The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-18
SICK OF PATROLLING.
DisagreeabIe Features of the
Blockade Along the
Cuban Coast.
Especial Correspondence. Copyright, 189


by The Associated Presso
KEY WEST, Fla, June 12 1S9S.-The
Captain of a vessel just returned from thpe
blockade of the Northern coast Of Cuba
said. today
1--WE are all sick of the patrol duky,
drifting and cruising along the coast.
The work has become more disagreeable
since the rainy season set in. Some
times one squall will follow another the
whole day long, and the rough seas viii
drench us, even up on the bridge. The
smaller boats approach as enar to the
coast as they can with proper depth OF
water
Between Port Cabanas and Bahai Hon
da the blockaders run along about half
a mile from the beach and just outside
of the white water. From five or SIX
fathoms the bottom pitches suddenly to
two or three hundred fathoms, and the
boats can safely skirt the outer edge OF
the surf The system of watch kept py
the Spaniards from Cardenas to Cape An
tonic is admirable Even on the darkest
stormiest night, they see us, and as we
move slowly along lanterns flash news of
our approach down the coast, so that 1t
with a small boat In the day time smoke
signals are used, and the beach IS pa
trolled also by Spanish cavalrymen. Cur
vessels move about five miles an hour,
and the Spanish horsemen can keep up
with u.s. Three troopers follow US along
the beach for several miles till they come
to the station of three others. These
take UP the work and run along with us
and SO on. They never lose track OF us,
night or day.
1.-THE new fort at Port Cabanas looks to
be very strong. The old fort at Bahia
Honda does not seem to be occupied, al
least there is no flag on it.
From Port Cabanas to Bahia Honda
small hills rise back of the beach, and
between these hills and the summit of
the mountains far inland are beautiful
fields of sugar cane and other crops The
land seems to be cultivated to the utmost
All of this territory is, of course, tribu-
tary to Havana, and furnishes food to the
city.
.eThere may be vessels in Havana har-
Dor anxious to slip out, but they are not
warships The Spaniards have two or
three small gunboats at Havana and no
Blaneo's dispatches about warships en-
tering and leaving are all bombast. The
gunboats would be very sorry if they
ever got out for they would never return.
The reports that the mouth of Havana
harbor has been left open is not true.
There are always three or four boats
prowling about that would snap up even
the smallest fishing smack that tried to
go in or out.
Commodore Watson's flagship is now
the Nashville, but he has moved about
from one ship to another so much that
he says his toothbrush is on one vessel
his pajamas on a second, his hairbrush
on a third, and he wonders where he will
be able to collect his personal effects"
A Federal torpedo boat dashed out of
! Key West harbor yesterday afternoon evi-
IDENTIFY carrying dispatches. This morn
ing the result of her errand was seen,
soon after her return, for whole feet
of war ships arrived. The Eagle came
in and anchored. So did the cruiser Ban
croft Soon after the Manning entered
and then the monitor Puritan, accom-
panied by the auxiliary gunboats Wasp
and Wompatuck. The batleship Indiana
and the cruiser Detroit anchor ed
in the outer harbors. These vessels
all of which, except the Eagle and Puri-
tan, had left with orders to convey troop
ships, had been recalled from off Havana
by the Ericsson, and it is supposed that
a new start from Tampa is about to be
| made (since accomplished).
The auxiliary gunboat Osceola arrived
at 3:30 o'clock this afternoon from a
scouting trip. She left port on Wednes-
day to seek the Eagles mysterious.
Spanish feet She cruised as far as
| Gardenas, but saw no Spaniards.