Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-04-27
RUNNING DOWN
A MAN OF War
Sensational Chase of the
Cincinnati Yesterday.
Vessel Proved to be Magnificent
Italian Cruiser-Salutes Ex-
changed and She Passed
Out Without More Ado.

On Board the Flagship New
York, off Havana, April %, 2 p. m.
-(Filed Key West, midnight,
April %, 1.-The Puritan, Nashville,
Marblehead and Ericsson arrived
from Key West this morning. The
Ericsson almost Immediately
returned to Key West with
dispatches. At 10 o'lock this morn
ing the monitor Puritan, the
cruiser Cincinnati, the gunboats
Machias, Nashville, Castine and
the torpedo boats Foote and Wins
slow left the squadron to blocakade
Matansas, Mariel and Cardenas.
They formed separate divisions,
and after they had passed out of
sight the remainder of the fleet
took up a regular formation, having
drifted some fifteen miles from
MORO Castle. The general
advance was made at half speed.
Captain Evans, not quite certain
of the position he was entitled to
take with the Iowa, caught up
abreast o. the flagship and shouted
through the megaphoue: Glow
near may I go?" Rear Admiral
Sampson, who was standing Oh
the after bridge, replied: GAS
near,,a you can without drawing
the fire of the batteries"
"All right" Captain Evans
shouted back in tones that ex-
pressed the keepest disappolnt-
ment. The Iowa then went
ahead.
About half an hour after the squad
ron was we'll unGer way ;he cruiser
Cincinnati was seen on the eastern
horizon, the smoke pouring from her
tunnels. She had been headed for Ma
tauzas and evidehtly had turned back
to chase some vessel. yhe object OF her
pursuit was soon made out, standing
well toward the coast. The flagship,
the cruiser Marblehead and the gun
boat Wilmington Immediately turned
out of course to head the warship of.
The remainder of the squadron pro-
ceeded to the westward. Smoke pour
ed from our ships. The flagship was
making Is knots, the whole vessel
throbbing with the vibrations OF her
screws. The little Wilmington steam
ed up in splendid style, and the last
cruiser Nlarbiehead kept nearly
abreast. The formidable trio bore down
upon the warship. Then shout went
M. "She is Spaniardm For the next
ten minutes the excitement was ter
rifle. The distance which separated
the vessels rendered impossible to make
out the warship's identity. She was
Thought to be the Viscyya or the AL
mirante Oquendo, heading hard for
Havana.
The men at the guns shouted with
glee. The stokers Off duty below cheer
ed vociferously and begged to be al
Towed to go on deck to help shoot at
the first armed enemy met. The off,
GERS crowded on the quarter deck as
elated as the men, though under better
control. The bugler blew General
Quarters" All hands flew to their
posts. Down came the shrouds with
faIllG. lue IllS lIuCo NaiiioiiSa - ioitt otAS
deck, Rear Admiral Sampson, Standing
on the bridge, said elibefAely to
Captain Chadwick, cues, the Oquendo
or the Vizcaya," and then added: 81
should like to bag them both."t Then
it was seen that the chase was flying
an Italian flag, but this was nc. proof
that behind her still invisible guns
Spaniards were not concealed, ready
to shoot under advantage or subter-
fuoe. All the guns on the New 4ork's
port side and in the forward and after
turrets were trained on the stranger.
A few minutes later, when about l,500
wards separated the New York from
her target, tie American flag was run
up by the warship, and then it was
known she was not Spaniard.
A puff of smoke issued from her
sides, and the boom of gun sounded
across the waters 1t was only a salute,
but at first many on board thought
Rear Admiral Sampson had been de-
ceived. But the warship fired 20 guns
as a salute, which was returned by the
Iagsh y. which also flew an Italian
nag. : he stranger was then made out
to be the Gioyanna Bausan, q power
full cruiser. Without further formali-
ties, she pursued her course and enter
ed Havana harbor. Thus an exciting
incident ended in disappointment, but
il served to show how anxious all
hands are fol a real fight and how
splendid the discipline is when
contingency seems imminent.