The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-28
PATROL OF THE PHILIPPINES.
LITTLE RELIEF TO THE MONOTONY
ON. THE GUNBOATs.


ers at the TarIac which Returned
the Fire-Then He Found That the
spanish Steamer Was on an Amer
lean Mission.
Correspondence Of the Associated Press)
Manila. April 1s.-The small gunboats
that the United States bought or cap
tured from Spain, vessels of the Leyte.
Samar. Mindora and Pampanga type, are
commanded by young naval officers and
do patrol duty along the coast The
Mindora. 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 flibusters. Such duty is mo-
notonous 10 a degree a heavy sea or
hot sun being about the only difference
from one day to another. But now and
chen excitement does come to this patrol
and the weary work of months is for
gotten in the hope of a good capture or
q good fight
Two weeks ago, at o'clock, of a misty
morning. the vigilant watch on the Min
doro, cruising north of Apart, spied a
steamers lights and the gunboat was
headed TO cross the strangers bows. No
especial interest was attached to the
stranger vessel by the crew of the gun
boat for the coastwise traders are al
ways slipping in and out of APART. SAIL,
IL is the duty of the patrol to ascer-
tain what all vessels are doing, as any
one may be on ilegitimate business. The
Mindoro was running without lights. She
had come to within a mile and half of
the stranger, when the later suddenly
changed her course and the heavy clouds
of smoke that rolled from her funnel
told those on the gunboat that she was
going 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 enemy.
The jingle bell rang in the engine room
and the Mindoro gathered Roadway for
the chase.
Fire a shot we'll across her bow" COM
manded Ensign Mccarthy, and the six
FOUNDER barked its arbitrary orders over
to the stranger. She paid no attention,
"Give her another well clear"-came the
order from the bridge. But, the second
summons was unheeded like the first.
drop one over her this time, so she'll
hear 1t pass" ordered the Ensign, and
the gunner obeyed. The stranger an
Ewered this third and decisive summons
by putting out her lights and throwing
back a roll of black smoke that hid her
from the view of the pursuing gunboat.
To say the crew Of the Mindoro were hope
full and jubilant but family expresses
their enthusiasm. The stranger had given
every proof of being an enemy. Her dis
regard of the third summons to halt
branded her as such, and the Instructions
given to the sea sentry are like those
given to the sentry on land: Fire if
the third order to halt is disregarded"
Thought Her "a Prize
Here was a prize in their very grasp
She was surely a filibuster trying to land
arms or a steamer conveying the fugitive
Asuinaldo 10 Hong Kong. No such cap
ture had been made in a year, and the
patient waiting and watching of the Min
doro were at last to be rewarded. 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 her eight and a
half knots and the stranger was a mile
ahead, hidden by the smoke from her fun
mel
Can you get sight on herr" asked
the bridge of the gunner.
No, sir; nothing but her smoke"
open fire on her-3,000 yards" and fol-
lowing this order, the 6-pounder sent shot
after shot into the cloud of smoke ahead
After the fifth shot there were three sharp
reports from the direction Of the stranger
and three bullets sang over the gunboats
deck. Then the crew of the Mndoro DOS
itively cheered-they were so happy They
cleared the ship for action, brought on
deck their twelve Lee rifles and liberal
supply OF ammunition for all her guns
There was no doubt of it now; here was
the best chance that had ever come to
q coast patrol since the work began.
After the eighth shot from the 6-pound-
or the stranger blew long blasts on her
steam whistle and then slowed down. The
Mindoro ran through her trailing smoke
and in a few minutes was close to a
black painted steamer, her light again lit
ana her decks crowded with men. En-
Sign Mccarthy called away a boat with
an armed crew and prepared to board
rs he left the Mindoros side voice from
the stranger called in good English: Are
you an American ship" Mccarthy. not
wishing to give the supposed enemy the
advantage of any informal ton concerning
his Identity, especially when one-third of
his available fighting force were an easy
mark in an open boat. replied: II will
speak with you when l board you"
AS the Mindoro's boat approached the
strange steamer the same question was
again shouted 10 She ensign and he an
swered IL as he bad done the first time
At length Ensign Mccarthy mounted
the strangers gangway and on reaching
her decks he noticed they were crowded
with frightened and astonished Finpinos.
''Tell the Captain of this ship want to
sec him upon the bridge at once" ordered
the American officer, and he walked for
ward. At this moment a man in pajamas
overlook him and introduced himself as
Maj. Whitley of the Sixteneth Regiment
Il am Ensign Mccarthy, commanding
the United States gunhoat Mindoro," an
svcred the naval officer. II am very
glac to meet you, sir"
The Situation Explained.
Mai. Whitley Ensign Mccarthy and
the Spanish captain of the Companfa
Merltima's steamer Tarlac, for such the
vessei proved TO be. then proceeded to
the bridge and the incomprehenslble mat
ter was explained.
The Tarlac was bound from Laoag. on
the west coast. to Apart on the north
She had on board fifty Filpinos for the
the latter port, seven American soldiers
and Maj. Whitley who had been but ten
days I'm the islands and was joining his
regiment at APART. Before the Tarlac
left InOaR Mai. Whitley heard a story IL,