The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-26
011lcal Account Of the Arrival of the Spanish Fleet
Sent to Madrid, With the Information That Seven
American Warships Are Outside the Harbor--Lon-
Don Newspapers Urge Decisive Action--A Anxiety in
Madrid Over the Prospect Of an Attack on Cervera.
phofographIng of Fortifcatons or Warships TO Be
prohIbted--The Date on War Revenue Bill

ON Havana, May 23, Filed in Key
West, May 26.--At daybreak Monday
morning the entire squadron under Rear
Admiral Sampson was lying directly op-
posite the entrance to Havana harbor,
about 10 miles or shore, a formidable.
mouse colored fiotilIa of battleships.
monitors. cruisers. yachts, lighthouse
tenders and torpedo boats. The peace
fui inactivity noticed the day before on
board the vessels of the feet had given
way to scenes of great life and hustle.
The decks Of every ship swarmed with
crowds OF bluetackets and white Jackets.
marines and officers. Around the fiag-
thip, from whose mainmast fiuttered the
crimson pennant Of precedence, rocked
On the choppy waves a score Of launches
and gigs from surrounding warshlps
each manned by sailors In spotIess white.
They had brought the commanding Of
ncers OF their respective vessels aboard
the flagship. where they had apparently
been summoned for orders. Overhead
the sky was q field OF blue. unbroken by
O. single cloud, and the restless sea re-
nected It's color In a deeper and more In
tense tone. Against this background
tne stars and stripes stood out in bold
Teiief from the masthead and stern pole
or every vessel there In the distance
bit OF red and yellow bunting hung
imply from the fagpole on Morro
castle. Beyond was the hiIly. BLUSH
outline Of the Cuban coast
half hour later the gigs and launches
iett the flagship and returned with their
officers aboard their own vessels. Almost !
Immediately columns Of black smoke
began to pour from the stacks of the as |
sembled fleet. and slowly. almost i'm ]
perceptibly. the flagship began to msse
TO the eastward. A number OF vessels
were left behind on blockade duty. the
acting flagship flying blue penpant
ABOUT two hours later a large double
masted and double-funnelled cruiser
came steaming under full headway from
the westward. When within hailing dis.
lance and without slackening her speed.
she exchanged signals with the acting
nagsnip on Havana. A string of colorpd
bunting was hoisted aloft on the flag
ships halyards. and the cruiser pushed
on TO the east at full speed. Afterwards
the squadron was In the Nicholas chan
mel, on Cardenas, heading for the old
bahama channel. The squadron was
proceeding with care. for Admiral Ger
.N "o' yet actually Deen bottled |
up, ana care must be taken lest the fox
turn ana dash out of Santiago. around
. .ne east end OF Cuba, UP through the
Winoward passage and north to attack
The cities OF the Atlantic coast OF the
United States.
In all likelihood Commodore scb,ev
will be able to spring the tran ana thsn
Rear Admiral Sampson NAV hasten 90
santiago. A great game is being plaved
IND the situation is one of extreme ans,
'ense. After Admiral Cervera In sealed ,
70 IN santiago harbor the problem will ,
'e, as In the case OF "varmint" caught
trap. whether to shoot or starve him ,
a any event Admiral Cervera. II is be- ;
eved. cannot reach Havana. Two |,
owerrui heets. each having fast yes !
els as Wen as heavy ones. and each nj ble
destroy him, are closing IN upon b,r,