The Washington times., 1901-09-17
THE NEWSPAPER WAR FLEET.
A Peculiar Feature of the Spanish.
American War,

Within a few days after the destruction
OF the Maine, correspondents from all
parts of the country were rushed to the
scene of the disaster. The news-reading
public demarded every possible item OF
information regarding the affair, the
grave import of which was Immediately
appreciated. But the Spanish officials
soon instituted a censorship so rigorous
that very little information percolated
through the cable from Havapa- TS Sope
with the situation NeY sork newspaper
devised the plan of beying rs despatcnes
sent by boat frc.n the Cuban coast to
Key west, where they were put upon the
wires and sent direct to the newspaper
officss. The other papers were rot slow
to adopt this plan. and soon a large feet
OF tugs. yachts. and small steamers were
plyiag between the island and United
states territory. This was the beginning
OF. of the FIRST f1est q news-gatheriag YES
sells ever assembled
The work of following the movements of
the squadrons under command OF Acting
rear Admiral Sampson and Commodore
Schiey, and of attempting to locate the
whereabouts OF the feet sent across the
Atlantic by the Spanish Government, af-
forded plenty Of occupation for all these
press boats and for the scores Of corre-
spondents that they carried. Manifestiy
the only way to be absolutely certain of
obtaining all the news was to keep track
not only Of the large fleets but also of the
detached vessels which were sent along
the coast for patrol duty, and the news
paper boats had to make daily trips to
Key West in order to put their dispatches
upon the cable.
To patrol a coast line as great as that
of Cuba tthe island is over one hundred
miles long). and to know every event of
Importance taking place within its limits.
was an extremely difficult matter. The
plan adopted by most of the press repre-
keepins the fiagship in sigh until bonn
bardment or some other event of news
importance took place: then to make a
dash back to Key West. put the de-
spatches on the wire, and, returning, pick
up the fleet as soon as possible. This
method involved glorious opportunities for
beats Not only this, but there were
often exciting races between the boats to
get the wire at Key West.
The cables leaving from that port were
always overcrowded during the progress
of the war. There was a great amount of
Government matter to be transmitted.
took precedence of all others. With the
correspondents it was first come first
served and the man who got in late.
no matter how important his despatch.
was not likely to have IL printed in his
paper the next day. There were occa-
sions when rival tugs came racing into
Key West with their steam gauges reg
istering dangerous pressure, and some
of the correspondents serving as stokers
and feeding portions of the woodwork of
the vessel into the furnaces.
There were some exciting episodes
among the experiences of the men who
carried these dispatches. On some of the
boats oil in barrels was considered
necessary part of the vessels outfit. and
danger point or no danger point. it was
poured freely over the coal burned in
the furnaces, the correspondents prefer
ring to take the chances of blowing their
boats up rather than risl. being beaten
by some rival news gatherer. The boats
were most Of them small, although one
editor. finding that he could not get good
tugs. on two occasions chartered verita-
BILE ocean steamships and used them as
despatch boats for his newspaper. OF
course these ships had little to fear from
the weather In the Gulf of Mexico. but
the smaller craft frequently encountered
real danger in crossing from points of
action to far distant cable stations. Many
Of the tugs were without decent sleeping
accommodations, and the hartiships of the
newspaper men who manned them were
severe.
Nor .did the weather present the only
hangers which the despatch boats en-
,ountered. | know of one case-that of
he New York Sun" tugboat Sampson. at
I.uantanamo-when the boat went into
he harbor for n>Ss. and came out with
anywhere from twenty to thirty holes
made by Spanish bullets in her upper
Magazine.