The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-03
SPANISH FLAG
SWEPT FROM SEA.
American Boats Sail About Havana
With the Utmost Freedom.
CUBAN PATRIOTS IN KEY WEST.
The Aged Mother Of Gen. Garcia ana
the Wife of Gen. Alexander Rod
riguez Among the Residents
Key West as a Naval Base.

KEY WEST. July 2.-The lines OF
steam and sailing vessels plying between
Atlantic coast and Gulf and West Indian
ports could, II they wished. resume thelr
service, except to the Spanish ISLANDS.
There are no Spanish ships at sea 10 prey
upon American commerce. When Cen
eral Skaters army sailed from Tampa
along the north coast OF CuOd' ana 10
Santiago Ge Cuba, 1t was conveyed by
twelve warships, including the great pat
tleship Indiana, and the fleet moved IN
compact order and at a snaiIs pace III
order that the ships might mot become
separated. but naval officers say that no
convoy whatever was needed, and that
the troops for the Porto Rico expedition
can sail with perfect safety unconVoyed.
There are formidable Spanish warships
In Santiago, but they are not hkely TO
get out; there is torpedo boat at San
Juan, Porto Rico but It dares not come
out, either. When a party of newspaper
men were seeking to charter a sailing
vessel TO carry them 10 Jamaica from
Key West the other day. they paid no
attention 10 the vessels flag, except that
they rather preferred going In an Amer
lean ship, on principal. They knew per-
fectly wen that they would not meet
any Spanish vessel. The newspaper dis
patch boaE sail about the island with
the utmol freedom The Spanish flag
has been swept from the Spanish main
and from the West Indian seas. The
steamship line that realizes this first and
resumes its customary service will soon
be doing a good business.
SEEM THINGS AT NIGHT.
Newspaper boats and little auxiliary
gunboats used TO come into Key West
with stories Of having been chased by
mr. having cha sod G,~,a rfch cleaners
stories varied q good deal, but the
Btrangers We're always seen at night
and generally carried a bright light by
which their movements were easily made
out One boat thought she saw three
Spanish cruisers and a torpedo boat A
torpedo boat sighted a torpedo boat de-
stroyer. chased her. although the Amer
lean made twcnty-three knots an hour,
the stran -ar did better and got away.
Other boats saw all sorts OF black steam
ers that became invisiblt with the dawn.
The boat that brought in ne story about
sighting four Spanish vessels caused a
great sensation and cost the Government
a lot Of money beside delaying the de-
parture of Skaters army Tor nearly a
week. Scouts sent out to locate the Span
iards failed 10 find any trace OF them.
The captain or the boat was the only
man aboard who saw the Spaniards plain
~, ana ne TOLD n story th1t was fun or
details. yet there was no doubt that he
was mistaken. No one now believes the
story; no one now believes that any Of
the vessels seen at night were Spaniards.
Those who thought they saw them were
excited and their imagnatiOns coniure1
up boats out Of nothing in the tropical
night
KEY WEST AS A NAVAL BASE.
One day recently the newspapCrs pub
lished a circumstamial account Of the
arrival OF General Skaters troopships
at Key West; OF how the General had
complained Of the accommodations on
board the ships. and had even threatened
% disembark the men at Key West. The
troop ships did not come to Kew West
nor in sight OF Key West. and there was
no reason why they should have come
here. Some Of Admiral SIMPSONS ves-
gels, notably the Yankee have never
called here Most OF the vessels with
Sampson have not been here for several
weeks and probably will not be here again
until an attack Is made on the northern
coast Of the island Probably there is an
exaggerated idea I'm the public mind as
10 the naval facilities here. The stua-
ton OF Key West out in the Gulf Of
Mexico and only ninety miles from Ha-
vana Is admirable but man has not
done much TO improve on what the coral
animals have done for the harbor. The
engines and machinery Of a sideWheel
steamer sunk I'm the harbar during the
war lie al the foot Of the principal street,
testifying TO the slowness Of change IN