New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-23
OFF FOR CUBA.
Sailed NOTWITHSTANDING
THE NETWORK AND THE BATTLE-sHIPs
IN THE LEAD.


OF KEY wEsT-CvBAN PILOTS TAKEN
ABOARD AFTER MIDNIGHT.
Key Vert. April 22.-The North Atlantic
Squadron. except for the monitors Terror and
Puritan and six of the smaller vessels. sailed
from Key West at 90 o'clock this morning
headed for the Florida Straits. The skies were
growing gray with the coming dawn when the
feet steamed aW.;y. presumably for the SHORES
Of Cuba. Besides the two monitors the ships left
behind were the gunboat Helena. the cruisers
Marhlehead and Detroit. the dispa ch-boa Dol
phn and the torpedo boats Gushing and Erics-
Throughout the night unusual activity on the
vessels Of the feet told watchers on shore mat
the long-awaited advance on Havana was near
a. hand About II o'clock n boat hurried from
the flagship with orders to all still ashore to
return Immediately to the ships. Midnight foun-
the city empty Of the gold braid and biuejacke's
with which 1t had grown 80 familiar. Except for
one or two recalctrant Jackes whose convivia!
patriotism had run away with their sense or
duty there was not a naval man to be found
in town.
THE SCENE WHEN THEY SAILED.
Tho departure Of the fleet was not as imposing
as had been expected On the contrary, there
was something Of scramble IN getting away
When all was ready the flagship New-HoTk
swung round and came we'll into the haroor
signalling 10 the other ships about 10 san
After receiving responses she turned ana neal
cd for the open sea. with the Iowa ana th9
Indiana closely in her rear. The indiana hau
bcen coaling at the Dry Torjugls. but was
cabed for and at midnight she toine" 'he
Iowa and the New-York at the anchorage IN
the cutter harbor The gunb"at Machias lay
nearest TO the three big warships. ana ' az HiS'
to swing into line. She was foiio"en ny t"e
Newport which also lay outside. OF the Hee'
living close to shore the Amph trte was the
leader She numbered along after the Machias'
her immense guns stretching above her low
freeboard She the first OF the monitors 10
toin the warlike procession. Then cam: the
Nashville her three smokestacks distinguishing
her from the others, with the gunhoa; Whining
ton alongside The Castine. which was next
looked small compared with the other members
OF the family. The Cincinnati was delayed n
little time as she was In the act OF taking coal
from a schooner off Fort Taylor when the sig
nal sail given. But she got into the
Jagged line next The other ships Of the fleet
followed in no very regular formation as viewed
by the shore spectators The Maynower brought
UP the rear Of the parade The torpedo-boa;s
did not start until 6 O'Clock. when most OF the
line was under way. but as If to exhibit their
capabilities they dartcd anead and were lost
from sight in the forward group
FORMED IN A SEMICIRCLE.
The monitors Puritan and Terror lay side by
side ooalng from large barge which was
between them their decks crowded with officers
and bluetackets observing the naval pageant.
As the squadron neared the horizon 1t looked to
those ashore as II the New York was somewhat
To,y1 and In
diana following on either side. but separated
from her by good stretch OF water. The ships
spread out until there was perhaps a distance
of three miles between the tips OF the crescent.
The ships Of the inner harbor had slipped out
one bv one and stopped at various stations until
the entire formation was ready to move. Their
exact order could not be asCertained from the
shore but from the highest place In Key West
the line seemed semcircular. The ships that
followed the three leaders were the cruisers
Cincinnati and Nashville. the Funboc:- VII
mington Castlne. Machias and Newport. the
monitor Amphitrite the cnble-repair boat Man
grove the Maynower. and the torpedo boats
Foote. Dupont Porter and Winslow
Following the warshps the feet OF news
paper dispat ch boats. numbering about twenty
CUBAN PILOTS ABOARD.
Cuban pilots accompanied the squadron. Juan
Santo was on board the New-York Pedro Her
nandez was aboard the Cincinnati. md Felize
Losa was the pilot OF the Indiana These three
men are experts IN their business. They know
the Cuban coast thoroughly, and have success
fully landed fbustering expeditions on board
the flagship is Captain Ardnguren. brother OF
the late Brgadic- General Nestor Aranguren.
He Will pilot the fleet TO Matan7as. The Cuban
pilots went on board last night af,er II o'clock
The Detroit sailed TO join the feet this after
noon. 1t Is believed that one or two ships VIII
be left here at least temporarily. The Fern
went 10 Tampa for ammunition for the fleet.
MORE wARsHIPs SAIL.
The cruiser Marblehead. tho monitor Puritan
and the Algonquin sailed this afternoon to Join
the feet The only ships OF the squadron now
remaining here are the Dolphin. the Terror and
the Helena all Of which are likely TO move
within few hours.
The United States Government has established
a censorship OF kilograms. forbidding the trans
mission Of code message to from Havana
This begins at once.
on excellent authority II II reported that the
destination Of the feet Is Matanzas.
MONITORS PUT TO SEA.
MIANToNoMoH AND MoNADNocK IN WAR PAINT