Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-10
8lanco Constructing Sand Forts Along
the Seashore.
SHIELDED BY BLOCKADIEG FLEET
Unarmored Ships Are Becoming
Little More Cautious.
AVOID HIGH-POwER GUNS
Copyright. 1898. by Associated Press)

Copyright. 1898. by Associated Press)
ON BOARD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DISPATCH BOAT KATE SPENCER. OFF
CARDENAS. May tvia Key West. Fla.
May 1m.-The Spanish soldiers display
ing much activity along the line of coast
from Bahia Honda. forty-five miles west OF
Havana. to Cardenas. sixty-five miles to
eastward. AS the ships of the blockadins
feet have instructions to prevent the cree
ton of new Notifications and have at vari-
points shelled working parties, the task
Of strengthening the existing defenses and
throwing up earthworks is carried on prin-
cipally at night, save in the immediate
vicinity of Havana.
sicksburg's Narrow Escape.
The narrow escape of the Vicksburg and
Morrill,. Saturday, when they We're de-
cOyed within easy range of the Santa Clara
batteries. just west of Moro Castle, has
taught some of the unarmored ships a les
son. and il is not likely that that class of
boats will venture within close range of the
modern high-power guns again. Along the
coast fresh sand batteries are being thrown
up almost every night, but these works are
of flinsy character and would be reduced
by the fire of the big guns in few min
utes.
The officers of the blockading fleet believe
deal of energy in the erection of the insig-
nifiC ant shore batteries.
The strengthening of the rear formidable
works about Havana is a very different
thing. 1t may be. however by the cree
tion of these light batteries, which must
be abandoned as soon as the serious work
of the fleet begins, Blanco puts heart in
his SERVING soldiers and imbues them with
the idea that a Yankee invasion can be re-
PEELED at any point.
Smelling Spanish Details
The Hornet and the Winslow now block
aiding Matanzas. have had a lively time for
several days Smelling Spanish details at
work on batteries and telegraph lines out
side of the entrance of the harbor. There
as at other points, most of the work is
done at night, and each morning sees fresh
earthworks thrown up like fresh ant hills
against the rusty green of the coast line
ON Sunday morning the Hornet found
party putting telegraph line from the light
house and signal station a mile east of
Natanzas harbor to the batteries west of
Point Sabaniila, on the other side of the
bay. The batteries here are said to be of
some magnitude. mounting few high
power guns. To stop this Geographic &C
tivity the Hornet steamed quietly in and
men
They scattered like rabbits and the line
grounded then and there. Several other
telegraph parties have been discouraged in
the same way at other points. 1t is evil
IDENTIFY the intention OF the Spanish 10 es-
tablish communication by wire with all
their coast block houses and batteries with
view, possibly, of massing troops and
guns 10 oppose landing whenever threat
ened.
Will Keep Behind Hills.
Hereafter they will probably carry their
wires behind the first range of hills, where
they will be less subject to the sudden in
terruption
1t is not possible that there are enough
heavy guns at the command of the Span
iards to mount them in all the new sand
batteries sPringing up, but as there is a
railway from Havana to Matanzas, quite
close 10 the coast, the authorities may be
deiuding themselves with the idea that
they can transport heavy guns to the bat
teries nearest the threatened landing point
whenever their watches telegraph the ap-
pearance Of the American troops off the
coast