The Portland daily press., 1898-05-16
DIDN'T WORK This TIME.
General BIaneo Tries 10 Entrap
Bloekadiag Squadron.

On Board the Associated Press Despatch
Boat Kate Spencer, OF Havana, May IA.
8 p. M, via Key West. Fla, May 49,
Captain General Blanco, two hours before
sundown tonight, attempted to execute q
ruse, which ii successful would have
cleared the front of Havana Of six ships
on that blockading station.
Though clever scheme it was practical
ly repetition of the trick by which the
gunboat Vicksburg and the little coyerted
revenue cutter Morrill, were last week de-
coyed by q fishing smack under the big
Krupp guns of Santa Clara batteries.
Late this afternoon the ships on the
Havana station were lumbfounded to see
two ships steam out of Havana harbor
and head east. Dense smoke was steam
ing like black ribbons from their stacks
and a glance showed that they were under
a full head Of steam. BY aid of glasses,
Commodore Lilly Of the Mayfower. which
was flying the pennant, made out the
larger vessel Of the two. which was eco
feet long and about 450G tens dfsplace-
nent, to be the cruiser Alphonso XII.
and the small one to be the gunboat
Legazpi, both of which were known to be
bottled up in Havana harbor.
At first he supposed that they were
taking advantage of the absence of the
heavy fighting ships and were making a
bona flde run for the open sea. AS su-
perior officer. he Immediately signalled
the other warships on the station, the
Vicksburg, Annapolis, Wasp, Tecumseh
and Osceola. which were moving in to
moved in obliquity toward the flying
Spaniards, keeping up a running fire as
they went. The Alphonso and her con-
sort circled in shore about five miles be-
low Havana and after running in for half
a mile headed back for MORO Castle.
Our gunboats and the vessels of the
mosquito fleet did not follow them in.
Commander Lilly saw the willy Spanish
ruse and the return was made in line
ahead parallel with the shore. Com
mander Lilly had not been mistaken. AS
his ships came abreast of the Santa Clara
battery, the big guns opened and fred
thirteen shells at a distance of about five
miles. The range WAS badly judged, as
more than half the shells overshot the
mark and others fell short. some as much
as mile
Commander Lilly signalled and his fleet
stood off shore. Captain Mckenzie on the
bridge of the Vioksburg. watched the fall
of the shells, bus he considered it useless
to waste ammunition at that distance,
He appsased the desire Of the men at the
guns, however, BY letting go a final
broadside at the Spanish ships, in chance
hope Of making nd as them pay tfo for their
but they steamed under Morro's guns un-
touched, ana as they disappeared fired
several shots. Several shots were sent
after them ut that moment by the An
napolis, which dropped inside the harbor
probably creating CONSERVATION among
scores Of boats on the water front.
Commander Mckenzie thinks, as do
other officers Of the fleet, that the Alphon-
so has been stripped of her battery and
guns and those used today were only
temporarily mounted. From the action
of the Krupps. it is evident the Spaniarls
have no cordite and are using ordinary
cocoa powder.
HOW SPANIARDS TELL IT.
Madrid, May 15.-1 p. m.-The I'm.
parcial today published despatch from
Spanish version of a war episode. 1t says:
ION Friday the gunboats Conde de
Venadito and Nueva Espana steamed out
of the harbor and attacked an American
squadron of two cruisers and five auxiliary
cruisers which were outside. The Spanish
vessels fired TWEEN ty shots and the Ameri-
cans fired eight, the latter retreating ap-
parent1y damaged. 4 Three crowded tugs
followed the gunboats, the people on
board cheering them.
1t would seem possible that the facts
upon which the Imparcial's despatch Is
based, are to be found in the despatch
from the Associated Press despatch boat
Kate Spencer, fled at Key West today
and sent out early this morning. Two
Spanish ships did steam out of Havana
harbor and tried to draw some of our
vessels under the guns Of the heavy
Spanish batteries. The ruse was unsnc-
oessful, though the Santa Clara battery
sent some badly aimed shells at our ships
which replied by driving the two Span
iards back into Havana.
The American report, however, says the
Spanish vessels engaged were the Alfonso
XII. and the Legaspi, cruiser and a
gunboat, which have been blockaded IN
Havana harbor.
NNMAPIEc WEIt EnRTIEIcn