The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1898-05-13

81. Iaul, May Z. - The New York
Herald's special to the Pioneer Press
from Tampa, Fla, says: Admiral
Sampson sailed at daybreak. He took
with him the flagship New York, the
battleships Iowa and Indiana. the
cruiser Detroit and the torpedo boat
Porter. This formidable force will
be augmented by the monitors Terror
and Amphathrite and two of the tor
pedo boats now doing patrol duty
along the coast of Cuba. At present
the Terror is blockading Matanzas,
while the Amphathrite is doing SINH
lar work off Cardenas. Late last night
the Marblehead, fully coaled, left the
harbor and sailed away in the wake Of
the big ships. This leaves the monitor
Puritan still here, the cruiser Cincin-
natl, half a dozen small gunboats and
revenue cutters and the torpedo boat
Ericsson. EARLY Monday the flagship
and the two battleships appeared off
Sand Key. They We're evidently ex-
pected, for three large schooners, load
eel with coal, put out to them. For two
days the work Of coaling and provis-
ioning for
prolonged Cruise
went on INCREASINGLY. All the ships
were coaled up to their fullest capacity.
1t was not necessary for either the
New York. Indiana or Iowa to recoaI
at this time. The Iowa could have
gone for two weeks With the 1000
tons she had in her bunkers. Never
theless she made the rough trip across
the channel to coal up to her limit
LOO tons. Similar conditions pre-
vailed on the New York and Indiana
On the Indiana, which burns faster
than the Iowa. coal in sacks was even
placed on the decks after the bunkers
had been filled. Only last week the
Terror and Amphitrite put in all the
coal they could hold. so they are now
practically full. All these extra pre-
parations undoubtedly portend some
important and immediate move. Ad-
miral SIMPSONS destination is not
known. There is little doubt, however,
that it is Puerto Rico. Among the Of
ficers of the feet this is the only opin-
ion held. While the big ships were
here officers came ashore in great
numbers and freely discussed the pros
pective movements of the feet. For
a week they have been daily expecting
the feet to
Move to Puerto Rico.
Orders for the big ships to return to
Key West to coal was to be the signal
While here news of the victory of
Dewey came. 1t was q spark to fire
the ardor suppressed for weeks. I'm
patience broke out. The admiral sat
on the flagship and fretted and fumed.
He burned to emulate Dewey. 1t is
we'll known among the fleet officers
that Sampson has chafed dreadfully
under the restraint imposed upon him
by his superiors at Washington. Ma
Mia broke his temper and his bonds.
Monday and Tuesday some correspon-
dence passed over the cable between
Sampson at one end and Secretary
Long at the other. The result is not
positively known but the admiral let
it be known among his subordinates
that he had obtained at least discre-
tionary permission to do something.
The Dispatch boat Dewey put half
a dozen officers who had missed the
last launch OH board the Iowa.
''When you hear from Puerto Rico
Manila will be forgotten" they said,
as they went over the side into the
boat Officers and men are simply
crazy to get Il chance at the Spanish
fleet.
The remaining vessels of the squad
ron. under command of Commodore
Watson, will maintain the patrol of
Cuban waters with unrelaXed vigil
lance and keep Havana bottled up
from the outside world