The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-22
BEFORE THE BATTLE.
People at Key West 10 State Of
Great Anxiety.
THE HOSTILE FLEET WAS DREADED
Al Attack on Defenscless Coast
Towns Apprehended.
HURRY ORDERS no SAILORS.
Officers Ordered to Promptly Report
on board Ship.
SPECULATI0NS AS TO MANEUvERS
HURRY ORDERS TO SAILORS.
Officers Ordered to Promptly Report
on board Ship.
sPECllLATIoNS AS TO MANEUvERs
Dispatch Boats with News Of the Re.
suit of the Conflict Are Looked
For MT Any Time.

Key West, Fla, May 10, via Jacksonville.
May 20 .--(Delayed in Transmission To
night sees the close of the most intensely
anxious and most vexatious day Key West
has known since the war began. Every
thing indicates the proximity OF big naval
battle. but an unseen foe may appear az
any OF tho several points and strike
blow and get away lefore they can be
crushed.
Tho appearance OF the flying squadron
was supplemented about $3.50 o'clock by
two of the dispatch boats that had been
with Admiral Simpsons feet racing neriS
and neck. .he Associated Press loaf Daunt-
less In the lead.
The necessity OF cutting the cable III
Santiago de Cuba has already been eyi
derced in Key Yves, by several Madrid ca
kilograms via London being sent after The
bloody fight at cienfaegos last week. when
the Marbl@head's boat crew cut the cable
st that point.
Admiral SIMPSONS feet arrived here at
p NJ. This confirmed the forecast made
IN these dispatches Sunday rs to the
boIn being slower in arriving than well
possed naval oiaceTB here supposed at
,hzt Time. All WAS interesting enough.
but not word OF IL was allowed past tho
eensors Office and score Of correspond
ents Who had been besieging the cable
office ell morning wilted down into the
hotel veranda out OF the hroiiing SUI, help
iess to get word OF the real news OF ihe
situation 20 their papers Naval officers
foE the most part We're as ignorant as the
correspondents as to how matters stood
In the world outside OF Key West and
whether or not the matter Icing censored
had not already leaked out through the
less CONSTRUCTED channels Mt Washington.
Naval men, however. had less time for
speculation. for the ilect was busily en-
gagged In preparing 10 make some move.
the details OF which were known only 10
Commodore Watson and those nearest him.
Every officer was on the alert for orders
70 hurry aboard his ship. Such last night
was the fate Of the men from the Ban
croft. the Castine, the Helena and the
Wilmington.
Hurry ordera" We're reported TO them
about $40 o'clock. The Bancroft's quar-
termastcr was ashore looking after stores
when word was sent him 10 cancel pro-
vision contract and come aboard.
The small feet was already under way
when he reached here and the Dancroft'a
eiE MtS hOON SuitNutA I'D 10 ncr uAVlte
t'hiie she was steaming out OF the harbor
Where the small fleet went is still a nys-
Terry, all being too slow 10 net as scoutg III,
the hunt for tho Spanish fleet and no,
strong enough to do more than help al ua-
@na, whoro there are more boats than ar,
actually headed. Tho most plauslbl,
theory advanced to account for the aulcl
departure was that they We're TO form
second line OF scouts To the southwest
where the Cincinnati and Vesuvius arc sun
Posed 70 be watching the Narrows of Tn,
fNcatan channel. These two VESSELS move
quietly out Thursday and disappeared a
leisurely pace to the southwcstward. |
may be candidly admitted that all dis
crssion OF the Spanish fleet from here i
speculatre' Key West 10 lamentably iso-
lated from the current news and such IA I,
furnished Ia by daily bulletins Tho nm
oerslanding or the squadron here how,
ever, is that Admiral Sampson conntng
confidently on finding the Spanish suundro,
bottled up In San Juan, as did Dewey IN,
Spaniards AT Manila. II was not unit
uayiSnt on the morning OF tho lombard
emnty ~ W.
Meantime, according to the best lnformn
tion he had, the fleet Of the Spanish squad
ron. Including the Viseaya. oquendo, Crls
tobal Colon. Maria Teresa and three do
suoyers bad been moving west along tn
southern shore OF the Caribbean. Later re
ports from Mole 81. Thomas, Cape Haytiel
and other points make " appear that tn
second section OF the squadron, problbl
including tho Cardinal Clsneros, the pelay
and the Christina Regina, are following tn
wake OF the trst ny keeping TO the soutI
shore OF the Caribbean, tho Standard
avoided any chance to encounter sampsol
on Porto Rico, and II they were furnlshc
news at cable points OF the Weakened stat
OF the Cuban blockade, especially nj Cien
fuegos. II showed tempting chance /
mako dash across tbs South Cuban ccas
aud vine ont the light vessels there Thl
done, they could coal and proceed aroun
the west end OF the island about 500 mile
70 Havana. Y that. as generally suppose