The herald., 1898-04-26

Q Algonquin arrived at Key West with .
. two Spanish schooners which had .
. been seized in neighboring waters. .
. The last two named prizes were .
. towed into port by the Algonquin, .
. one of the recent acquisitions to .
the navy. .
The List Growing
NEW YORK, April 25.-Since the war
with Spain has begun the United States
naval forces have established strict
blockade of Cuban ports and have cap
tured nine Spanish vessels. The prizes
are the steamers Buena Ventura, Pedro.
Miguel Jover, Catalina and Saturnina,
and the schoolers Mathilde, Candida and
Antonio. All these vessels have been or
will be taken to Key West except the
Saturnina, which was seized at Ship Is
land. Miss. The Spanish steamers Pana-
ma from New York and the Alfonso XII
from Spain, both bound for Cuba, arc
likely to be captured by American ships
within a few days. Spain has made no
seizures of American vessels as far as
known. Since the beginning Of the war
the only movement of the Spanish that
has been reported is the departure of the
torpedo boat destroyer Audaz from
Queenstown for Spain, her departure be-
ing compelled by the English neutrality
proclamation. For the same reason the
United States Asiatic squadron has begun
to leave Hong Kong. The North Atlantic
squadron is enforcing the blockade of
Cuba and the flying squadron remains at
Hampton Roads, except the Minneapolis
and Columbia, which have gone to sea on
a mission known only to the naval author
tiles. The cruisers San Francisco and
New Orleans are at the Brooklyn Navy
Yard and may sail tomorrow to join the
flying squadron. Every day adds several
vessels to the auxiliary fleet. The battle
ship Oregon and the gunboat Marietta are
coming up along the east coast of South
America and will probably touch at Rio
Janeiro in few days. The dynamite
cruiser Nictheroy, just purchased from
Brazil. is still at Rio Janeiro. The newly
purchased cruiser Topeka is still at sea
on the way from Portsmouth to New York,
and the torpedo boat Somers Is still at
Portsmouth ready for sea. The steamer
Paris, Tor whose safety no alarm Is now
felt, will arrive in New York the middle Of
the week.
Watching the Struggle
LONDON, April 25.-Basing its opinion
upon New York cable dispatches refer
ring to the alleged unpreparedness of the
United States, London has come to the
conclusion that the struggle will be a
lingering one, although it is still watching
with the greatest interest what the stock
exchange people term the ''prize compe-
tition."
In some quarters even now confidence
is expressed that Spain will yield before
long.
Whatever the prize courts may decide
relative to the legality of the captures.
the British naval men applaud the prompt
ness Of action on the part of the Ameri-
can warships as being evidence that the
United States Is "very much alive"
A Prize Cruise
NEW YORK, April 25.-It is learned on
excellent authority that the primary cause
for the departure of the Minneapolis and
Columbia from Hampton was for the pur
pose of ascertaining the whereabouts of
the Spanish man-of-war. which it was
thought might have left st. Vim
cent. says the Washington correspondent
Of the Herald. The commanders of the
Minneapolis and Columbia are instructed
to capture any Spanish merchantmen
which they might chance to meet on their
cruise.
Since their departure the Navy Depart
ment has learned from an official source at
ca