The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-04

Regarding her mission here or to what
port she is destined to sail for on leaving,
nothing is known. The last orders Com
mander Folger received was before leaving
Callao, and they directed that he sail
straight to this port and lie in wait for
further orders Monday morning she
will go to the navy-yard's drydock to have
her bottom scrsped and her machinery re-
paired preparatory TO starting out when
her orders are received.
The Yorktown was built in Philadel-
phia in 1888 and is known by the style of
an unprotected cruiser. She is 235 feet
long, with 36-foot beam and IA feet
depth of hold.
Her armament is composed of six 6-inch
rifles. two 6-pound rapid-firing cannon,
two 3-pound rapid firing cannon. and four
magazine guns.
Immediately after her launching she
was detailed for duty with what was
then known in the navy as the white
squadron" composed o.! the United States
steamers Boston. Atlanta, Chicago and
Yorktown. They were so called because
OF being, at that time. the only four boats
In the navy painted white. Although for
the past two years white has been the
color of all the war fleet, the four boats
forming the original white squadron" are
still particularized by their color.
This Is not the Yorktown's first visit to
this port. In 1892 she was a member of
the feet composed Of the San Francisco.
Charlestowp. Baltimore and Yorktown
that. under the command of Admiral
Gherardi, left San Francisco TO Join the
sealing fleet in the Boring Sea. After
spending several months cruising in the
northern waters she came south with sew
eral other vessels of the fleet to participate
in the naval review at Portland in 1898
From there she sailed under orders d.
rect to New York TO join in the grand
naval celebration that took place there
eight months ago. The week following
the review she received orders to sail fc r
San francisco to await a further disp0si-
ton OF her. She went from New York
direct to Barbados. West Indies, from
where. after remaining short time, she
started for Rio Janeiro. arriving there
just before the outbreak of the insurgent
war.
While lying at Rio Janeiro the diffulties
between Ecuador and Peru, that at the
outset gave promise of war, broke forth.
Being the nearest man-of- war to the scene
of the disturbance she received orders to
proceed at once to Callao and there to lie
In the interests of the United States until
further orders.
During her stay there the heated argu-
ments between the two republics grew to
its height and then cooled eff, I'm I'll little
over month ago the troubles were amic-
ably settled and it was no longer necessary
TO keep the Yorktown there.
Just prior to the settlement, however.
the War Department, not wishing TO longer
keep the Yorktown in the waters at Callao,
owing to the destructive properties that
they contain, that eats the iron bottoms
from vessels kept sufficiently long in them,
ordered the United States ship Alliance
to pro iced to Nicaragua, and If upon her
arrival there it was necessary to still keep
a man-of-war at CallaO. there would be
telegraphic orders awaiting her on her ar
rival to proceed at once to Peru to relieve
the Yorktown.
Upon the arrival Of the Alliance at Mic
aragna, however, the trouble was over and
the Yorktown ordered to San Francisco,
while the Alliance went on duty at the
Nicaragua port.
The Yorktown left Calao on February 8
stopping at number of minor ports along
the coast OF Peru. and from there pro-
ceeded to Acapulco, Mexico. She left
there February "a, heading direct for this
port, which she made in just one week.
A CALL reporter pulled alongside the
cruiser last night. but owing to the Health
Officer not having yet been on board no
gangway had been lowered. The first off,
Ger on board. however, gave the informa-
ton that all was well.
The trip from Calao. he said, had been
an exceptionally pleasant one. No sick
ness OF any kind had occurred ON board
the InaI-of-war since she left New York.
In fact, everything was In first-class shape
and everybody well, other than that all
were disappointed at not being afforded
the much-longed-for opportunity of going
ashore, owing to the hardness of the
Health Officer.
When asked how long they expected to
await orders here, he vOuched the informa-
ton that no one on board knew anything
whatsoever of the future movements of the
vessel. The bottom of the vessel. he said,
needed cleaning badly. owing TO her long
stay at Callao. but going to the navy-yard
was all they knew about her future des-
tination.