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Two Vessels Captured from Spain Nearing Washington
The Spanish gunboats Alvarado and Sandoval, captured in the capitulation of Santiago, and now flying the stars and stripes, are expected to arrive at the Washington navy yard some time this afternoon, one of them having passed Indian Head shortly after 2 o’clock. The steamers are coming here direct from, the Norfolk navy yard, where they arrived about ten days ago. They are In command of American naval officers who were prominent in the operations in the West Indies, one being Lieut. Blue of the navy, the first American officer to report upon the position of Cervera’s fleet in the then blockaded harbor of Santiago. The boats were in the harbor when the city surrendered last July, and a controversy arose between the army and naval authorities as to which had the right to the prizes.
HAMAKUAPOKO, Maui, May 4. — Haiku Sugar Co. are putting in a wire trolley to transport their cane from the upper fields to the mill, and expect to have the same in working order within a month. This has been found necessary owing to the scarcity of water, coming just when most needed, and will leave them a greater supply for irrigation on the maufka fields.
Orleans County Monitor, Barton, VT, April 10, 1899
Not the least interesting part of Admiral Sampson’s paper on “The Atlantic Fleet in the Spanish War,” in the April Century, is that in which he critises the Spanish Commander’s strategy.
When we come to consider the strategy of Admiral Cevera in leaving the harbor, it must be said first of all that it would have been much better, if he could have done so to leave at ‘ night. That he could not do so, is the testimony of officers of his fleet. We know from what they said subsequently, while they were prisoners that this plan had been considered by the admiral and his officers. Two advocated going out by night; the others were all in favor of the sortie by day. The great difficulty in a night attempt was our dazzling search-light. A search-light shining direct in one’s eyes prevents him absolutely from seeing anything else; it is as though he were looking at the sun; and it was that effect upon them taken in connection with the necessity of seeing their way out of the channel, that made them hesitate. This feeling was in itself a compliment to the efficiency of the blockade, but we did not attach so much importance to the dazzling of the enemy as to the illumination of the channel so that we could see everything that was going on. It was a continual wonder to us why they did not fire at our search-light, which was always within range. To be sure, it would have required pretty good marksmanship to knock it out, but it would have made the man who was manipulating it quite uneasy to know that he was the center of the enemy’s fire.