The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-13
EXODUS FROM KEY WEST.
Hard Work Aboard ship and I'm the
Forts.

Key West, Fla. April 13.-The rush from
Key West to the mainland continues
| The desire to get away while yet there is
time seems to have taken possession Of
nearly every one. and all who can get
away are Fastening to avail themselves
of the opportunity. The rush to the
mainland was continued today with in
creased hurry and precipitateness.
Two vessels, the Mascotte and the City
Of Key West. sailed tonight loaded with
passengers. These. with what have gone
before. make up a large proportion of
the population. Most of them are going
to Tampa or to Miami.
To add to the situation a water famine
is threatened. There is no lack Of drink
water, but the ships are having difficulty
i'm keeping up their supply of fresh water.
Meanwhile the vessels of the fleet are
busy at the grim work of preparation for
conflict. The Nashville and Helena are
taking on coal today. but the rest are
either at drill or taget practice, and keep
ing up the incessant grind TO secure the
highest possible lighting efficiency.
The only American ship that has gone
to Havana since Sunday is the Ward liner
Vigilancia. She will sail from Havana
direct for New York, IL she is permitted
to get out at ALL Some are indulging in
serious speculations whether or not she
will.
Work on the Notifications here cOntin-
ues without abatement Guns are being
placed in position. and in few days
Key West will be capable Of vigorous
defense against any attack.
The schooner Davis Farlfn arrived to-
day from New York with guns and mu-
nitions consigned to Lieutenant G. ii.
McKinstry. of the Engineer Corps. There
were unloaded today four l0-inch breech-
loading rifles, two s-inch bkreech loading
rifles. twelve boxes of mechanism and
two Pinch mortars. These were for
warded from New York By Lieutenant
Colonel A s. Kimball.
Great interest is felt here in the pre-
parations made by the Government Off
cials TO land troops in Cuba should such
a step become necessary. An officer of
high rank with the fleet. when question
ed on the subject today. said he was not
aware of any such arrangements hav-
ing been made, but he presumed the nee
essary steps in that direction had been
taken.
He added that the fleet itself could not
transport a sufficient number of men to
make an efficient landing party. There
fore transports must be provided. as II
will be necessary to disembark a strong
force of troops in Cuba. falling which the
first few shots fired are likely to be the
signal for rioting in the city of Havana
and elsewhere. notably in the provinces
OF Matanzas and Pinar del Rio, in which
case many innocent lives will be sacri-
feed.
A Spaniard OF position said 10 an Eng
lishman. just before the latter left Ha-
vana. on Saturday last:
LAS soon as the certainty of war is
known here there will surely be such a
demonstration as Havana has never
known before. / dread to think of the
consequences TO life and property. Many
of the volunteers are mere lads of twelve
or fourteen vars of age. They have new
er handled rifles until recently, and they
have no idea how 10 handle them prop
erly These boys. even IL they wanted
20 do so. could not keep their rifles out
of the hands of the rebels. The govern
ment cannot furnish protection, and we
shall be fortunate if we are able to save
our own skins"
the Sand Key fleet show that great quiet
ude prevails on board the warships. al
though the officers and men believe they
are almost certain to be off To Havana
very shortly. The work of cOalins and
watering goes on. so that the ships may
start with full supplies; but all such
operations could be stopped instantly
were orders received for the fleet to
move.
1t is not known that any additional
ships have been ordered here. The indi-
cations are that the ,xpectant sailors
will have another very hot day of wait
ing for news from Washington.