The evening times., 1898-09-12
AFORNAL GALLON BLANCO
Details of the Arrival of the
American Commission.
COURTESY AND CEREMONY
Admiral Sampson and His Friends
Presented to the Spanish Captain
GcneraI-The American Admiral
Delivered u NCte From President
McNinleS.

New York. Sept 12.-Havana adyices to
the Herald, giving details of the arrival
of the American Military Commission in
Havana, say that the incident was mark
ed by the utmost quiet
MORO sgnaIled that an American war
ship had been sighted at 6 o'clock
Saturday morning. The Resolute pass
ed the castle responding to the dipping
of the Spanish flag at 1880 o'clock. No sa-
| lutte was fired, because the Resolute was
not classed by the Spanish officials as a
vessel carrying cannon able to return a
salute of greeting.
AS she passed up the harbor, her star
board side toward Havana, her decks
and portfolios were lined with officers,
crew and stokers, most of whom never
saw before the picturesque city in the
promised land, the unfolding of which in
a Drigat-co!ored panorama under the
morning light was watched with keen in
terest.
Just before sunrise boat manned by
American sailors put off from the Reso-
Lutte, making fast to a buoy directly be-
tween the Maine wreck and the Church of
Casa Blanca. The ports and decks of the
Resolute fronting Havana were STILL and
/ long after crowded by Americans, gazing
at the distorted remnant of the battle
ship the Comal or Transport No. 7, and
the medieval city beyond. dotted with
towers, turre5s, pepper boxes. and
strange, light-hued structures, of an arch
, itecture TO which the men We're little ac
customed, unless in pictures of Oriental
! scenes.
COurtcsies From French Officers.
Almost Immediately after the sunrise
! gun the executive officer of the French
| frigate Fulton boarded the Resolute from
his ships gig. He was resplendent in
cooked hat and the gold braid of his full
! parade uniform. He came to pay his
] commanders respects and arrange for his
call on Admiral Sampson. He stayed only
a few minutes. Just before he reached
/ the top Of the gangway navy yard
steam launch came alongside the Reso-
lutte with Gen. BlanCo'S representatives
10 pay formal call. Secretary General
Congosto, wearing light trousers, a frock
coat, and silk hat, and carrying gloves.
handed Gen Solauo 10 the steps. Con-
gosto was appointed to represent Gen.
Blanco III a civil capacity, and Gen. So
lano as his military representative.
DIR. Congosto was followed by Major
Juan Garcia Bemitz. of Gen. Blancos
staff, as Gen. Solano's aid. There was
only the three in the party.
A Spanish naval gig came alongside the
Resolute about $50 with Lieut. Felipe
conveying his superior's respects His
call was very short, he returning to shore
on the Spanish launch after dismissing
! the gig.
Secretary General Congosto and Gen
Solano We're still with the commission
ers in the main saloon about 3 o'clock
when a sailboat brought the Spanish
I equivalent of a messenger boy with a
cablesram for Admiral Sampson. The
Resolute's long gray yawl came alongside
/ the landing stairs. A man in spotless
white uniform with white tassels hanging
from his sword hilt came down and took
his seat in the stern sheets. He was
Lieut.. c. {. Marsh, of the navy. aide TO
Admiral SAMPSON
Landing on the Wharf
Lieut.. Marsh. holding the tiler rope.
steered straight for La Machina wharf.
His unfamiliarity with Havana harbor
! led him to make the mistake of landing
at the public wharf, instead of the ma
val station at one side of it, \ crowd
| of 'beteros" and customs officials laugh
! ed and nudged each other at the ''inde-
pendencia del Yankee" but Lieut. Marsh
| brushed them aside A spanish officer
WAS passing up and down the wharf
! Lieut. Marsh could not speak Spanish
and the officer could not make himself
understood in English but they bowed
| and geSticulated and Lieut.. Marsh sig
| naied for the American boat TO come up
the wharf of the navy yard. Lieut.
| Marsh jumped into a carriage and drove
away 10 the British consulate to present
| Admiral SIMPSONS compliments to Act
! ing Consul Jerome. Later he drove to
the cable office and sent to Washington
notice of the commissions arrival.
Just the homeward-bound troops
were passing a squad of marines was
drawn up as a guard of honor near the
head of the Resolutes stairs. At quar-
ter past o'clock the Commission reap
| peared on deck. There was a slight ami
! cable debate, due to reluctance to take
precedence. ending in the partys entry
1 into the Spanish launch in the following
! order: Secretary General Congosto
| Rear Admiral Sampson, General So.ano
Gen. Wade Gen. Butler. Col. Clous, Ma
! jor BeniteZ and Mr. Hart. As they pass
! ed down the Eangway the marines pre-
sented arms, the kettledrums beat and
| the bugle played. giving realistic mill
| tary touch. All the Americans in the
| party wore dress uniforms. with the plain
! flat-visored caps of the American army
and navy.
The Gale de Officios' Is one the prin-
cipal warehouse streets in Havana. In
ii are both the custom house and postof-
fee The hour when the Commission
passed through ii was the busiest of the
DAY. but their arrival seemed a matter
of absolutely no interest to the crowds
of men on the narrow sidewalks. Their
indifference was so marked 1t seemed
almost studied
In BIancO's Throne Room.
Around the Plaza de Arma were scat
tered '.Orden Publicos" under personal
supervision of Col. Paglier, chief of po-
lice. At the entrance to the palace arch
way, directly in the center, drawn up on
either side of it, was La Guardia del Cen
eral Blanco, but unarmed and defense
less.
They stood with their backs to the wall
closing across the archway as the COM
mission entered. Led by DR.. Congosto
and Gen. Solano, the party went up the
old mirrored staircase, over which carpet
had been spread, to the throne room on
the second floor where Gen. Blanco, in
Spain's ordinary uniform, was waiting to
receive them. One by one the members
of the commission were presented by Dr.
Congosto Admiral Sampson handed to
Gen. Blanco a large envelope containing
a note from President Mckinley. Then
the commission walked downstairs, got
into carriages and drove away
Col. Clous and Mr. Fart accompanied
by lieutenant of the Orden Publicos,
drove TO the finance department to pre-
lS-