The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-11
THEY WORK ALL NIGHT
LOOK LIKE ANT HILLS
Blanco Evidently Has Some Queer Ideas
in His Noodle as Well Show Him
When We Get Ready to Fire
Our Big Guns.
Copyright lsss by Associated Press.

Copyright 1855 by Associated Press.
On Board the Associated Press Dis
patch Boat Kate Spencer. on Cardenas.
May 3. via Key West. Fla. May TO-
The Spanish soldiers are displaying
much activity along the coast from
Bahia Honda. IS miles west OF Havana,
to Cardenas. 90 miles to the eastward.
As the ships of the blockading fleet
have instructions to prevent the erec-
ton of new fortifications, and have at
various points shelled working parties,
the task of strengthening existing de-
fenses and throwing up earthworks iS
carried on principally at night save in
the immediate vicinity OF Havana
The narrow escape Of the vicksburg
and Morrill, on Saturday. when they
were decoyed within easy range of the
Santa Clara batteries. just west of
MORO castle. has taught some OF the
unarmored ships a lesson. and IL Is not
likely that that class of boats will ven-
ture within close range of the modern
high-power guns again. Along the
coast fresh sand batteries are being
thrown up almost every night. but
these are OF a fimsy character. and
would be reduced by the fire of the big
guns In few minutes. The officers OF
the blockading fleet believe Captain
tptntTdl fSldDCO Is WdStlnk y XOOu O<0t
Of energy in the erection OF insigpifi-
cant shore batteries. The strengthen
ing Of the more formidable works about
Havana is a very different thing 1t
may be. however. by the erection OF
these light batteries. which must be
abandoned as soon as the serious work
of the fleet begins. Blanco puts heart
in his starving soldiers and imbues them
with the idea that Yankee invasion
can be repelled at any point
The Hornet and winslow. now block
aiding Matanzas. have had a lively time
for several days shelling Spanish de-
tails at work on batteries and teie-
graph lines outside Of the entrance OF
the harbor. There. as at other points.
most OF the work Is done at night. and
each morning gees fresh earthworks
thrown up like fresh ant hills against
the rusty green OF the coast line.
On Sunday morning the Hornet found
| party putting a telegram line from
t-the aghthanse and ssgpal 1l)(lpn mile
| east of Matanzas harbor Vo-Vhc bat
\ terry west OF Point Sabanilla. on the
other side of the bay. The batteries
here are said to be of some magnitude.
mounting a few high power guns. To
stop this telegraph activity. the Hornet
steamed quietly in and dropped shell
In the midst of the workmen- They
scattered like rabbits and the line
grounded then and there. Several other
telegraph parties have been discovered
in the same way at other points Ii Is
evidently the intention of the Spanish
to establish communication by wire
with all their coast block houses and
batteries with view, possibly, OF
msssing troops and guns to oppose q
landing whenever threatened However.
they will probably carry their wires be-
hind the first range Of hills. where they
will be less subject to sudden interrupt
ton.
IL is not possible to mount them in all
the sand batteries springing up. but as
there Is a railway from Havana to
Matanzas. quite close to the shore. the
| authorities may be deluding themselves
with the idea that they can transport
| heavy guns to the batteries nearest the
threatened landing point whenever the
watches telegraph the appearance OF
the American troops on the coast.