The Boys of '98 Part 6

This last shot struck the water and bounded along the surface a mile or more, sending up great clouds of spray.

The Spaniard wisely concluded to heave to, and within five minutes a boat was lowered from the _Nashville_ to put on board the first prize a crew of six men, under command of Ensign Magruder.

The captured vessel was the _Buena Ventura_, of 1,741 tons burthen; laden with lumber, valued at eleven thousand dollars, and carrying a deck-load of cattle.

The record of this first day of hostilities was not to end with one capture.

Late in the afternoon, almost within gunshot of the Cuban sh.o.r.e, while the United States fleet was standing toward Havana, with the _Mayflower_ a mile or more in advance of the flag-ship _New York_, the merchant steamship _Pedro_ hove in sight. The _Mayflower_ suddenly swung sharply to the westward, and a moment later a string of b.u.t.terfly flags went fluttering to her masthead.

The _New York_ flung her answering pennant to the breeze, and, making another signal to the fleet, which probably meant "Stay where you are until I get back," swung her bow to the westward and went racing for the game that the _Mayflower_ had sighted. The big cruiser dashed forward, smoke trailing in dense ma.s.ses from each of her three big funnels, a hill of foam around her bow, and in her wake a swell like a tidal wave. It was a winning pace, and a magnificent sight she presented as she dashed through the choppy seas with never an undulation of her long, graceful hull.

When she was well insh.o.r.e a puff of smoke came from the bow of the cruiser, followed by a dull report, then another and another, until four shots had been sent from one of the small, rapid-fire guns. The Spanish steamer, probably believing the pursuing craft carried no heavier guns, was trying to keep at a safe distance until the friendly darkness of night should hide her from view. During sixty seconds or more the big cruiser held her course in silence, and then her entire bow was hidden from the spectators in a swirl of white smoke as a main battery gun roared out its demand.

The whizzing sh.e.l.l spoke plainly to the Spanish craft, and had hardly more than flung up a column of water a hundred yards or less in front of the merchantman before she was hastily rounded to with her engines reversed.

A prize crew under Ensign Marble was thrown on board, and the steamer _Pedro_, twenty-eight hundred tons burthen, suddenly had a change of commanders.

_April 22._ The President issued a proclamation announcing a blockade of Cuban ports, and also signed the bill providing for the utilising of volunteer forces in times of war.

The foreign news of immediate interest to the people of the United States was, first, from Havana, that Captain-General Blanco had published a decree confirming his previous decree, and declaring the island to be in a state of war.

He also annulled his former similar decrees granting pardon to insurgents, and placed under martial law all those who were guilty of treason, espionage, crimes against peace or against the independence of the nation, seditious revolts, attacks against the form of government or against the authorities, and against those who disturb public order, though only by means of printed matter.

From Madrid came the information that during the evening a throng of no less than six thousand people, carrying flags and shouting "_Viva Espana!_" "We want war!" and "Down with the Yankees!" burned the stars and stripes in front of the residence of Senor Sagasta, the premier, who was accorded an ovation. The mob then went to the residence of M. Patenotre, the French amba.s.sador, and insisted that he should make his appearance, but the French amba.s.sador was not at home.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PREMIER SAGASTA.]

Correspondents at Hongkong announced that Admiral Dewey had ordered the commanders of the vessels composing his squadron to be in readiness for an immediate movement against the Philippine Islands.

_April 23._ The President issued a proclamation calling for one hundred and twenty-five thousand volunteer soldiers.

In the new war tariff bill a loan of $500,000,000 was provided for in the form of three per cent. 10-20 bonds.

The third capture of a Spanish vessel was made early in the morning by the torpedo-boat _Ericsson_. The fishing-boat _Perdito_ was sighted making for Havana harbour, and overhauled only when she was directly under the guns of Morro Castle, where a single shot from the fortification might have sunk either craft. After a prize-crew had been put on board Rear-Admiral Sampson decided to turn her loose, and so she was permitted to return to Havana to spread the news of the blockade.

During the afternoon the rum-laden schooner _Mathilde_ was taken, after a lively chase, by the torpedo-boat _Porter_. Between five and six o'clock in the evening the torpedo-boat _Foote_, Lieut. W. L. Rodgers commanding, received the first Spanish fire.

She was taking soundings in the harbour of Matanzas, and had approached within two or three hundred yards of the sh.o.r.e, when suddenly a masked battery on the east side of the harbour, and not far distant from the _Foote_, fired three shots at the torpedo-boat. The missiles went wide of the mark, and the _Foote_ leisurely returned to the _Cincinnati_ to report the result of her work.

At Hongkong the United States consul notified Governor Blake of the British colony that the American fleet would leave the harbour in forty-eight hours, and that no warlike stores, or more coal than would be necessary to carry the vessels to the nearest home port, would be shipped.

The United States demanded of Portugal, the owner of the Cape Verde Islands, that, in accordance with international law, she send the Spanish war-ships away from St. Vincent, or require them to remain in that port during the war.

_April 24._ The following decree was gazetted in Madrid:

"Diplomatic relations are broken off between Spain and the United States, and a state of war being begun between the two countries, numerous questions of international law arise, which must be precisely defined chiefly because the injustice and provocation came from our adversaries, and it is they who by their detestable conduct have caused this great conflict."

The royal decree then states that Spain maintains her right to have recourse to privateering, and announces that for the present only auxiliary cruisers will be fitted out. All treaties with the United States are annulled; thirty days are given to American ships to leave Spanish ports, and the rules Spain will observe during the war are outlined in five clauses, covering neutral flags and goods contraband of war; what will be considered a blockade; the right of search, and what const.i.tutes contraband of war, ending with saying that foreign privateers will be regarded as pirates.

Continuing, the decree declared: "We have observed with the strictest fidelity the principles of international law, and have shown the most scrupulous respect for morality and the right of government.

"There is an opinion that the fact that we have not adhered to the declaration of Paris does not exempt us from the duty of respecting the principles therein enunciated. The principle Spain unquestionably refused to admit then was the abolition of privateering.

"The government now considers it most indispensable to make absolute reserve on this point, in order to maintain our liberty of action and uncontested right to have recourse to privateering when we consider it expedient, first, by organising immediately a force of cruisers, auxiliary to the navy, which will be composed of vessels of our mercantile marine, and with equal distinction in the work of our navy.

"_Clause 1_: The state of war existing between Spain and the United States annuls the treaty of peace and amity of October 27, 1795, and the protocol of January 12, 1877, and all other agreements, treaties, or conventions in force between the two countries.

"_Clause 2_: From the publication of these presents, thirty days are granted to all ships of the United States anch.o.r.ed in our harbours to take their departure free of hindrance.

"_Clause 3_: Notwithstanding that Spain has not adhered to the declaration of Paris, the government, respecting the principles of the law of nations, proposes to observe, and hereby orders to be observed, the following regulations of maritime laws:

"_One_: Neutral flags cover the enemy's merchandise, except contraband of war.

"_Two_: Neutral merchandise, except contraband of war, is not seizable under the enemy's flag.

"_Three_: A blockade, to be obligatory, must be effective; viz., it must be maintained with sufficient force to prevent access to the enemy's littoral.

"_Four_: The Spanish government, upholding its rights to grant letters of marque, will at present confine itself to organising, with the vessels of the mercantile marine, a force of auxiliary cruisers which will cooperate with the navy, according to the needs of the campaign, and will be under naval control.

"_Five_: In order to capture the enemy's ships, and confiscate the enemy's merchandise and contraband of war under whatever form, the auxiliary cruisers will exercise the right of search on the high seas, and in the waters under the enemy's jurisdiction, in accordance with international law and the regulations which will be published.

"_Six_: Defines what is included in contraband of war, naming weapons, ammunition, equipments, engines, and, in general, all the appliances used in war.

"_Seven_: To be regarded and judged as pirates, with all the rigour of the law, are captains, masters, officers, and two-thirds of the crew of vessels, which, not being American, shall commit acts of war against Spain, even if provided with letters of marque by the United States."

_April 24._ The U. S. S. _Helena_ captured the steamer _Miguel Jover_. The U. S. S. _Detroit_ captured the steamer _Catalania_; the _Wilmington_ took the schooner _Candidor_; the _Winona_ made a prize of the steamer _Saturnia_, and the _Terror_ brought in the schooners _Saco_ and _Tres Hermanes_.

_April 25._ Early in the day the President sent the following message to Congress:

"I transmit to the Congress, for its consideration and appropriate action, copies of correspondence recently had with the representatives of Spain and the United States, with the United States minister at Madrid, through the latter with government of Spain, showing the action taken under the joint resolution approved April 20, 1898, 'For the recognition of the independence of the people of Cuba, demanding that the government of Spain relinquish its authority and government in the island of Cuba, and withdraw its land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban waters, and directing the President of the United States to carry these resolutions into effect.'

"Upon communicating with the Spanish minister in Washington the demand, which it became the duty of the executive to address to the government of Spain in obedience with said resolution, the minister asked for his pa.s.sports and withdrew. The United States minister at Madrid was in turn notified by the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, that the withdrawal of the Spanish representative from the United States had terminated diplomatic relations between the two countries, and that all official communications between their respective representatives ceased therewith.

"I commend to your especial attention the note addressed to the United States minister at Madrid by the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs on the twenty-first instant, whereby the foregoing notification was conveyed.

It will be perceived therefrom, that the government of Spain, having cognisance of the joint resolution of the United States Congress, and, in view of the things which the President is thereby required and authorised to do, responds by treating the reasonable demands of this government as measures of hostility, following with that instant and complete severance of relations by its action, which by the usage of nations accompanied an existing state of war between sovereign powers.

"The position of Spain being thus made known, and the demands of the United States being denied, with a complete rupture of intercourse by the act of Spain, I have been constrained, in exercise of the power and authority conferred upon me by the joint resolution aforesaid, to proclaim under date of April 22, 1898, a blockade of certain ports of the north coast of Cuba, lying between Cardenas and Bahia Honda, and of the port of Cienfuegos on the south coast of Cuba, and further in exercise of my const.i.tutional powers, and using the authority conferred upon me by act of Congress, approved April 22, 1898, to issue my proclamation, dated April 23, 1898, calling for volunteers in order to carry into effect the said resolution of April 20, 1898. Copies of these proclamations are hereto appended.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PRESIDENT WILLIAM MCKINLEY.]

"In view of the measures so taken, and other measures as may be necessary to enable me to carry out the express will of the Congress of the United States in the premises, I now recommend to your honourable body the adoption of a joint resolution declaring that a state of war exists between the United States of America and the kingdom of Spain, and I urge speedy action thereon to the end that the definition of the international status of the United States as a belligerent power may be made known, and the a.s.sertion of all its rights and the maintenance of all its duties in the conduct of a public war may be a.s.sured.

(Signed) "WILLIAM MCKINLEY.

"_Executive Mansion, Washington, April 25, 1898._"