The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-10
AMERICAS FLYING SQUADRON.
Ready to sail for Cuba on Two Hours'
Notice.


New York, May s.-Admirai Bgnce's
North Atlantic squadron. lying at anchor
or the lighthouse station at Tompkins-
Vile. s. l.. Is being kept In readiness TO get
up anchor and steam out OF the harbor at
two hours notice. Fires are kept banked
on all the cruisers. and steam can be raised
within an hour. Never before have the
ships of feet been kept up to such high
standard Of efficiency. This statement is
vouehed for by the officers OF the flagship
New York. who. however, are still kept In
ignorance o. the meaning of 1t all
Admiral Bunce has been keeping close
watch on the drills on the different ships
noting the efficiency OF the officers and
men. He has encouraged the commanding
officers. but has given his confidence to
none. so far as his plans or those of the
secretary OF the navy or President Clevc-
land are concerned The drills had gone
on day after day al sea. and in port or
binary routine drills with the rife and cut
lass during the morning watches and with
the big guns OF the main battery during
the remainder OF the day. Many . time
during the night watches the officers and
men os the ships have been aroused to
fight an Imaginary battle.
More cipher messages from Washington
City have arrived for the admiral. but
their purport has not been disclosed. The
other officers OF the feet eagerly scan the
papers 90 learn II there Is any news az the
rursersd movement toward Cuban waters
Two more ot the cruisers OF The North
Atlantic squadron arrived in port yester-
day. making four ships now at anchor OF
the hehthousa station az Tompk.nsvillz
They were the Cincinnati and Manieom-
cry. and saey caE,e from Newton. Conn
where they have been taking part in a To-
cal centennial celebration. The four cruis-
efs. with tho hattieship Indiana. the
cruiser New York. the ram katahdIn and
the duuble-turrefed monitor TerrcA now
at tho Brooklyn navy yard. make eight
ships now In port II was said on the
flagship New York that the katahdin will
Jela the squadron IN the lower hay on the
isth. tire indiacS and Newark on or aho,s,
tho ~. and the Terror about the eSfh
The hsttleship Maine. now az Hampton
ROADS y expected here within Ten daVa
TIE Columbia ts undergoing repairs at The
Ncffclk navy yard. ard wlli carre 10 this
part With the Maine The hzttieShtp Mas
sschsse;tS now fttiax cut az Cramps
shiryzrt. viii foin the tfset as soan as the
data ot her Official trip can be worked up
and the government Is sure that she has
f3ginlisA her contract requirements The
bxtsleShip Texas ard tho suonitev Nfsrto-
aornah hAva vet 70 be commissioners. The
former u q, Nc-feik and the latter a.
I.saE7se island
Fhssdsins.a. May a--The cruiser Rrrok-
iVa left CraurS' ship yard on her builders
;riai trip. she wtl be rivea a speed t-iai
over What ix known as the Cramps -oirss
which "a eleven krats lorE ant lies A eey
miles OF the New Jersey coast. After
thlS :riai she all -un out % sea for .a1s
dAy ard = expsete3 20 rstgr7 20 her cock
Tuesday aftrrn<ca. The contract calls
fox twsrtv krcts a. hoar but her hagaers
expect her q make tv.rtv-tWa k=ots So
: iarEsr. ara = regarded as more ef-
feessve type ~ GSa,fr< cruiser than the
New YORK Wars has Been pashs1 rap8d-
~ s-d Sne viii ee cc1Pieted ard ready
ter her cricisi tft&i tr-p SScct tie mode
q Jlsiy