States Senator Horace Maynard, and at the time of the capture was
about fifty years old. He entered the Annapolis Naval Academy at
the age of seventeen and graduated at the head of his class. He
was for a number of years stationed in Alaska, and at the time of
gaining his present distinction had been in command of the
Nashville for four years.

BLOCKADE OF HAVANA BEGUN.

After the Nashville left the fleet to return to Key West with its
prize, the remaining vessels of the squadron steamed onward toward
the Cuban coast. Coming within fifteen miles of Morro Castle, the
fleet scattered in a more open line of battle, some of the vessels
turning to the east and others to the west, and making the
blockade of the port complete. No ship could enter or leave the
harbor, and every day brought new prizes to the vessels of the
blockading squadron.

The blockade of the Cuban metropolis was well in progress by the
time the formal notification of it was issued. The President
issued warning to the nations of the world that the Cuban ports
were sealed by the authority of the United States, in the
following formal proclamation:

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas, By a joint resolution passed by the Congress and approved
April 20,1898, and communicated to the government of Spain, it was
demanded that said government at once relinquish its authority and
government in the island of Cuba, and withdraw its land and naval