The record-union., 1898-07-03
NOTES Of THE WAR.
INTERESTING ITEMS CLEANED
AT KEY WEST.
Things Seen at Night-Key West as
q Naval Base-Hospital Ships
Cuban Patriots.


KEY WEST (F1a.), July 2.-The lines
Of steam and sailing vessels plying be-
tween Atlantic Coast and Gulf and
West Indian ports could, if they
wished, resume their service, except to
the Spanish Islands. There are no
Spanish ships at sea to prey upon
American commerce. When General
Skaters army sailed from Tampa
along the north coast of Cuba and to
Santiago de Cuba it was conveyed by
twelve warships, including the great
battleship Indiana, and the fleet moved
in compact order and at a snaiPs pace,
in order that the ships might not be-
come separated. But naval officers say
that no convoy whatever was needed,
and that the troops for the Porto Rico
expedition can sail with perfect safety
uncOnyoyed There are formidable
Spanish warships at Santiago, but they
are not likely to get out; there is tor
pedo boat at San Juan, Porto Rico, but
it dares not come out, either. When
party of newspapermen were seeking
to charter sailing vessel to carry them
to Jamaica from Key West the other
day they paid no attention to the YES
sells flag, except that they rather pre-
ferred going in an American ship, on
principle They knew perfectly well
that they would not meet any Spanish
vessel. The newspaper dispatch boats
sail about the island with the utmost
freedom. The Spanish flag has been
swept from the Spanish main and from
the West Indian seas. The steamship
line that realizes this first and resumes
it's customary service will soon be DO
ing a good business.
THINGS SEEN AT NIGHT.
Newspaper boats and little auxiliary
gunboats used to come into Key West
with stories of having been chased by
or having chased Spanish steamers.
The stories varied a good deal, but the
strangers were always seen at night,
and generally carried a bright light by
which their movements were easily
made out One boat thought she saw
three Spanish cruisers and a torpedo
boat. A torpedo boat sighted a tor
pedO boat destroyer and chased her.
Although the American made twenty
three knots an hour, the stranger did
better, and got away. Other boats
saw all sorts of black steamers that
became invisible with the dawn
The boat that brought in the story
about sighting four Spanish vessels
caused a great sensation and cost the
Government a lot of money, beside de-
laying the departure of Skaters army
for nearly a week. Scouts sent out to
locate the Spaniards failed to find any
trace of them. The Captain of the
boat was the only man aboard who saw
the Spaniards plainly, and he told a
story that was full Of details, yet there
was no doubt that he was mistaken.
No one now believes the story; no one
now believes that any of the vessels
seen at night were Spaniards. Those
who thought they saw them were ex-
cited, and their imaginations conjured
up boats out of nothing in the tropical
night.
KEY WEST AS A NAVAL BASE.
One day recently the newspapers
published a circumstantial account of
the arrival of General Skaters troop
ships at Key West; Of how the Gen.
eral had complained of the accom-
modations on board the ships, and even
| threatened to disembark the men at
Key West. The troopships did not
come to Key West nor in sight Of Key
West, and there was no reason why
they should have come here. Some
Of Admiral Simpsons vessels, notably
the Yankee, have never called here.
Most Of the vessels with Sampson have
not been here for several weeks, and
probably will not be here again until
an attack is made on the northern
coast of the island.
Probably there is an exaggerated idea
in the public mind as to the naval fa-
| cilities here. The situation of Key
West, out in the Gulf of Mexico, and
only ninety miles from Havana. is ad-
mirable, but man has not done much to
! improve on what the coral animals have
| done for the harbor. The engines and
machinery of sidewheel steamer sunk
| in the harbor during the war lie at the
foot of the principal street, tesufying
to the slowness of change in Key West.
! A naval officer, who was here IN 1866,
| just after the close of the war, says
| that at that time there was much talk
of making this an important naval sta
ton. Some earth batteries We're thrown
up, and these batteries look about the
same to-day. There are more people
here, but the town and the harbor look
| about the same as in 1866.
| An officer of the Terror, who was here
L,
old navy We're as good as the facilities
now for the new navy. There are large
| coal sheds here, a naval storehOuse and
a diStilling plant whose water is still
| brackisih; but there are no adequate
| dock facilities, the harbor is SO uncer-
| tain that every vessel that comes in
heaves the lead, and the steamer Mas
| coute stuck fast in the mud a few hum
dred yards from the wharf the other
| day, while large vessels like the first
class cruisers and the battleships are
unable to enter the inner harbor at all.
and anchor six miles out. The water
| is often rough in the outer harbor, and
coaling is difficult
| The people here are somewhat con-
cerned over Admiral Simpsons letter in
| the Cadet Jones case, in which he sug-
gested the advisability of sending prizes
to Charleston or Port Royal, on ac-
count of the anti-Spanish feeling, and
| imagine that he will not do anything to
| further the interests Of Key West. But
| the Government will undoubtedly es-
| tablish a great naval station here.
The geographical position Of the
! Key makes this certain. Mod
ern Notifications are being con-
structed, and the contract for new
wharves has been let.
THE HOSPITAL SHIPS.
The United States hospital ship Solace
| is expected to remain at Guantanamo
until the number of wounded Is larger
than she can accommodate, when she
/ will bring, fhar,, here Sick men are