The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-22
HAITIAN RUMOR.
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Sam might not become excited the Daunt-
less captain stated that the steamer had re-
turned for a bill of health. On this visit
the Dauntless obtained from the American
consul q circumstantial report that a fleet
OF thirteen Spanish war ships had been seen
heading for Porto Rico. In this report the
naval officers placed some credence and the
bombardment of San Juan was planned in
the hope that the Spanish feet was in the
harbor.
The fleet moved slowly eastward on May
10 and IL, and in the afternoon of the latter
day the Dauntless was ordered to be ready
TO carry dispatches to St Thomas at IL
O'Clock next morning. At daylight on May
L the feet bombarded San Juan, the seaport
and metropolis of Porto Rico. The Daunt-
less lay six miles off Fort MORO and viewed
the bombardment and the reply of the forts,
description of which event has already
been cabled from st. Thomas and Key West.
After the battle TIE DauntleSS waited for
an hour for Admiral SIMPSONS dispatches
to the Navy Department, and Immediately
on receipt Of them steamed for ST. Thomas.
Ten miles from that port the United States
auxiliary cruiser Yale signaled the Daunt-
less. which ran a little out of her course
to get within hailing distance. When the
Dauntless was near enough to the Yale for
the latter's crew, who crowded her side to
read her name, the crew gave three cheers.
they had heard of the Dauntless before.
There was more cheering for Sampson when
the Dauntless gave the news of the attack
on San Juan.
The Dauntless hoped to reach Charlotte
Amalie, the port of the Danish island OF st.
Thomas, before dark, but darkness dropped
down all of a sudden and the steamer, push
ing on to the town lights, gave mortal Of
Tense to the Danish harbor master by fall
ing to stop at his hail. He expostulated a
long time. There was no delay in filing to
the Associated Press at New York the bat
tie description prepared hours before. The
dispatches went in this order: Associated
Press bulletin, Admiral SIMPSONS bulletin
to the secretary of the navy, Associated
Press complete. story, Admiral Sampson
cipher message"
Charlotte Amalie situated at the base and
on the lower slopes of the big hills that sur
round the pretty harbor, is charming at
night, when the lights are burning and the
Hgnumvitae blossoms perfume the air. The
streets are macadamiZed and clean, ana
there is an aspect of thrift about the place.
The night of the Dauntless's arrival is said
to have been the liveliest in thirteen years.
Other vessels had arrived during the day,
and the merchants, busted with orders for
coal and provisions, thought that the war
was fine thing, and hoped it would last
long time. The boys of the town wore
American and Cuban badges, and sentiment
generally favored annexation of the Danish
islands to the United States On May ID
the cruiser Montgomery, the auxiliary crui-
ser Yale and the French gunboat Rigault
de Genouilly came into port, and there was
much saluting by the war ships and by the
castle
less, carrying coal and a few precious New
York newspapers, set out to overtake the
fleet, then moving slowly back to Key West.
Plata, San Domingo, the Dauntless resumed
her old station near the New York. The
fleet had in the Dauntlesss absence been
joined by the hospital ship Soace and the
auxiliary cruiser ST. Louis. The st. Louis,
towing the tug Wampatuck, left for San
tiago de Cuba on the morning of the 18th
to cut the cable that connected Spain and
Cuba. The Porter went to Puerto Plata to
send dispatches, and the New York went
cruising, leaving the Iowa, Indiana, Amphi-
trite, Terror, Detroit and Niagara. The
Terror had broken down and was being
toVed by. the Niagara, and the Iowa pulled
the Amphitrite. The Montgomery, which
afternoon Of
the 14th, had not rejoined the fleet when
the Dauntless, off the west coast of Haiti
the most direct course and arriving here
May Is.