The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-04-25
The Cruiser New York Has a Rather
Lively Experience.
THE PEDRO OF BllBoA CAPTURED.
1t Took Solid Shot to Maks the
Spaniard Weaken.
PRIZE Is A VALUABLE ONE.
MORO Castle Opens On the saund-
ron, but Not Shot Came
Near Taking Eject.

. r.
On Board the Flagship New York, on
Havana, April s3.-lCcpyrighted, 1898, by
the Associated Press.)-- a. ni.--Morro
castle opened iire on tho fighting squadron
at II o'clock last night About ton shots
we're sent IL the direction OF cur ships,
but not one OF them taok effect and no shots
were fired In return.
The Spaniards had apparently seen ,ha
lights of the New York while the latter was
SIGNALLING ship Of the squadron. The
firing was reported by the OFFICER of thc
deck Ensign j. r. Eddy. ia Captain Chad
wick. who was asleep at the time. The
officer: asked tie captain in somewhat on;
cited tones whether The New York had not
tettcr discontinue signalling.
No multcrrd Captain Chadwick, With
the utmost coolness, There IS no NECESSITY
for stopping the signals. Go ubcad.', s#.1
4 litlle iSstcr Captain Chadwick was ii,
the forward bridge whence lie watched the
tongues OF flame shoot from MORO castls,
Re glanced in tite direction OF THE Spanish
forts for d few seconds and then turned his
Lack On them ih silent contempt ana went
back to his bed pcrfsctly certain that the
Spanish could do no damage ut fyea miles,
which was then the distance OF The flag
ship from MORO castle.
Another officer suil "'rho spanards
probably became nervous and decided they
could not sleep without some fireworks
They can't lit anything anyway"
There was no excitement on board ,he.
y t., tttriv
tempt at gunlery, The discipline was real
III splendid. In fact. at this hour many
people on board the flagahip did not know
The Spanish first gums oil war had been
fired and that the New York was their
target. The United States cruiser Chem.
natl, Captain G. n Chester, reported to
the flagship at midnight: n have a prize.
II is. therefore, eviden, that the other ships
besides the New York have been busy
during the night The value OF the cap
tire made by the Cincinnati is unknoNh at
this writing. MORO castle light, which
was burning brightly all The evening, was
put out at midnight. The Spaniards evil
IDENTIFY realized though rather late, that
the sole use Of MORO light up to that time
had been TO serve as n guide for the fleet
of the United States. The capture OF the
Spanish steamer Pedro and the incidents
attending on the squadron $ appearance,
already reported briefly In these dispatches,
form an intensely interesting chapter OF
the history OF the war s
About 1880 p. m. yesterday. when Hay-
ana was fifteen miles distant, the squad
ron was. signalled into battle from Il dou-
BILE column, the New York leading the bat
tleships and the Cincinnti leding the cruis-
ers and gnnhoats. Just as TIL, evolution
was completed the following signal was
l.oisted oil the flagship. Disregard move
ments Of commander ir chief"
l. t.tllr rnYVf
Chief Engineer Mcconnell thi. message: |
',Gct up all the steam you can. A steamer I
has been sighted and the admiral wishes to |
capture her.
few moments later smoke was polr-
Ine from all three OF the New York's fun |
ueis aud she stood away to the sottheast,
The rest of the squadron led by the low,
20 ntinued on It's course. heading In
direction. The New YORK |
vss blowing the water at rapidly in
creased speed and was fast leaving the
in the rear. Away in the no
lance close under the mist mus
,f Cuba, midway between Havana aad Ma
tanzas, could be seen the outlines OF
large steamer heading 10 the eastward
echoed fore and aft. and the Officers ana
riew of the New York gathered on her
decks. eagerly watching the flagship
,hurn through the blue water, foainns
white at her stern until she WAS making
eighteen knots. The New York gained rap
Gly on the stranger until to the great de-
jght of all on board the cruiser II was
sy,dont that The latter would cut off the
.teamer frcm escape The crew OF the |
sew York by thia time wore at tneir stn-
ions and the guns were loaded era trainer.
When the Spanish flag YVES aeen iiylng AZ
he Strangers stern a cry oil delight wfhl
an from the blue Jackets on poaru tne
sew York II WAS evident that the span
ara was LONG her best TO get away from
he cruiser hoping to find safety IN shaiIo"
rater where the flagship couli moi dare
n follow her. When the spaniard was
,bout fhrae miles from shore ana mile
rom the Sow York al eight uoh gun IRON
ne cruisers forward turret suuhfniy
,eIched out 4 stream Of fire, accompanied
by crashing report u was oniy nea,t
10 a warming shot, but the steel proJec'iie
gent ricocheting in DANGEROUS proxiInity 70
he fleeing merehantman. The ecno OF me
oroft he'd hardly died away among CNpa
,iilg when the spanard hove ~. Anoul
IN minutes later the New YORK was hcai
,cr In the distance a few lonely ioohims
,nuses could be seen perrhed on WI,
~ IIe,tenant p. -. Capehsrt AID com
.fssd OF Assistant Engineer Neal, four
marines and boats crew. all wen armed,
vera lowered over the ride 81 'nc CRUISER
ma amid exullant cheers from thcir com
AIDES on board The New YORK ihry nuiisa
,yer 10 the Spaniard which proved 10 be
he PEDRO. OF Bilbao, an excellept Prize
;carcely had the prize crew leit he New
york for their new command before q
flank shot Was fired rom forward linen
nm Of tie New York, TINS WAS Flkna'
u, steamer 10 the westward TO stop
no latter vas scurryirg away as fast ~
ne Wind ana water would iet her,
once more The New York swiftly cu. we
r,res throbbed as IL iinpellei by the ex
Clement Of the chase. Then again the
/. Inch cum beiched out It's note OF warning.
his timc hurting across the water s.ee'
Diupction as an emphasis TO ths order %
,raye 10. The second strange steamer soon
,arnc 10 a staudstiil and was boarded hut
,reat was the disappointment on board inc
New York when It was seen she vas hYinR
ie German iiav.
Ensign Drumby. who boarded the Ger
nan. reported that she WIS tramp