The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-09
American Fleet Yesterday Passed Cape Hayden,
800 Miles From Porto Rico.
ALLEGED ATTACK UPON MONTGOMERY
BY THE BIG SPANISH CRUISER VIZCAYA
Seventeen Spanish WarShipS Reach Porto Rico and a
Great Battle May Take Place Tomorrow

Port au Prince, Hayti, May S.-The
arrival is rumored late this evening of
II Spanish warships, war vessels and
others, at Porto Rico, and a battle is
expected on Tuesday. 1t is also report
ed from Cape Haytien that eRar Ad
mlral SIMPSONS squadron has been
sighted to the north.
(Note-Cape H&ytien is about 300
nliles west of Porto Rico.)
Advices from Cape Hayden say that
yesterday. off Mole St. Nicholas, two
Spanish warships captured a schooner
bound for Cape Haytien.
The United Sta -es cruiser Montgom-
cry, Commander G. a. Converse, is
supposed to have been engaged with a
much larger Spanish cruiser last night
northwest of Cape Haytien, a seaport
town of Hayti. on its north coast, 80
miles north Of Port au Prince.
While the French steamer Olindo
Rodriguez. from Havre April is, for
Haytien ports, was at Cape Haytien,
a Spanish warship is said to have been
watching her, mistaking the steamer
for an American vessel. When the
Rodriguez left Cape Haytien the
Spanish warship approached her and
allowed her to continue or TO this port
on recognizing the French flag.
The United States cruiser Montgom-
cry left Cape Haytien soon afterwards,
and the SpaniaFd. which is presumed
to be watching for her, is said 10 have
pursued the cruiser, both of them put
ting on full steam. The Spaniard, ac-
cording to the story told by the crew
of the French steamer. gained in the
pursuit, which was witnessed from the
bridge of the Orlando Rodriguez by the
officers of that vessel.
The two warships. they say, went in
the same direction. with the Spaniard
beyond. The latter appeared TO be
formidable vessel. much larger and
faster than the Montgomery.
By nightfall it is added, four dis
charges Of cannon We're heard, which
We're supposed to De the result of the
Spaniare firing on the American war
ship. Darkness, it is further said, pre-
vented any further observation beinr
made though the French officers So
the moon was so bright that the battle
could have been continued, especially
as the sea was beautifully calm, only
a mild trade wind blowing from the
land.
Strange to say. it appears that all
the crew of the French boat were below
at supper while this exciting incident
was occurring. but the officers of the
steamer which arrived today say they
are confident the Montgomery was
oVermatcheG. and that her only means
of escape was to run close to shore dur
ins, the darkness.
The vessel which pursued the Mont
gomery is supposed to have been the
Spanish warship ViZcaya, and it is sug-
geSted that possibly the Montgomery
enticed the SDaniard within striking
distance of Admiral Sampson. The
crew of the German ship Bolivia, Cap
tain Bruhn. which arrived today, say
they heard cannonading to the north
about 4 O'Clock this afternoon
SAMPSON WILL WIN.
Washington, May S.-If any news has
been received from Admiral Sampson
it was not Of a character that could be
made public without endangering the
successful working of the plans of the
strategic board. It may be stated pos
itively, however. that so far the de-
partment has heard nothing of an en-
gagement or of anything approaching
-one between the feet and the Spanish
forces.
1t is expected by the officials that
there will be nothing like the delay
experienced in the case of the Philip
pine fight in hearing from Admiral
Sampson, in case Of an engagement in
the West Indies. Without in any wise
admitting that Porto Rico is Samp-
sons objective point, il is pointed out
that, even allowing the Spanish the
retention of cable communication from
that island to the outside world. there
is an independent cable connection
from ST. Thomas that cannot come
under Spanish control, running, as it
does. through the chain of French and
British islands southwark from st.
Thomas and thence to Hayti, where
divect "a b1p connection Can he had wit n
New York.
From the character of the ships I'M
der Simpsons direct command, the
officials feel little doubt of the success
full outcome Of a fight between his
force and the Spanish flying squadron.
Outside of the flagship New York,
which is partly armored, all of the
vessels with Admiral Sampson. with
one exception, are full ironclads; and,
moreover, their armor, being full nickel
steel harveyized, is so superior to the
armor of the Spanish cruisers that it is
calculated that nine inches of thick
ness OF it is fully equal in resisting
power to u inches of the unhardened
armor of the Spanish ships.
HEAVY CANNONADING.
New York, May S.-The World has
received the following copyrighted !
cablegram from George Bronson Rea, /
dated Puerto Plata, San Domingo, May /
s: Dominican oIncials report heavy
cannonading off the north of Monte |
Cristi, about so miles from here.
1T is believed here that Rear Ad- !
rairal Simpsons squadron is engaging |
the Spanish Cape de Verde fleet. The /
firing began about 8 o'clock this morn-
ing and was terrific. The American /
fleet was due to arrive in Porto Rico
waters yesterday afternoon. The /
Hnaf aynaofad q q lnolIf fhsa
same time. Sampson came here with 1
orders to find the fleet and reduce it. |
He viii. after destroying the Spanish 1
ships, begin strict blockade, and, If I
he viii lombard and cap
ture Porto Rico
NOT AT PORTO RICO.
81 Thomas Danish West Indies. Nav