The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-25
THRICE Told TALES
First Operations of the Cuban
BIockading Fleet.
VERSION OF THE EVENTS
Off Havana HarbOr as Seen
From the DauntIeSS.
VERSION OF THE EVENTS

On Board the Associated Press Dispatci
Boat Dauntless. Key West. April 24.-Th
Associated Press dispatch boat Dauntles
arrived in this harbor yesterday. pelor'
midnight, having Ia tow the first sailing
vessel prize of the campaign. the schooner
Mathilde OF Havana. sixty tons. lOadec
with rum.
When the Dauntless lef the main feet
under Rear Admiral Sampson. at 81;
Z CLOCK on Friday afternoon, what seemed
a thorough blockade Of Havana had teen
successfully effected. The feet is ranged
from eight to ten miles from shore. along
which hey are extended to fully twenty
miles. in the following order. running from
west to east: Mayf1ower, Iowa. Newport,
Detroit. Marblehead, Indiana New York,
Wilmington. with the torpedo boat Porter
attending the flagship.
Moro castle and the city of Havana are
in good view from the flagship with glasses
but the coast as is always the case, is
covered with haze. No news of what is
occurring in the bIockaded city had been
obtained, and the newspaper men are
equally in doubt as to the intentions of
Rear Admiral Sampson and the United
States government.
TO BLOCKADE NIATANZAS.
Soon after 9 o'clock yesterday morning
the Amphitrite. Puritan, Cincinnati Cas-
tine ,Machias and three torpedo boats,
after much interchange Of signals. parted
company with the flagship, sailing in a
northeasterly direction. presumably to
blockade MatanzaS, Cardenas and Saguay
LIE Grande
Owing to her late arrival on the previous
night, and with Necessary delays on the
following day, the Associated Press dis
pach boat Dauntless was the last boat
of the naval and newspaper fleets to leave
Key West harbor on Friday morning.
At 1855 a. m, with her anchor apeak
the Dauntless got under way with plenty
of steam up and with determination pre-
vailing among those on board not to be
the last to pass the Sand Key light She
passed out, going at a 12-knot rate Of
speed. Then hse squared away for the
feet, not even the smoke OF which was
visible at that time The Dauntless dashed
ahead until o'clock, when many black
streams were seen making parallel lines
across the southern horizon. Ten o'clock,
and the vessels of the fleet could be count
ed. even to the torpedo boats. The maneu-
Vers OF the squadron were noted, but of
course their purpose was not understood.
AMO4NI BLOChADERS.
At II o'clock the Dauntless passed the
cruiser Wilmington, at the rear of the
long-strung-out line, with its torpedo boat
Hankers. Until noon there were rore or
less exciting brushes with one or the other
Of the newspaper boats.
At 1880 p. m. the order was given to
Slow down, the Dauntless then being to
the eastward and abeam of the flagship
New York and in the lead of the long
thanking line of newspaper tugs and
yachts. The Dauntless left Key West one
nour and twenty minutes behind the other !
boats, but in four hours and a half she
was at the head of the procession and
captain Floyd, who knows the boat better
than any other living person, remarked:
She can't beat fourteen knots at her !
best, but it's funny how many sixteen and !
seventeen-knot clippers she does leave |
astern."
THE FIRST HOSTILE SHOT.
With the flagship New York, after the |
hills of Cuba had been sighted and she |
had started off at a twenty-knot clip to |
capture the Spanish steamer Pedro, the
Dauntless veered and followed, and was
IN at the death. Those on the Dauntless
saw tho first hostile shot fired, and as
the flagship swung around for her chase
''A'Si NlidC plONtu 10 De q German trad
Ing steamer. they gave the New York tho
frst cheer. But these things were seen
by lot Of correspondents, wet from head
TO foot with spray, by the barrelfun,
thrown constantly higher than the pilot
house. while to move about one required
the use Of legs, hands and feet, but the
game was worth the candle. This is war, !
OF very fair imitation of Il, while the
expectancy of greater things added to the
Of the situation.
After night of rolling in the rough
sea- 10 get under way this morning. the
better to see the Iowa and the Indiana In
lighting trim. start seaward and, better
still, 10 follow the New York as she raced
10 intercept what proved to be i
The Italian man-of-war Giovonni Basan.
from which vessel Rear Admiral Sampson
received his first rear admirals salute
rom foreign warship. came the inspiring
Incident OF the Mathilde. followed by the
determination to return 10 Key West with
dispatches,
ToWED BY THE DAUNTLESS.
The Associated Press dispach boat
Dauntless was asked through the mega
phone to tow the Spanish prize to Key
West which was fitting ending for the
lay. 1t was an example of the grim irony
If fate which gave 10 the famous ex-
1lihuster the first opportunity to tow a
Spanish prize 10 the United States, for