Evening star., 1898-04-25

stern, and once more her four engines
throbbed rs If impelled by the excitement
OF the ,hase. Then again the four-inch
gun beloved out its note of warning this
time hurting across the water steel III
junction as emphasis to the order To heave
to. The second strange steamer soon came
TO standstill and was boarded But great
was the disappointment on board inc New
York when il seen that she was diving
the German flag
German Tramp Steamer.
Ensign F. H. Brurby. who boarded the
German, reported that she was a tramp
steamer, the Remus, Capt. Schwarner of
hamburg, bound from Havana 20 Santiago
de cuba. in ballast. The commander of
the Remus said he knew nothins, of war
having been declared BY the Unlte,; States
ana Spain, and Ensign Brumby made the
! usual apologies. The Remus was Then per-
mltted to proceed. after having had a more
narrow escape than falls to the lot of a
merchantman
Inc sun was setting. casting red angry
looking rays on the desolate-a ppearing hills
OF Cuba: the New York returned to the
Pedro, took her in tow and proceeded to
reJoin the sql adron. The flagship and her
prize were almost off Morro Castle at
Pm and SIX miles off shore. The harhor
ight OF Havana could be plainly seen from
the decks of the flagship, which during tie
AFTERNOON had been stripped for action and
showed no lights at all
Ensign Brumby Joined Lieut.. Capehart
on board the Pedro. and the prize sailed
Tor Key West, without an escort, at s nm.
Inc New York then steamed to the
northwest and eventually picked up the
squadron In SO doing a serious collision
was narrowly averted. A newspaper dis
patch boat. the Anita unable to -dis.,n-
gulSh the flagship in the darkness at
tempted to cross her bows The New York
was then under good headway, and to the
correspondent of the Associated Press who
was Oh the bridge it seemed impossible to
stop the New York in time.
Saved by Presence of Mind,
The presence of mind of Ensign Edie. the
cihcer of the watch, prevented a disaster
he siSEaled tc reverse the engines and
nad the helm put hard to port, at the same
time blowing the signal to close the water
tight buiEheads. The Anita, however Slip
ped past the New York's ram with about
twenty yards to spare, thanks to the cool
Judgment and prompt action of Ensign
Edie.
AT o'clock the admiral and Capt Chad
wick had turned in for much-needed rest
iiiey SLEPT in the chart room instead OF in
their comfortable cabins The admiral said
to the correspondent previously:
Il shall not report the blockade to the
Secretary OF the Navy until it is thorough
ly established. This, ii is likely, will be to-
morrow"
The admirars plucky dash with the New
York almost on to the Cuban beach, and
its satisfactory termination. have gained
new laurels for him with his already en-
thusiastic and devoted command. During
the concluding features of the boarding of
the Pedro land the Remus the rest of the
United States squadron had disappeared
from view. and there was no one to dis
pute the honor with the New York of the
first capture in Cuban waters.
Newspaper Boat Left behind.
A newspaper boat followed her, but was
left far behind in the race. The Dauntless,
dispatch boat of the Associated Press, vas
the first to arrive on the scene of action.
She came up just as the prize crew of the
Pedro was eTnbarking on board that
steamer. The entire plan of action here is
fraught with danger, not so much from the
Spanish guns as from the difficulties of
manoeuyring a large squadron at night
without showing any lights to the enemy
on shorn. Speculation is rife as to what
the Spanards are DOING and to what
they intend TO do. 1t is not believed Ad-
miral Sampson will coniine himself entire
ly to blockade of the island, although he
Informed the correspondent that he did not
expect any action to occur in the immedi
ate future. 1t is certain, however. that
some movement Will be made on Matanzas
probably tomorrow. Whether this will be |
simply l.: the nature OF a blockade, or for |
the purpose of securing a base of supplies, |
cannot yet be asserted with any degree of |
assurance.