New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-26


an excellcn, llcht I.ae' nirht wac 10 49,,
time those searchirhts hate boon used what
benefit they VIII he - the Sparlar1s ~ lcc
knows They NAV possibly induce tho batteries
20 cXpcnd some nor" ammunition IN 'l'i.e So -
AZ tho fighting rqundron. huf tho blockade c0n-
flnues as before searchurhte or ~ rcarohienfs.
a. Of course. they DO not reach far en- ugh 20
show tho ships
\ GANTrET OF VIGILANCE.
II any ships run the blockade thoy VIII have
20 mn a ganilet - vigilance thai has never
been surpassed Tho alcrincss - the officers
and men continues A. the same pitch a vas *
hlhited the first night the squadron arrived
Admiral Sampson is more handicapped IN his
blockade than were ID" naval commanders dur-
ing tn" civil War In many cases th'y "'f"
able 10 anchor while Admiral Sampsons neet
is obliged TO drift around IN a two-knot cur
rent. with no stationary shor" light for a guido"
1t is believed that every steamer "hl'h mas at
tempted 10 enter Havana since the blockade be
gan has been captured.
one ~ the sights 81 yesterday was the han
ding ~ the forpedo-hoai cushing py Nat ~
cadet Boyd The only survivor - tho Maine
with the fleet Lieutenant Glony"s commander
o. the Gushing. spent the better part ~ IN" day
on the flagship. During his absence Cadet BOYD
handled an" Gushing with a dash ana skill mat
were remarkable considering ih" TACT thai ne
was assigned 10 her only yesterday ana had
never handled a torpedo-boat before. and al
this in sight - Moro Castle. IN IN" shadow or
the Maine
During the carly morning yesterday The Moro
Castle batteries again opened fire on the Meet
but without the slightest effect. There nave
been no casualties among the American forces
uI, 10 tho hour OF writing. and not single shot
has been fired against the batteries
The torpedo boat Porter commanded by Lieu
tenant Fremont. IS doing great work. and II she
keeps on at this rate her crew viii have no
end o: prizc-moncy 10 divide
The Dctrots capture 81 tho Catalina WAS
,faIN tb le q O -
feet was In sight. - IN" Spaniard is the Do
troits exclusive prie, and her crew gets all
the prize money.
About O'Clock yesterday morning the New
York proceeded several miles closer in shore
Not a breath Of wind stirred the sea. and ia"
heat was terrible. Chaplain Royce held regular
Sunday services. and there was sacred music.
among other sacred airs onward. Christian
Soldiers" MORO Castle and the city Of Havana
can be seen plainly through glasses.
so MOVE AGAINST THE BATTERIES
Admiral Sampson has far evinced no dispo-
sition 10 take the offensive against the Spanish
batteries 1t is certain that the Insurgents are
by no means inactive at this critical period
Naval engagements between the formidable
fleets would be much to the liking of the Off
GERS Of the fleet. As n body they are anxious 10
nut 20 the test thousands Of theories To which
they have been detoting their time since enter
Ing the Naval Academy, apart from the fact
that their fighting blood is up. pacific block
AIDE is poor work. from a professional point Of
view despite the excitement Of occasional
chases.
Many OF tho naval officers maintain that n
land base NJ opera lions in cuba should be Sc
cured before the Spanish fleet arrives The
general idea is that the Spaniafds VIII en-
deaVor to recuperate from the effects Of tho
voyagc at ST Thomas before coming To Ha-
vana.
After the Daunlcss Ind towed the prize
schooner away in triumph this afternoon on her
way to Key West the blockade line was ex-
tended. The ships were mostly separated by
several miles OF water. making formidable
scmi-circlc around I'll MORO fifteen miles from
point to point The entire blockade line stretches
for about one hundred and twenty miles from
Maricl sixty miles west OF Havana. 10 Cardenas,
sixty miles east of the belcaguered city. These
distances are approximate.
For TWO hours ON Saturday the Ncw-York
was within easy range Of the Cojima Battery
No . To the eastward Of ri MORO. with its
twclye-inch guns. but the Spaniards apparently
thought IL hopeless to shoot at a distance Of five
miles II was hard to realize while the flag
ship's band played operate airs during dinner
that n stray shot from "A Spanish fort might
come bounding out and make music Of another
kind Few believe. however, that the guns can
carry with any accuracy the distance they are
credited with on paper.
When the Ericsson picked up her small prize
she was only two miles from the Spanish bat
teries.