The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-06-01
DULL WORK
Hanging Around the Coast of Cuba
Waiting for an Engagement.

waiting fOr an IiuHHSemeut.
Especial Cable to The Post and New YortA
Herald. Copyright. 1925, by James Gordon
Bennett)
On Board the Hcrad's Dispatch Boat
Albert f. Dewey, Key West Fla, MAY
81 For four days I have been with
the bockadng squadron. On the trip the
quiet has been undisturbed and when II
left the Cuban coast today one division
Of the fleet was sailing westward at no
more than steerage way, and the other
was fading into the blue haze. living to
the eastward.
Stranger than all else is the calm hich
came over the weather. Seas heretofore
torn by easterly gales and hidden by
driving rain squalls, have for these four
days been smooth, with never a cloud
to cast shadow. This absormal weather.
with the knowledge that Schley's squad
ron is visa Wis with that of Cervera has
convinced every one here that the long
delayed attack on Havana and invasion OF
Cubt is at last at hand. Officers OF the
fleet expressed their positive belief that
the Spanish feet is no longer menace.
that the weather is now suitable for land
ing troops and what Is equally import
ant thai it is favorable for the monitors.
1t Is these vessels that are relied upon
for efficient work when it comes to an
attack on the Havana batteries. But II
if any immediate assault on these WORKS
is contemplated | can see no sign OF 1t.
Though heading in opposite directions
the two divisions OF the fleet seemed
when I left It, in no hurry to get any
where and the sense of inertness was
crly broken by the smsllow-iike fitting
of the torpedo boats, which in restless
search for adventure, darted here and
there, and almost danced in their strong
desire to do something These boats go
nosing along the coast with a sure con-
viction that some enemy is lurking there
and doubly sure when there Is no sign
of one.
The ships are kept in battle trim, but
in their dingy and discolored garb of
lighting gray no one would ever recog-
nize the spick and span structures with
which Americans are familiar. the
change seems to have affected the May
flower more than any OF the rest. That
dainty vessel, late queen of the yachting
feet, now wears look Of melancholy
along with her gray coat of war and
saunters around as if she were above all
this
And the climate seems to have gotten
into the engines Of the gunboats. Their
old time interest has subsidized, and they
no longer go in mere wanton chase Of
the horizon to see what may be behind It,
The New York which had left for some
undiscovered reason. rejoned the fleet this
morning. Commodore Watson paid visit
to the ship and there was long consul
tation between the commander in-chief
and his ranking subordinate
While every one in the blockade was
glad to hear the news that Ccrverds
squadron had been bottled UP IN SANTIAGO
by Commodore Schiey. none reioiced more
than the torpedo boat commanders. Mean
while the Spanish flag has been swept
from the seas and the waters here are as
safe for American merchantmen as are
those Of the New England coast.
In this connection II Is well to mention
the amusement caused among officers by
the almost daily reports of heavy fling
on the New England coast" and that con-
stantly recurring item telling that sone
wild Legged shipmaster has been chased up
| or down that region by some vessel, be
! leved to be Spanish man. of-war.
| One officer, whose attention was at
tracted to the active warfare which seemed
| to be raging up the New EnIland way,
proceeded to cut out and put IN scrap
book the reports as they appeared, this
same war being a bit slow down herr.
Were Its seat Is located, and giving time
| for such frivolity.
| This interesting souvenir shows that
| during the thiriy-eisht DAYS the war has
been on there has been heavy firing OF
| the New England coast" for twenty six
days ana nights. and no less than sixteen
! shipmasters have had the chase of their
lives by strange goblin craft. which pu--
sued them in the night time and are never
heard Of by dav,
The matter has become standing ioka
down here. and whenever dispatch b at
reaches the fleet from Kew IVES. her fret
greeting from the ships Is an eluiry for
the latest war news from the New England