York, leaving the captured Spanish craft in charge of the prize
crew, drew across the bows of the stranger and sent a shot into
the water directly in front of her bows. She paid no attention to
the challenge, but kept steadily on, and a few seconds later
another shot was sent hurtling across the water in front of her.
After this hostile demonstration she hauled up and soon followed
the New York out to sea. It was discovered, however, that she flew
the German flag, and consequently was permitted to proceed.

The prize crew from the New York took the captured vessel into
port at Key West under its own steam. The ship was bound from
Havana to Santiago with a valuable cargo of rice, iron and beer.
On the same day two other captures were made, one by the torpedo
boat Ericsson, which seized a fishing schooner under the very guns
of Morro Castle and by the torpedo boat, Porter, which took the
Spanish schooner, Mathilde, after a lively chase and a number of
shots. Both of these prizes were taken to Key West to join their
unfortunate friends.

EXCITEMENT IN HAVANA.

It was nearly five o'clock in the afternoon of that lucky Friday,
when the semaphore by the lighthouse in Morro Castle signaled to
the people of Havana that a fleet had been sighted. It was said to
be without any colors to show its nationality. At that time La
Punta, the fort on the side of the harbor opposite Morro Castle,
was crowded with curious people, including many ladies. In
addition, crowds of people could be seen at various points of
vantage, many of them gathering on the roofs of houses. At 6 p. m.
the semaphore signaled that it was the United States fleet which