The herald., 1898-04-25
MUST Be A MISTAKE
AS TO PORT MADE BY ITALIAN
CRUISER
SHE FIRED A FORMAL SALUTE
And Then Sailed without Molestation
to a Berth In the Harbor of
Havana
Associated Press Special Wire

ON BOARD THE FLAGSHIP NEW
YORK, Off Havana, April 23.-(Copyright,
1898. Filed at Key West at midnight, April
49, The Puritan, the Nashville. the Mar
blehead and the Ericsson arrived from,
Key West this morning. The Ericsson al
most Immediately returned to Key West
with dispatches. At 10 o'clock this morning
the monitor Puritan, the cruiser Cincinnati
and the gunboats Machias, Nashville, Cas-
tine and Newport and the torpedo boats
Root and winslow left the squadron to
blockade Matanzas, Mariel and Cardenas
They formed separate divisions, and after
they had passed out Of sight the remainder
of the feet took up a regular formation,
having drifted some fifteen miles from
Moro castle The general advance was
made at half speed.
Captain Evans, not quite certain OF the
position he was expected to take with the
Iowa, came up abreast the flagship and
shouted through a megaphone, "How near
may 1 go?" Rear Admiral Sampson, who
was standing on the after bridge, replied
"As near as you can get without damage
from the fire of the batteries" "All right"
Captain Evans shouted back, in tones that
expressed the keenest disappointment. The
Iowa then went ahead.
About half an hour after the squadron
was we'll under way, the cruiser Cincinnati
was seen on the eastern horizon, smoke
pouring from her tunnels. She had been
headed for Matanzas, and had evidently
turned back to chase some vessel. The oh
ject of her pursuit was soon made out.
standing we'll in toward the coast. The
flagship, the cruiser Marblehead and the
gunboat Wilmington Immediately turned
out of the course to head the warship off.
The remainder Of the squadron proceeded
to the westward. Smoke poured from our
ships. The flagship was making Is knots
the whole vessel throbbing with the vibra.
tions of her twin screws. The little Will
mington steamed UP in splendid style, and
the fast cruiser Marblehead kept nearly
abreast. The formidable trio bore down
upon the warship. Then shout went up
"She is Spaniard!"
The distance which separated the yes.
sells rendered 1t impossible to make out
the warship's identity She was thought
to be the Vizcaya or the Oquendo, head
ing hard for Havana. The men at the guns
shouted with glee. The stokers Off duty
also cheered vocfferously and begged to
be allowed to 90 on deck to help shoot at
the first armed enemy met. The officers
crowded on the quarter deck, as elated as
the men, though under better control. The
bugler blew general quarters, and all hands
flew to their posts. Down came the shrouds
with a rattle; life lines vanished from the
deck. Rear Admiral Sampson. standing on
the bridge, said deliberately to Captain
Chadwick: Eyes; the Oquendo or the Viz
caya,' and then added: IT should like to
bag them BOTH
Then 1t was seen that the vessel was
flying an italian flag. Afew minutes later
when about 1900 yards separated the New
York from her target, the American flag
was run up by the warship, and then 1t
was known she was not Spaniard. A puff
of smoke issued from her side, and the
boom of a gun sounded across the water.
1t was only a salute, but at first many on
board thought Rear Admiral Sampson had
not been deceived, but she fired one of her
guns as salute, which was returned by
the flagship, which also few an italian
flag. The stranger was then made out to
be the Giovanni Bausan, powerful cruls-
er. Without further formalities she pur-
sued her course and entered Havana har-
Dor.
The monitor Terror arrived from Key
West this afternoon.
Another Prize
KEY WEST, April 24-The gunboat
Helena captured the Spanish steamer
MIGUEL Joves early this morning. The
Joves' cargo Is composed Of cotton and
slaves. The prize is estimated to value
s4O0 900, her cargo alone being worth $780,
900. She belonged to the Pennillo line, Bar
celona.
The Helena did not sail with the fleet on
Friday morning, but remained here until
yesterday, when she sailed out to sea and
was cruising about $50 miles in a south
easterly direction when the Jove, steer
ing for the southeasterly coast, hove in
sight early this morning. The Helena
fired a blank shot and the Spaniard in
stantly hove to. The gunboat then put a
prize crew of twelve marines, an engineer
and sixteen bluejackets on board the
Joves, under the command of Ensign Nc
Clellan. The gunboat conveyed the prize
into port. The Joves was bound from New
Orleans for Barcelona via Havana.
Captain Charles v. Munson, employed
by the Clyde line and formerly with the
Ward line and revenue service, arrived
here last night, having been called for last
by Admiral Sampson. Captain
Munson will act as fleet pilot. The Dol
phin will take him to the flagship.
According to the Bureau Veritas, the
MIGUEL Joves Tin English the Michael
Joves), Captain Bill is Spanish steamer
which sailed from New Orleans on April
22d for Barcelona. She was formerly the
Port Denison, is bark rugged, is of 2254 tons
net register and was built at Newcastle
England, in 1877. She is 376 feet inches
long, has AZ feet 2 inches beam and is q
feet 9 inches deep. The Bureau Veritas has
1t that her owner is the Empress Trans
atlantica line of Barcelona.
Quartermaster Joseph Hanson of the
gunboat Helena which brought in the
Michael Joves, accidentally shot himself
on the steamer this forenoon. The wound
is not @ serious one.
$3.50 p. m.--According to dispatch boats
which have just reached this port from the
United States fleet, the port of Havana Ii
blockaded, but otherwise the situation Is
unchanged.
Contrary to reports previously received
these boats say that not shot has been
fired on either side.
Fire From Moro Castle
. Noon.-During the early morning the Z
Moro castle batteries again opened .
fire upon the fleet, but without the Z
. slightest effect. There have been no .
. casualties among our forces up to this .
. hour, and not single shot has been Q
. fired against the batteries. .
The torpedo boat Porter, commanded by