The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-14

WITH THE BLOCKADlNG St9OAI-
RON OFF HAVANA Aug. u Wn'"
s.ot the news OF Ccrvcfa oeIt'O "D'S
KIN We fclt here as though we were b.'
zinc 1eft ont of am the glory OF ine "I
b,,f rccent events show as that our
chance is coming. 49,. .,.,,.
Tu,e rats I'M "a hole. that IS the way
,he neople I'm Havana ind themselves
With the hole stopped up ana hoiHiIs ~
cat inside the hole. ,,
our blockadng feet has ho,n ron,
forced NV small vessels and yachts unul
A. extends around the south coast OF
cuba and the only way 10 Eet lh is
through us. an operation Whlch ulo
Spanish are not attempting very MUG"
just these days
T'p 20 this time they have been rum
ming the blockade pretty well through
the Isle Of Pines Vessels could easily
get here from Jamaica and Mexican
ports. and the supply though small was
steady enough 10 supply provisions Q"
the weather. families Of Havana those
p that could afford to buy them. since the
.Furrendcr of Santiago this has bceh
stopped.
BLOCKADE RUNNERS.
The principal route selected for this
contraband trade was through the Isle
Of Pines and thence 20 Havana, VIA
Batabano. This made the Isle of Pines
a port Of entry for Havana for small
vessels from jamaican and Mexican
norris II was a roundabout way. ANA
entailed great trouble and expense but
IL kent the people from actual st1rN1-
tion The system was never established
on a. large scale. and never had ma
terial erect upon the continuation OF
the war.
The recent extensions of the blockade
Of the south coast of cuba. however.
aave entirely broken mp this business.
AT the same time the blockade of tho
northern coast was made 10 embrace
moro ports. 90 render impossible the cs-
Establishment of a similar source OF sup
ply upon that side 10 viii thus be
seen that there S. left but one means
~ introducing provisions into Havana.
and that is the very prccarious method
Of directly forcing am entrance through
the feet Of the harhor. This accounts
Tor the disastrous attempt on the part
Of the Alfonso XII
with the blockade extended. strength
cnod and frightened Il is only "a matter
of time when Havana gives up.
We OF the hlockading fleet are 10 be
allowed the glory of firing her forts
and / speak 90 be the one 90 send
shot into MORO She IS only an old
pile OF mud but she stands There ass grey
and saucv as THOUGH she were Eng
lands best stronghold.
RECEIVING SPIES.
'fft OF inc liI lIiN lIilA i'fNi lINIA' On
forded by the reception of spies and de-
serters aboard blockade ships.
We spend n fraction Of the time
searching the waves for small boats.
mostly row boats. when in mailing
distance we megaphone thcm. Up goes
tc signal for. thouGn they can
hear the mcgaphone they have no other
way TO reply. and We make FOR them.
They are mostly Spaniards starved ont
OF Havana who prefer TO live with MS
md eat rather than stay with Blanco
and die.
An insurgcnt spy succeeded in escap-
ING ont or Havana on last Monday and
was picked up by the Bancroft. He tells
tale Of woe concerning the situation
I'm that CITY Provisions are becoming
scarccr every day This man himself
caught large shark outside OF Havana
short time ago and had no difficulty
I'm selling II for SIS to serve as food.
Sharks meat is even considered quite
delicacy I'm the famine-stricken city
and horses and dogs are becoming very
scarce.
II IS meat and drink 90 us TO hear
these tales. The policy Of our govern
ment Is 10 starve ont Havana. IL may
De humane but the waiting Is trying on
us.
GETTING THE MAIL.
The very welcome mail and batch
~ newspapers comes once in "a while.
II g. brought by the Nashville the
Hamilton. the Amplitude and the Ban-
croft or whatever ship happens 10 be
coming our way The letters are I'm n
leather pouch which IS opened Ivy our
authorized distributor. lie asserts tho
letters and hands them over while wo
grab and read. one lucky man got ten
letters when the Hamilton came IN and
80 was so happy he cried. lie IS reading
those letters yet. His mother and sis
ters and lot OF friends an happened 10
write him az once. one fellow got
picture OF his girl lie cut out the head
and occupied nearly all day framing IL
IN canvas Tor the inside of his cap. n
YOU know anybody on the hlCCkading
squadron write 60 them. Make your let
tiers long and write often.
PASSING THE TIME.
Though we are not fighting we get
Through the day very well We DO
what the land lubbers cal military
manocuvres" and we practice target
shooting.
When the wreck OF the Alfonso XII
lay submerged with its hun above water
funny thing happened. captain Ieary
arrived with the san Francisco: and the
huciackets aboard eagerly begged per-
mission 10 try few shots at the hulk.
They said they had had none Of the glory
OF Porto Rico or san Juan nor Of Ma
Mia. Could they shoot this empty tar
get? Commodore Howell. so whose
charge the biocksding SQUADRON was en-
trusted Is n kind-hearted man and con-