The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-05-16
TRIED ONCE TOO OFTEN
SPIDER BLANCO SPREAD HIS
NETS IN VAIN
TWO FAKE L0CKADE RUNNERS
Fail to Draw the American Cruisers
Into Range Of the Big Guns
4 at Havana


4 at Havana
Associated Press Special Wire
KEY WEST ION board the Associated
Press dispatch boat Katie Spencer, off Ha-
vana, May IA, via Key West, May Is, a.
M copyright, 1882 Captain General
Blanco. 4 two hours before shutdown tonight
attempted to execute ruse which, If sue
cessful, would have cleared the front of
Havana of six ships on that blockading
station. Enable to come out to do battle.
he adopted the tactics of the spider and
cunningly planend to draw the prey into
his net, but though clever and pretty
scheme as an original proposition, 1t was
practically repetition of the trick OF
which the gunboat vicksburg and the little
converted revenue cutter Morrill, were last
week decoyed by fishing smack under the
big Krupp guns of Santa Clara batteries
Thanks to bad gunnery. both ships on that
occasion managed to get out Of range with
out being sunk. though some of the shells
burst close aboard and the Vicksburg's
ladder was cut adrift.
The wary are never caught twice in the
same trap. Late this afternoon the ships
on the Havana station were dumbfounded
to see two ships steam out of Havana har-
Dor and head east. Dense smoke was
streaming like black ribbons from their
stacks and glance showed that they were
under full head Of steam.
By the aid of glasses Commander Lilly
of the Mayflower, which was flying the
pennant, made out the larger vessel of the
two, which was about 200 feet long and
about $500 tons displacement, to be the AL
fonso XVII. and the smaller one to be the
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 firing ships and
-rl.-
were making bona fide run for the open
sea. AS superior officer, he signaled the
other ships on the station, the Vicksburg,
Annapolis, Wasp, Tecumseh and Osceola,
which were moving In to form q column
and echelon with gunboats on the right
flank. The little squadron moved in OBJ
liquely toward the fleeing Spaniards. keep
ing up running fire as they went. The
Alfonso and her consort circled in shore
about five miles below and after running
in for half an hour headed in for Moro
castle. Our gunboats and thin-skinned
vessels of the mosquito fleet did not fol-
low them in. Commander Lilly saw that
the willy Spanish ruse was to draw them in
under the fires of the heavy batteries,
Where the Spanish artillery officers could
plot out the exact range with their tele-
meters and pot them. So the return was
made in line ahead parallel with the shore.
Commander Lilly was not mistaken. AS
his ships came abreast of the Santa Clara
battery the big guns opened and fired thir-
teen shells at q distance of about five
miles. The range was badly judged, as
more than half the shells overshot the
mark and others fell short, some by as
much as mile. The Associated Press dis
patch boat Katie Spencer witnessed the &C
ton, which lasted over an hour. AS spec
tacle, the greatest master of stagecraft
could not have evolved a finer setting The
low sun in bank of vermilion dyed the
Cuban hills royal purple. against which
Havana's white walls cleaned like alabas-
ter. Morro's gray towers stood out against
the blue waters of the gulf. while directly
/, behind sprang broad band of the rain
bow woven in and out through dense gray
clouds until lost at the zenith, The big
Alfonso and her convoy steamed swiftly
from the dark shadows of the harbor' s
mouth and, turning sharply east, ran along
the coast as though to slip through the
Gordon Of blockade. 1t was bold trick
and not at first transparent, although the
folly of it created suspicion, as there was
no hope Of ultimate escape and no object
in escaping the Mayflower, which, stand
ing like a cat with mouse, gave slight
start. then swinging her engines and tiny
squadron into line, dashed in to cut them
off. The Spanish boats crowded-on steam
and stood along the coast as long as they
dared give zest to the chase. The May
flower signaled her escorts. "close in and
charge"
Word was flung from shipto ship as they
steamed on In column. Seeing the bait had
( apparently been taken, the spaniards
veered, bringing their stern 80 as to bear
!. on the Americans, doubling back for Moro.
1t was beautiful running fire viewed from
where the Katie Spencer lay, seven miles
. of MORO castle. Little puAs OF white
: smoke burst from the sides OF the gun
boats and occasionally an arn1o~,c,, - !.