Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-05-28
Correspondence Associated Press.)


boats that the United States bought or
captured from Spain, vessels of the
Leyte, Gamar, Mindora and Pampanga
type, are commanded by young naval
officers and do patrol duty along the
coast. The Mindoro, Ensign Mccarthy
commanding, has just returned from
the northwest coast of Luzon, where
for two months she had been steaming
back and forth, looking for filibusters.
Such duty is monotonous to a degree,
a heavy sea or hot sun being about
the differences from one day to an
other. But, now and then excitement
does come to this patrol and the weary
work of months is forgotten in the
hope of good capture or a good
fight
Two weeks ago, at two o'clock of a
misty morning, the vigilant watch on
the Mindoro, cruising north of APART,
spied steamers lights and the gun
boat was headed to cross the strang-
ers bows. No especial interest was
attached to the strange vessel by the
crew of the gunboat, for the coastwise
traders are always slipping in and out
of APART. Still it is the duty of the
patrol to ascertain what all vessels are
doing as any one may be on illegiti-
mate business. The Mindoro was rum
ming without lights. She had come to
within mile and half of the strang-
er, when the latter suddenly changed
her course and the heavy clouds of
smoke that rolled from her funnel told
those on the gunboat that she was go
ing to run away. Then hope dawned
in the hearts of the coast patrol. After
waiting and watching for two months
perhaps, they had at last found an enc
my. The jinglebell rang in the en-
gine-room and the Mindoro gathered
Roadway for the chase
Fire a shot we'll across her bow"
commanded Ensign Mccarthy, and the
six-pounder barked it's arbitrary Or
ders over to the stranger. She paid
no attention. Give her another we'll
clear came the order from the bridge.
But the second summons was I'M
needed like the first. Drop one over
her this time, so she'll hear it pass"
ordered the Ensign, and the gunner
obeyed. The stranger answered this
third and decisive summons by putting
out her lights and throwing back roll
of black smoke that hid her from the
view of the pursuing gunboat. To say
the crew of the Mindoro were hopeful
anu jubilant but family expresses their
enthusiasm. The stranger had given
every proof of being an enemy. Her
disregard of the third summons to
halt branded her as such, and the in
structions given to the sea sentry are
like those given to the sentry on land:
'Fire of the third order to halt is dis
regarded"
Here was prize in their very grasp.
She was surely filibuster trying to
land arms, or a steamer conveying the
fugitive Aguinaldo to Hong Kong-no
such capture had been made in year,
and the patient waiting and watching
of the Mindoro were at last to be re-
warded. There were the best of good
reasons to believe this. Why should
any honest ship run from the third
summons to halt knowing, as all ships
do, what comes after?
The Mindoro was doing eight and
half knots and the stranger was mile
ahead, hidden by the smoke from her
funnel.
Can you get sight on her?" ask
ed the bridge of the gunner
mo, sir; nothing but her smoke"
open fire on her-three thousand
yards" and following this order the
six-pounder sent shot after shot into
the cloud of smoke ahead. After the
fifth shot there were three sharp re-
ports from the direction of the strang-
er and three bullets sang over the gun
boats deck. Then the crew of the
Mindoro positively cheered, they were
so happy. They cleared the ship for
action, brought on deck their twelve
Lee rifles and liberal supply of am
munition for all her guns.
There was no doubt of it now; here
was the best chance that had ever
come to coast patrol since the work
began
After the eighth shot from the six
FOUNDER the stranger blew long blasts
on her steam whistle and then slow
ed down. The Mindoro ran through
her trailing smoke and in few min
utes was close to a black painted
steamer, her lights again lit and her
decks crowded with men. Ensign Nc
Carthy called away boat with an
armed crew and prepared to board AS
he left the Mindoro's side voice from
the stranger called in good English:
Are you an American ship?'' Nc
earthly, not wishing to give the sup
posed enemy the advantage of any in
formation concerning his identity es-
pecially when one-third of his avail
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