The times., 1898-04-25
THE BELEAGUEREO CITY
The Havana POpuIace Wildly
Excited Over the Blockade.
MORR0 B00MS THE WARNING
Her Guns, Followed by Those of
Cal IoDas Fortress, Thunder the
News of Il Hostile Fleets Arrival
Great Lfght-Dcams From Her
SearchIights Flood the City.

Havana, April a, via Kingston, ia
maica, and Halifax, n. S.-Havana is in
a state of siege. The excitement of Fri
day had quieted somewhat and the peo
pie had most of thetn retired to their
homes, expecting nothing until after
noon today at the soonest, when near
midnight, the warning guns at MORO
Castle thundered the news of the arrival
OF a hostile fleet. The echo of the three
guns fired at Moro had scarcely died
away when those at Cabanas fortress be-
gan. H3.H
The signal had been agreed upon-three
guns from each port. and the people knew
instantly the meaning. They began pour
ing into the streets by thousands, run
ming back and forth, shouting and
screaming and firing guns and pistols
in the air. The signal guns were the
calls for the volunteers, and practically
every man in the city, under the invita-
tion of Capt. Gen. Blanco, was a volun-
teer and had gun.
The soldiers followed the people out
They came from everywhere, running and
all heading for the forts. For half an
paralleled. The men with arms all rushed
for the forts, where Capt Gen. Blanco
and his staff had already gone The rest
OF the people crowded down to the water
! front.
The sky and the shore line were pierre
| ed with great light beams of the search
| lights that swept to and Tro, up and
| down. Now they rested on the stone
walls of Morro, now on ships in the
] hs.nI nI,... I,,g1
| The surface of the water was always
alight with them, and there was not
| an object aioat that was not covered by
| them. There were five of these light
| beams, and at the end of each could be
made out the dim outlines of a ship.
What ships they were none could tell
! but their purpose could not be mistaken.
| They stood well out TO sea, and they
| passed constantly up and down before
the entrance of the harbOr. Never for an
| instant did the light beams disappear.
and never was the surface of the water
| unlighted by them
Again and again during the night the
| guns of MORO and Cabanas blazed out the
warning, and each signal was greeted in
the city with renewed excitement. From
the moment of the firing of the first gun
the streets were alive.
| When the squadron first approached the
| vessels were running at quarter speed.
! Their searchlights caused the firing of the
alarm guns. The squadron did not make
| direct for Havana, but headed toward La
| ChOrrera. There was no rest in the city
that night. The squadron continually
| shifted it's position, being evidently sus-
picious of torpedo boats. The greatest
care was exercised in accommodating.
| Yesterday the squadron was again
sighted from the batteries, being about
ten miles distant. Five ships were dis
tinctly visible.
Last night there was more excitement.
| The Spanish steamer HerrerO, for Sagua
determined to run the blockade. She
waited until nightfall, when she glided
out of the harbor. black mass, showing
not light anywhere about her. The
crowd that watched her departure wait
ed for hours but heard no guns, so it is
probable that she got safely away.
Captain General Blanco was in the
batteries all Saturday night. lie was
here, there and everywhere, animating
the troops by his presence. He was in
the best spirits and his confidence in
spired all under him.
The theaters here opened at o'clocl
last night, and despite the excitement
caused by the blockade, they were
crowded.
1t is reported that the Spanish schoone,
Matlde, with a cargo of sugar and
crew of five men has been captured of
Key West.
The United States Government is re
ported to have taken over the telegraph
office at Key West. The cable to Jamai
ca IS the only one now open. When tha
IS cut the only means of transporting
news will be by dispatch boat to Jamai
ca and thence by the British cable t,
England and the United States.