Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-08-15
WHERE IS BLANOO7
1he Captain General Reported to Have
Left Oh the MOnt,errat.

Left OH the MOntserrat.
Playa del Este, Cuba, Aug. 15,-The
American warships New York, Brook
Ign. Oregon, Indiana, Iowa and Massa-
chusetts will sail at once for Tomp-
klnsvllie unless the navy department
decides that they shall walt for the
troops from Santiago de Cuba.
Admiral Sampson thinks 1t would be
unwise to take the troops aboard the
warships on account Of the possible in
lection by disease and also because the
ships have hardly any accommodations.
II the troops are taken the vessels will
be delayed two or three days.
Thursday evening the Scorpion con-
veyed to Admiral Sampson Washington
dispatches from Playa del Este, stating
1t was rumored that Captain General
Blanco had escaped from Havana, pos
sibly on the steamer Montserrat. Com
modore Watson was communicated
with, and the Dixie and Yankee were
sent to the Bahama channel to head
Blanco off.
Sampson at once decided to go to the
western extremity of Jamaica to inter-
cept Blanco should he attempt to escape
in that direction. The flagship made 16
knots an hour despite the foulness of
her bottom and arrived off Jamaica
Friday morning and cruised around.
Thursday evening Admiral Sampson
Instructed Commodore Schley to go to
the southern blockading line and warn
the ships Of the rumored escape of Blan-
co. While leaving the harbor the Brook
lyn in endeavoring to get out OF the way
OF transport went hard aground and
did not get off until yesterday afternoon,
when she was hauled off by the Oregon.
No damage was done to the ship, but
1t was too late then for her to perform
the mission on which she was sent
The Montserrat is now bottled up in
Matanzas harbor and several American
warships lying outside to see that she
does not escape.
The Montserrat was sighted by the
Mangrove one night about a week ago
making stealthily along the coast for
Matanzas harbor. She had almost
reached the goal when she was first
observed, but the Mangrove, which was
several miles out to sea, crowded on all
steam and gave chase, firing q ineffect-
i've shots at the liner. The Spaniard
gained the harbor, but has been held
in by our ships since. Several times
she has run down almost to the channel
entrance to peep out at her jailers, and
on one or two occasions she has tried
to trick them by hosting the blue
peter" the signal used by merchantmen
to announce their intention to sail. The
blockading ships have always been
ready to give her foelike reception,
but the Montserrat has not attempted
to poke her nose outside the jutting
points of the capes. The Montserrat is
sister ship to the Alfonso XII, which
was wrecked by the gunboat Eagle and
would have made worthy prize.
| Great pleasure is expressed among the
fleet over the satisfactory progress OF
the peace negotiations. Admiral Samp-
son and his entire command, however,
are ready to go at 1t again at any mo-
ment If it should become necessary, but
the impression exists that the navy's
work is practically done.
Commodore Watson left yesterday
afternoon on the Badger to raise the
southern blockade and take the ma
rines off the Isle of Pines, where 1t is
thought they were landed yesterday or
the day before. Commodore Watson
will transfer his flag to the Newark
and remain here until the southern
blockadng vessels and the Porto Rican
ships are assembled in this bay. He
will then probably go to Key West
where Commodore Howell will assemble
the northern blockading ships. The
monitors will stay at Guantanamo.
- Probably the last gun of the war was
fired by the New York at the British
tramp steamer Acme, which was chased
and hove to outside the three mile shore
limit. She was bound from Cape Ver6
for Mobile, and, being evidently al
right, was allowed to proceed: The New
York then returned to Guantanamo.
Admiral Sampson says he thinks the
Maria Teresa will be got off all righ
when she has been lightened, which
work will take probably week OF
more. Lighters are to be procured from
Santiago. Captain Pillsbury is overlook
ing the work of the wrecking company