Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-06-12
NOT SPANISH SHIPS
Vessels Sighted Friday Night
Were Merchantmen.
ARRIVES FOR REPAIRS
Cruiser Minneopt ii, Will Go to the Ship
yard Tomorrow. Yale Leaves To-
day. La Grande Duchesse
.' In the Dock.
a a.,

| aH' Ma
| That Spanish fleet which was report
ed to have been lurking in the vicinity
of the Virginia capes Friday night.
proved to be merchantmen, headed by
the German freighter Constantia. Cap
| tain Rordin. bound from New Orleans
for Hamburg via Newport News, which
arrived here yesterday morning for
bunker coal; at least that is the suppo-
sition ".
Nevertheless, the rumor that the en-
emy's men-of-war were cruising out
side the Capes was circulated in good
faith at Old Point. and preparations
were made to give the Spaniards
warm reception, though the garrison at
Fort Monroe is always ready to meet
the naughty Dons. The report was
generally credited among the soldiers
Friday night, but the excitement which
is said to have prevailed at Old Point
was probably created by an excited bug
Ter. who, when summoning the officers
from the hotels to their posts, stated,
as though one with authority to speak
that Spanish warships were bound in,
and the report was soon on every
tongue. The rumor was carried from
place to place. Those who were ON the
streets of Hampton late at midnight
heard 1t, and it spread to this city. But
it was u mistake. E.# #"-0
A dispatch received from Cape Henry
yesterday morning, from which place
the first note of warning was said to
have been sounded, hushed the rulnor
and allayed excitement. It was as fol-
lows:
about 5 o'clock yesterday evening
reports began to come in of a suspic-
ious craft off the North Carolina coast
bound north. Her approach was her.
aided by various descriptions and A.
nnlly when she passed in the Capes at
$40 +. NJ. she proved to be the Ger
man steamship Constantia,, bound for
Newport News" l,is n y.
- The soldiers at Fortress Monroe wore
disappointed look YESTERDAY when
they heard~that no Spanish ships were
In sight. We waited for them all
might. said a sergeant yesterday, ..but
nave yet to get a glimpse Of a man-of-
war flying the Spanish rag. Were we
ready? Well, should say so. We were
itching for chance to train one of our
l3-inch boys on them. When these fel-
lows roar something Is going to drop"
Regarding the report an officer at Old
Point is quoted as having said: 1.
The ships which We're last night
mistaken for Spaniards have turned
out to be merchantmen. There were
two of them and as they did not show
any lights 1t was thought that they
We're warships from Cadiz and the tele-
gram was sent from the Capes.'
So it seems that there was good
ground for entertaining the belief that
Spanish ships We're really lurking out
side the capes
MINNEAPOLIS IN PORT.
The protected cruiser Minneapolis ar
rived here yesterday shortly before
noon and anchored near the Harvard
Monday the Minneapolis will go to the
shipyard for repairs. but it viii not be
necessary for the cruiser to go into the
dry dock. though it is not yet known
to what extent the vessel will be re-
paired, but it is stated that she is not
seriously damaged.
YALE NOW A CRUISER
The work of converting the scout
ship Yale. formerly the American liner
City of Paris, into an auxiliary cruiser
was completed at the shipyard yester-
day and the cruiser will leave. the yard
this afternoon at 4 O'clock. While at
the yard the Yale received an arma-
ment of eight 5-inch rapid-fire guns
Tomorrow afternoon the Harvard will
go to the shipyard to be converted into
a cruiser. She will mount the same
number of guns placed on the Yale.
DIXIE SAILS.
Shortly after O'Clock yesterday at
ternoon the auxiliary cruiser Dixie
weighed anchor and steamed away
from Old Point under sealed orders
The destination of the Dixie is un-
known. but her commander had been
time.
There is strong possibility that the
auxiliary cruiser Dixie. manned by
the Maryland naval militia, which Is
now lying at Hampton Roads. will join
Admiral Sampson at Santiago. The
Yankee and Yosemite, which are now
with the armorcladS there were origi-
nally sent to convey ammunition. This
may also be the mission Of the Dixie.
provided Admiral Sampson informs
the government that he is In need OF
more ammunition.
MORE GUNS FOR THE FORT.
Four large disappearing guns have
arrived at Fortress Monroe and Will be
mounted on the disappearing carriages
which are being built on the shore OF
the Chesapeake Bay. midway between
the old fort and the Pines Battery.
LA GRANDE DUCHESSE
The Plant Line steamer La Grande
Duchesse, which has been at the ship
yard for the last six months, went into
the dry dock yesterday afternoon at
high tide. Since she has been tied up
at the shipyard the palatial steamer
has received a new set of Scotch boil
ers In place of the Babcock steam gen.
orators. and it is expected that when
she goes out on trial trip that La
Grande Duchesse will make faster time
than she did while using the Babcock
boilers, and then she broke the record
| for fast running between New York and
Savannah.
Some time before the war began ma
val officials contemplated purchasing
the steamer for the purpose of convert
| ing her into hospital ship, and tomor-