
| fort on the other. The combined bat
terry of the two Qualifications" is one
Misunderstanding cannon.
After lying for forty minutes In this
harbor, the admiral proceeded to Ca
banas, saying: "Mariel looks altogether
too peaceful to be disturbed"
| 1t is believed mines have been laid
| Fleet Vigilant.
| No seizures have been made in the
last day or two by any vessels of the
| fleet, though the Cincinnati held up a
fishing schooner, whose crew was bad
ly frightened. They offered their en-
| tire catch for their release. The schoon-
er was allowed to go.
There are two small Spanish gun
boats which are evidently trying to
escape from Cuban waters. Capt
| Evans has seen them a long distance
| off, but they were very shy, and would
| not come near enough to be shot at,
| and afterwards ran back into port 1t
| will be next to impossible for them to
| escape the vigilance of the squadron
| now.
Except the Spanish cruiser Alphonso
XII, there is nothing in Havana har-
Dor which could not be blown out OF
the water by the Mayf1ower or Man
grove.
All the officers of the fleet hunger
for news from the United States, par
ticularly regarding the movements OF
the army or the doings Of the Spanish
ships at the Cape Verde islands.
The torpedo boat Porter, while close
into shore last night, reports having
been fired upon by the Cojimar battery
which is to the eastward of Moro cas-
tie. The Porter escaped unscathed.
A strict watch against a possible tor
pedo attack is being kept on board the
flagship. All the available officers take
deck watches at night, including the
chaplain, paymaster's clerk and the as
sistant surgeon.
The small craft captured by the viii.
mington yesterday was only taken tc
Key West because her crew were mem.
bers Of the second Spanish naval re.
serve. 1t was thought also that they
might be members of the crew of one
Of the torpedo gunboats for which YES.
| al CHI to-