s were at the mercy of the
formidable hostile squadron. They were condemned to fall one after another
under the fire of the American batteries, powerless to strike, and were
defended only by the valour in the breasts of their sailors.

"What has been gained by the illusion that Manila was fortified? What has
been gained by the intimation that the broad and beautiful bay on whose
bosom the Spanish fleet perished yesterday had been rendered inaccessible?
What use was made of the famous island of Corregidor? What was done with
its guns? Where were the torpedoes? Where were those defensive
preparations concerning which we were requested to keep silence?"

_May 2._ Late in the afternoon the _Wilmington_ destroyed a Spanish fort
on the island of Cuba, near Cojimar.

The government tug _Leyden_ left Key West, towing a Cuban expedition under
government auspices to establish communication with the Cuban forces in
Havana province. The expedition was accompanied by Lieutenant-Colonel
Acosta. Under him were five other Cubans. Colonel Acosta formerly
commanded a cavalry troop in Havana province.

_May 4._ A telegram from Key West gave the following information:

"Acting Rear-Admiral Sampson sailed this morning with all the big vessels
of his blockading squadron on some mysterious mission.

"In the fleet were the flag-ship _New York_, the battle-ships _Iowa_ and
_Indiana_, the cruisers _Detroit_, _Marblehead_, and _Cincinnati_, the
monitor _Puritan_, and the torpedo-gunboat _Mayflower_.

"The war-ships are coaled to the full capacity of their bunkers, and all
available places on the decks are piled high with coal."

On the same day the Norwegian steamer _Condor_ arrived with twelve
American refugees and their immediate relatives from Cienfuegos, Cuba.

Dr. Herman Mazarredo, a dentist, who had been practising his profession in
Cienfuegos for eight months, after six years' study in the United States,
was one of the passengers. He gave the following account of himself:

"Because the Spaniards hated me as intensely as if I had been born in
America, I was obliged to flee for my life. I left my mother, six sisters,
and five brothers in Cienfuegos. I consider that their lives are in
danger. May heaven protect them! What was I to do?

"There are now about two hundred Americans at Cienfuegos clamouring to get
away. They are sending to Boston and New York for steamers, but without
avail. Owen McGarr, the American consul, told me on h