From Cuba, the news comes that another gunboat has been captured.
The story of the capture is that the boat, the Cometa, had been sent to a certain post on the coast to prevent the landing of any filibustering parties.
The Cubans found that the vessel anchored at night, at a spot from which she could easily be attacked from the shore.
One night they opened fire on the vessel, struck her in several places, and damaged her. During the confusion on the ship, several boat-loads of Cubans put off from the shore and boarded the Cometa.
A terrible fight took place. The commander and half the sailors were killed, and the rest surrendered. The Cubans then burned the vessel.
This news comes from the Cuban side.
The Spaniards deny that any such fight took place, and the Admiral of the fleet declares that he will have the Cometa come into Havana harbor, with all her flags flying, to show that she has not been burned.
It is so difficult to get at the truth of these reports.