The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-03

miles distant fr"-1 the shoro.
When Mariel, twenty-five miles from
Havana, was reached, the flagship
came to a standstfil and the gunboat
Castine. which is guarding that port,
was hailed. Captain Berry thereupon
went on board the flagship and held a
consf .ation with the admiral. a care
ful j Pection of Mariel harbor re-
veal, the presence of two small!
Spar / ~gurfboats and four s~chooners,
we'll n behind an Oldfashioned mar
tello tower on m side and a fiimsy
little fort on the other. The combined
batteries of the two "f~ortifications'
IS n manufacturing cannon. The last
blockade house of the westward trocha
doomed up on the sharp bluff shadow
ing the little town.
After lying for forty minutes close
into this picturesque harbor, with its
low, red-roofed royal
palms and mountainous setting. the
admiral proceeded to Cubanas, saying
jOkingiy to ;he correspondent: "Mariel
lOoked altogether too peaceful 20 be
disturbed"
1t is believed, however, that in spite
of its peaceful appearance mines have
been aid beneath the smooth waters
of Cabanas hartbor.
(From a Staff Correspondent of the
Associated Press.)
Copyright by Associated Press.)
On Board the Dauntless, Disaptch
Boat of the Associated Press, Midway
Between Havana and Key West, Fla
April 28.-News gathering at sea has it's
attractions, but it also has it's draw
backs. Incident after Incident could
be written, describing how out of the
semi-darkness rushed a long black tor
pedo boat, and the hoarse order to
heave-tO vas followed on the instant
by the threat of a shot. Then there
have been times when all steam was
called for because we were in grave
doubt whether an approaching stranger
was American or Spanish, and in no
doubt at all as to what our fate would
be should the unknown vessel prove
to be a Spanish gunbOat, for the Span
iards would rather gather in the
Dauntless than almost any other craft
that sails these seas.
Off MatanZas the other night, a man.
Of-War assured the crew of the Daunt-
less that two Spanish g%unbOats had
escaped the blockade at Cardenas and
were cruising outside, seeking to cap
ture any unarmed craft carrying the
United States cOlOrs. Probably the
yarn was false, but it's effect on the
crew was far from r~eassuring, and it
was a positive comfort, the next night
off Havana, to be hailed by the Indi-
ana, or be boarded by one or two who
evidently wanted to be we'll assured of
our identity. The big battleship gave
a sense of absolute security and now
lone of the crew believes any Spaniard
brave enough to come within a score of
miles of this and similar instruments
of protection and of offence.
AT sea, and visiting them day after day
the n~prSOna1itV of the wa rShjDS grows
on you and your regard is totally differ
ent from hat which you feel toward
the same vessels when they are in a
home harbOr or peacefully cruising up
and down a friendly coast. If they
seem grimmer, they certainly seem
greater for defence, for honor, for sue
cess.
If any persons have the idea that the
ships of the blockading squadron off
Havana remain punched together Op-
posite the MORO castle and the har-
bOr's mouth, they shout at once
change their notion. Last night the
distance between the Wilmington, OF
the eastern flank M the Iowa on the
western, could not have been less than
thirty miles. LoOkOuts in the lofty
tops, with long telescope glasses, can
sweep the coast line and the sea for
! many miles without letting the small
est of coasting vessels escape their OBJ
servation, and as long as the blOckad-
ing vessels are within signaling dis
lance n with another, the longer the
blockade line, the more effective it is.
Results in the way Of captures have
proven truth of this. None the less,
that Rear Admiral Sampson could use
to great advantage a number of small
| vessels. They would render the block
AIDE absolute, and at the same time,
| relieve the crews of the bigger ships
| from constant calls to quarters. These
| calls are harassing and as only one o
| Of ten probably amounts to anything
are apt to prove irritating as we'll.
Newspaper boats give the fleet much
| trouble at night. 1t is unintentiOnal
| of course, out true for all that. All the
war vessels are as dark Is pitch al
| night, and the correspondents boats
| often run directly within the prescrib.
| ed limits of approach before they have
| the faintest notion of the proximity OF
a cruiser or battleship. The moon
which is nightly waxing in power, viii
| help greatly in quick Identification, but
the DauntleSs recently succeeded ir
| getting a night order for signals which
will be better still.
Sitting near the Dauntless' pilo'
house recently off Ell MORO, with {
pair of marine glasses that brought
| the saffron bastions within a half mile
it was impossible to keep from specu
lating on the condition of things with
in that city, where for two month:
many of US lived on patience and tn
hope Of a bOmbardment, which. it nov
seems, is not to occur. We know a:
we'll as if we were eye-witnesses tina
famine is within; that it is not con
fined to recOncentradOs, most Of whOn
must be dead by this time: but, EN-
braces the lady of quality and her LEG
lord, the professional man n his fam
lily, and the small storekeeper and hi
brood. the artisan and his helpmate..
Probably as yet, the Spanish officer
and the wealthy contractors have foo
enough. or the wherewithal to buy it
even with beef at $50 per pound 9TH
last quotation reaching u.s. Beyon'
question. a large majority of the Ha
vanese would welcome the lombard
ment they daily expect, if assured tina
when it was over and the city in tn
hands of the United States forces. foo
conditions would change and the aw
full uncertainty AS to what the mex
hour might bring forth be resolved int
certainty in the crucible of action.
When night came we could see tn
reflection in the city of lights in Parqu