The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 23, 1898, Page 1

This Paper not taken from .ibra BIE RIS IRESE SIS | v, b s e The Ca VOLUME L\\\III —NO. 144, SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 1898. PRICE FIVE CENTS. TWO SHIPS CAPTURED, FLEET BLOCKADES CUBA, WAR IS FAIRLY BEGUN TWO PRIZES ARE TAKEN IN ONE DAY The Captain of the Nash- ville Orders the First Gun Fired. Flagship New York Chases a Steamer Close to the Cuban Coast and Captures Her. KEY ‘WEST, FEla.; April 23="An is coming in. captured by Alfonso XII, to-day (not the warship of that name). the the Spaniards hove to and surrendered. Herald-Call Dispatch Boat (via Key West), April shone on the first capture of war. Its decliuing rays lit 1 made by this fleet to-day. The chase and capture took ernoon and almost within gunshot of the shores of Cuba. merchant steamship of apparently about 2000 tons. could not wait to ascertain the vessel's name. The lecks of the He; dispatch boat was one of les of the S. nding toward H flowér acting as a scout nce of the fla The Mayflower sud- v to the westward and a moment later a string of but- ering to her masthead. While all were wondering nt the New York was seen to fling her answering nd making ancther si 1 to the fleet, which -~rob- here you are until I get back,” ~wun~ her bow to the ing for the game that the Mayflower had sighted. lendid cru as she rushed pa-t our boat from each of her three big funnels, a her wake was like a tidal wave. rom the start, and a magnificent sight she through the choppy seas, with never an undula- ul hull. The loom of land lay on her starboard bow .m\nu:h 1 climbed on top of the pilot house of the Smith 1 ahead I could distinguish nothing except the white led to know what the New York was n Havana alone to give formal notice to give non-combatants warning to out to advance another theory when there came bow of the cruiser and a dull report came boom- On Board the morning 22— T!’“ a puff the ing over the The matt insho; supp( r enough then. The vigilant scout had espled a sail was in hot pursuit. We of the dispatch boat h torpedo boat, and as there came another flash men of the Smith became certain 1 a “hornet,”” obstinately trying to oak it to him, New York,"” other jet of flame from the cruis The pursuer up to this time had been using one of her small rapi.-fire guns, and the Spanish ship, evidently believing that she carried nothing larger, was apparently trying to make her escape by running until night- fall hid her movements. The rapid-fire gun ceased its chatter, there was a moment of silence and the entire bow of the cruiser was hid In a swizl of white smoke as a main battery gun uttered its peremptory monosyllable, The message of the whizzing shell told plainly that there was to be no more fooling and the fugitive was not slow in reading it. The missile had hardly flung up its column of spray before the Spaniard was st to round to and change her engines. The New York ranged near and was lowering a boat to take possession of the prize when the Smith hav- n no time to spare in reaching the Key West wire swung zround and back to port. As I sed ¢ fleet at sunset.I noticed that the ships 1 blockade rm ,iion. The battleships and the Amphitrite were in d column, the cruisers and gunboats strung out in an- n the armor-clals and the land, with the torpeco boats and y boat Cestroyer Mayflower hovering between (he inner line and one enthusiast, as there came an- the tc the sho: pe THE SPANIARDS INDULGING IN BOLD BLUSTER Copyrighted, 1888, by James Gordon Bennett. MADRID, April 22.—The Spanish Govern- ment states that it intends, as soon as the Americans bombard Havana, to do the same to Washington, Philadelphia and other points. Copyrighted, 1598, by James Gordon Bennett. | first ShOt in the war between KEY WEST, FLA., April 22. | Spain and the United States, incoming tug reports that the New York has captured a Spanish passenger steamer plying between Havana and Porto Rico. The torpedo flotilla It is believed here that the prize| flagship New York is the] the mail steamer due at Havana The Spanish ship tried to run away, but the New York gave chase, firing shot after shot until THE FIRST SHOT OF THE WAR. | Capture of the Spamsh Merchant Steamer Buena Ventura by the United States Steamer Nashville. MANILA IS DOOMED SHANGHAI, April 22— The American squadron at Hongkong has sailed for Manila. Itis reported that the priests and the commercial classes fa- vor surrender, but the military is determined to resist. % * % * * # * * * % * # * * * * # #* HKERFE XX HERE R R R R first prize of this country. this morning gone port. sented to board his vessel at once. was easy. When the Nashville, with her prize, dropped anchor in| the outer harbor Commander | Maynard of the Nashville con- receive me on offered him congratulations on behalf of the Herald-Call and the American - people, which he received with the simple statement that he was happy indeed to have the honor of bringing in the first prize, even though the catch “We had proceeded under — Patrick Mullen fire;d the and the big Spanish freight | orders from the flagship,” he HE KK KKK KKK KKK KRR KKK *******—»*********** She was captured cight miles south of Sand Key light when the fleet of Rear Admiral Sampson had been from here scarcely an hour on its way to Havana. The Spanish vessel was brought to this ‘ States warships this afternoon. | but fear i~ in the hearts of the city’s defenders. steamer Buena Ventura is the | | made it out to be a Spanish ] THE FLEET IS SIGHTED FROM HAVANA HILLS Copyrighted, 159, by James Gordon Bennett. HAVANA, Apru 22.—From the hills of Guwnajay I saw the United the westward. The news has reached Morro Castle. dead ahead of the American fleet. The course of the ships is in direct accordance with the plan of war which the Herald-Call first published. It means—and everybody here admits it—the bombardmen. of Havana unless the city surrenders in sight of the superior force. General Blanco, in full uniform, which he has worn about two days in the last two months, is at Santa Clara battery, the strongest of the city’'s defenses. With him are all the officers of his staff and the chief officers ot all the regular and volunteer regiments. Orderlies are rush- | ing through the city, shouting the call to arms and carrying orders to the batteries and reports to the Captain General. The situation is ominous. Everybody grants that fact, and every- body is rushing out of the city or to its fortifications. The number who have sought the latter places to fight is enormous. The United States ships could not possibly select a better place for landing men than they can find in the neighborhood to which they are pointing. Blanco realizes the danger, and has rushed large bodies of troops to Santa Clara battery. He has sent others in a hurry by railroad to Vedado and Carmelo. The garrisons are weak there and even with reinforcements could not last long, because the defenses -~re not strong. Troops could be landed there with little more than a skirmish, and it is thought this will be the first place at which Americans will strike. Then, too, Blanco is fearful lest the first of the invaders come up the little river Almendarez, where they coula make an undisputed land- ing a few miles to tle westwarc of the city. The armament there is in- significant. The chief defense is the old Castle de Alares. Several regi- ments have been sent to Playa de Mariano, where there is an important but undefended landing place. From that point a railroad runs to Ha- vana. Arolas, military governor, is acting with Blanco, and both went out and made a reconnoissance in the direction of Mariano. leaving Santa Clara, went to the Reina battery. All the guns at the fortifications are manned. The men have orders to stand by them all night. An' attack is expected at daybreak. <aid, “ and were about twenty miles from Key West, when at ten minutes past 7 o’clock the watch reported a strange craft on the port side. We given to our signal, seen to be in full flight. ¢ Admiral Sampson ordered us to make the capture, and Pat- rick Mullen, a gunner, was ordered to fire freighter, though no flag was flying. “NO. anSWeEr . Was |~ Contaued on Second Pess, They are advancing on Havana from There all is alert, | Havana's weak point lies | The two, after | and the stranger was | . THE BLOCKADE OF CUBA’S COAST NOW IN FORCE WASHINGTON, April 22.—The following proclamation, announcing | the blockade of the Cuban ports, was issued to-day ; BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES—A PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS, By a joint resolution passed by the Congress and ap- | proved April 20, 1898, and communicated to the Government of Spain, | it was demanded that said Government at once relinguish its authority \nna’ government in the island of Cuba and withdraw its naval forces | from Cuba and Cuban waters, and the President of the United States | was directed and empowered to use the entire land and naval forces of | the United States and to call into the actual service of the United States |the militia of the several States to such extent as might be necessary to carry said resolution into effect; and Whereas, In carrying into- effect such resolution the President of the United States deems it necessary to set on foot and maintain a | blockade of the north coast of Cuba, including ail ports of said coast |belween Cardenas and Bahia Honda, and the port of Cienfuegos on the | south coast of Cuba; Now, therefore, I, William McKinley, President of the United States, in order to enforce the said resolution, do hereby declare and proclaim | that the United States of America has instituted and will maintain a | blockade of the north coast of Cuba, including ports on said coast be- |tween Cardenas and Bahia Honda, and the poré of Cienfuegos on the | south coast of Cuba, aforesaid, in pursuance of the laws of the United | States and the laws of nations applicable to such cases. An efficient force will be posted, so as to prevent the entrance and exit of vessels | from the ports aforesaid. Any neutral vessel approaching said ports and attempting to leave the same without notice or knowledge of the estab- | lishment of such blockade will be duly warned by the commander of the blockading forces, who will indorse on her register the fact and the date of such warning and where such indorsement was made, and if the same vessel shall again attempt to enter any blockaded port she will be captured and sent to the nearest convenient port for such pro- ceedings against her and her cargo as prize as may be desmed advisable. Neutral vessels lying in any of the said ports at the time of the | establishment of such blockade will be allowed thirty days to issue | therefrom. In witness whereof, | have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of tha United States to be affixed. | Done at the city of Washington, this 22d day of April, A. D. 1898, and of the Independence of the United Stales the one hundred and twenty-second. WILLIAM McKINLEY. By the President: JOHN SHERMAN, Secretary of Stafe.