The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-03

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The following dispatch has been re-
ceived from the correspondent OF the
Associated Press with the American
fleet off Santiago de Cuba:
OF Santiago de Cuba, May 29.-Com-
modore Schley and the flying squad
ron has the Spanish fleet bottled up
in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba. BY
| the most clever m~anouvreing, the COM
modore allowed the Spaniards TO think
he had left in disgust. They took the
bait and ran into the harbor. Commo-
dore Schley moved down this morning
and at 6 o'clock going close to the
harbOr, he saw the Cristobal Colon,
the Maria Teresa and two torpedo
boats. He believes the entire fleet is
| there.
Commodore Schley has acted upon
his own information and judg-
ment for the past six days
and believes the whole Span
ish fleet is there. He sat on the after
triangle Of the Brooklyn this morn
ing until after the discovery of the
fleet and he then went TO breakfast.
saying: I have got them. and they
| will never get home"
The United States auxiliary cruiser
| st. Paul arrived here this morning and
was sent to the Mole ST. Nicholas with
dispatches. She captured a coal ship
which was sent to Key West, by Cap
tain SiSsbee, in charge of a prize crew.
The coal was undoubtedly intended for
the Spanish fleet. 1t is believed there
is not much coal at Santiago de Cuba.
The officers and men of the flying
squadron are jubilant over the fact
that the location of the Spanish fleet
has finally been definitely established.
The temperature here is 10 degrees
in the shade, and in the steel turrets
the heat is actually beyond the power
of imagination.
The American ships here are the
Brooklyn, Texas, Massachusetts, Iowa,
Marblehead and Vixen, an auxiliary
torpedo gunboat.
THE BANCROFTS FRUITLESS
CHASE.
Yey West, Fla, Ma. 3O.-9:4O a. NJ
The steamer supposed to be
a Spanish auxiliary cruiser, sighted by
the Wilmington and the Bancroft,
about fifteen miles off Key West, early
on Thursday evening, was not cap
tured. The Bancroft gave up the
chase after chasing her an hour and
a half. Just before the Bancroft
abandoned the pursuit, however, the
steamer hoisted her colors,
but night was falling and the gunboat
was unable to make them out. The
officers of the Bancroft believe the
ship they chased was a British vessel
and that it was the British flag which
was displayed, but they cannot &C
count for her running away. During
the chase the Bancroft held up a num-
Der of ships, which were released af-
ter establishing their neutrality.
$50 p. m.-Everybody knows that
SPANS flying squadron, four splendid
cruisers and two torpedo boat destroy
ers, is imprisoned in Santiago harbor
This fact has been known here forty
eight hours and the speculation now is
over the probable disposition Of the
Observation-Disclosures they will be
blockaded or the forts reduced and the
vessels compelled to fight. In the lat
ter case there can be but one result,
for Commodore Schley has some of the
finest ships in the world, to say moth
ing Of cruisers and various smaller
vessels, and could in a few days be
reinforced by other powerful warships
1t would be foolhardiness on the part
Of Cervera to offer battle.
WHY CERVERA ENTERED SANTI.
AGO.
An interesting story remains to be
told of the reasons which led Cervera
to Santiago and of the way in which
he was hemmed in. 1t is now known
that when the Spanish admiral sailed
for the West Indies, he expected tc
enter San Juan de Porto Rico for Goa
and supplies. On touching at Curacao
for news his plans were upset by the
receipt of dispatches telling him tha'
Rear Admiral Sampson had lombard
ed the San Juan Notifications and wa
still in the neighborhood Of Porto Rico
Thereupon Cervera sailed for the
/ cnpfh rnoSf nf Cftha WHY he antarQf
Santiago harbor instead OF the harbol
Of Cienfuegos is not known. The
American commanders were inclined
to think the Spaniards would go to ths
latter port.
It is certain that Cervera could no
being discovered, for the American
scouts had been prowling about thu
port for ten days and other scouts
had not been far away. Practically
Santiago has been blockaded for tina
length of time. Cervera's coal ship
Santiago, was captured last Wednes
day, n at the very moment when tn
queen-regent was cabling her congrat
%ulations the coils were Tightening
about him.
The belief here is that all other
movements in the West indies will b.
held in allegiance until the Spanish
squadron is disposed OF. In case San
tiago is attacked the news OF battl'
will be sent from Mole st. Nichola!
AZ Kingston, and the prizes am
wounded will be sent to Key West.
The movements Of vessels here 10
day were unimportant.
: p m.-According TO Lieutenant
A. P~attson, who is in command o
the prize crew that brought in tn
British steamer Restormel. her cap
ture was a very commonplace anail
Lieutenant Pattson says:
b. 5 o'clock last Wednesda
! morning the So. Paul, scouting of San
| tiago harbor, sighted the Restorm'
twelve miles away. apparently head
J ing for the port. She was going /
!; openly and honestly and not skullin
!. along the shore. The St Paul took
course TO cut ner of. and when with
!. in hailing distance fired a blank sho
The pursued steamer paid no attentis