The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-14
A STORY OF THE NAVY.
THE UNITED STATES CRUISER
"NEW York;
At the Kiel Celebration Captain Evans
Graphic Story.

uOJ ulOub lOI tub OI inc various
ships, but for the men of the crews as
well. Why, the German sailors took
off 300 of my men one night to a shore
party they had arranged, and every
man Jack of them had five beer tickets
emitting him to five quarts of beer and
the good time that went with it,"
The speaker, says the New York
Tribune, was Captain Robley d. Evans,
commander of the crack cruiser " New
York." which was lying ct the coal
dock of the navy yard. The captain,
bronzed from long contact with wind
and weather, and looking the picture of
health, sat at his ease in the wardroom
commenting upon the trip. His pleas
ure over the triumphs of the "New
York." which was inspected by experts
from every land and put to an almost
microscopic examination by the Ger
man emperor, was undisguised. The
captain continued:
sPLENDoR OF THE CELEBRATION.
cit was a great occasion, and it is
likely that no more signal display of
fighting power will ever be made.
Think of it'll Ninety ships of various
classes, many of them OF the battleship
class. The French and the Italians
were represented by some fine vessels.
They are fine, those French ships.
Taking the vessels according to their
class, however, it was conceded that
this country had something to offer
in the way of fighting vessels which
was of superior order. The New
York might be compared with the
Russian 'Ruric.' 1t would not be
diplomatic for me to criticise a rival
war vessel. l do not like the Ruric's
exposed decks, for all that, affording as
they do small protection for her crew
and for her guns as well. There was
nothing at Kiel with which to compare
the Columbia save possibly the
'Kaiserin Augusta which is triple
screw ship. Then we had the Sap
Francisco which, you know, is just as
fine as jewel fresh from the hand of
the polisher, and the gunboat Marble
head which was source of admira-
ton to the visitors at Kiel. All the
ships received their full share of atten-
ton; but it took the fireworks to COM
plete the effect.
PLENTY OF FIREWORKS.
"Before We left New York, Pain had
sent down to the cruiser boxes on boxes
of fireworks, to be used some time
during the celebration, and tell you l
was in quandery to know what TO dc
with the things. They were piled up
on the hurricane deck. I was afraid tc
take them below, for l did not know
but some Jacky might stick match to
them any minute to see the fun they
would make, and so blow up the ship.
l was afraid to leave them on deck for
fear they would get wet and not 60 off
when we wanted them to. So there 1
was, between the devil and the deep
Sea. But finally disposed them about
the ship as nearly as l could and got
across 10 Kiel. There l got the en-
peror to fixa date for the display. Pain
had sent man from London whom we
took up with us to superintend the
work of setting them of. 1t was the
finest display, think, l ever saw. we
had mines laid both at bow and stern
of the ship on the spar deck, which was
cleared of everything, and we kept it
flushed with water all the time. Then
would send up 100 rockets at time,
and we had thirteen-inch shells or
bombs. l tell you, the effect was like
the ship would surely 90 up or take fire,
but we came out all right The set
pieces, which were gorgeous affairs,
were set at bow and stern over the
mines.
PLEASED WITH THE GERMAN
EMPEROR.
"The German emperor is the most
remarkable man have ever seen, and
have brushed against good many in
my time, of one sort and another. He
knows more and knows it better about
many things than any one with whom
l am acquainted. l was astonished at
his knowledge of our navy. We were
discussing the Indiana and ships of
her class, and he said: THE Gin
diana," you know, has four thirteen
inch guns, eight eight-inch, four six
inch and thirty rapid-fire.' Here the
emperor probably meant to include the
four gatlings. Well, knew that the
Indiana would mount four thirteen
inch guns, and also remembered that
she had eight eight-inch guns, but I'm
blessed if l knew how many rapid-fre
guns she is to carry. He did, however,
and l am inclined to ask, How does he
get time to read it up? 1 for one can
not see. NOW, ne was on board the
cruiser one night to dinner, and did not
leave the ship till two O'Clock in the
morning. Yet at five, when l had just
turned in my bunk to go to sleep, an
orderly came to the door, saying, The
emperor is just passing the ship, sir
AS L rolled deeper in the covers l muir
INJURED, God bless him, let him CO.
Don't stop him for any consideration
But so it was. After leaving the ship,
he was at five off in his own yacht,
steering her himself, to attend yacht
race. And it is not only maritime mat
ters that engage his attention, for he is
busy with the army, firing his officers
from one end of the empire to the
other, attending brigade drill, watching
officers and men tirelessly. Where
does he get time to read2" and Captain
Evans paused, as if awaiting reply
from some hidden oracle.
he