Evening star., 1898-06-02

Commodore w. S. Schley.
West. However. new facts gathered by
him in the meantime gave him still more
grounds for belief as to his proximity to
the Spaniards.
Seen by Adulas Captain.
The captain of the British steamer Adula.
who was interviewed at Cienfuegos, told of
seeing the Spanish fleet in the vicinity of
Santiago de Cuba, evidently awaiting op-
portunities to get in.
Capt Sigsbee of the st. Paul related how
he had captured a Spanish coal vessel go
ing into the harbor of Santiago de Cuba,
and Commodore Schley argued from these
two incidents that the fleet of Spain was
waiting in some haven near Santiago de
Cuba until such time as visit, fruitless III
it's results, should be made there by the
Americans when, upon their departure,
the Spanish feet would run into the harbor.
Commodore Schley determined to make
that visit, and On Friday night he ran
within six miles of the harbor. The st.
Paul was then detached and sent back to
keep out of sight, with instructions to be
ready, at a twenty-knot clip to bring news
to the commodore AT any moment
From the American ships the Spanish
batteries were in plain view. but no doubt
under preconcerted arrangement even, for
Trey made attempt to fire, and the fly
ing squadron after cirCling around, slowly
steamed away in the direction of Key
West its coal supply was becoming
short. There was collier with the squad
ron, but there was no friendly harpor with
smooth water, and there was serious dan
ger of smashing the collier if an attempt
do to ba hal la At
sea.
COaIed ut Seu.
Resourceful and daring, Commodore
Sohley showed forth, however. and at dark,
with an ori yinal rigging to protect the ship,
the Texas and the Marblehead began to
coal. They worked all night. and at day
break had filled their bunkers.
BY noon on Saturday the converted yacht
Vixen had also coaled, and at o'clock. not
having heard from the st. Paul, the Amer
lean Warships again moved toward Santi-
ago de Cuba.
First standing off the coast about fifteen
miles, the squadron afterward circled in
front Of MORO Castle, but not close enough
in to get view of the inside of the har-
Dor. guarding carefully against the possi-
bilites of q torpedo boat attack.
At night the squadron lay off point of
land, and in the morning, Sunday, the st.
Paul came along, but did not report any
knowledge of the Spanish fleets where
abouts.
Consequently, Commodore Schey deter
mined to find it himself, and with the
flagship in the lead, he started toward the
harbor. The Spanish troops at the earth
works and batteries could be seen through
glasses preparing in haste to give the
American ships "A recentipn a
possible.
Recognized the Colon.
When about five miles from the batteries
the lookouts reported the masts of two
ships, and Flag Lieut.. Sears and Ensign
McCauley made the first one out to be
the Cristobal Colon. Two torpedo boats
We're also made out and a second vessel of
the Vizcaya class was seen.
Ali this time Commodore Schley was up
on the after bridge of the Brooklyn making
good use of his binoculars.
Arrived at the harbor estrance, when the
ships were sighted from the deck, he turn
ed his eyes from the glasses long enough
to wink and say:
Il told you l would find them They will
be long time getting home"
The order to man the port batteries had
been given, and the men, stripped to the
waist, in a temperature considerably over
100 degrees, awaited with impatience the
word to fire.
But the commodore decided not to waste
ammunition on the batteries and the men
were disappointed. For the time being,
however. there was much quiet jubiation
among the men over the prospect of a fight.
Commodore Schley showed his evenness
OF temperament by ordering the Massa-
chusetts to take coal from the collier with
in view of the forts and warships of Spain
Church Service on the Texas,
On the Texas Captain Jack" Phillips
went through with the days routine. in
cluding church services, at which the men.
with a refreshing directness of suggestion.
sang Pull for the Shore"
AS was perfectly evident from the DO
sition of the Spanish warships en- Sunday
morning, they had either just entered
the harbor, having learned of the supposed
final departure of the American squadron
or had been in hiding up the bay which is
about nine miles long, and had run down
to get out early Sunday morning In any
case 1t was excellent proof of the perfection
of Commodore Schleys tactics, and showed
that, after weeks of weary following of
clues furnished by strategy boards. In
seven days he had succeeded in bottling up
the Spanish fleet In one of It's own harbors.
Less than two days before two supposed
Cuban pilots, sent from Jamaica by the