New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-14
STOLE PAST THE WARSHIPS.
BLOCKADE OF CHARLESTON HARBOR
RUN BY THE VESUVIUS.
THE LITTLE DYNAMITE CRUISER ELUDES AD-
.uRAL BUNCE's FLEET WITH STARTLING
EAsE-THE GREAT sEARCuLIGHTs
I'cFI. FSS IN A DENSE FOG


USELESS IN A DENSE FOG.
Charleston s. C. Feb. 13.-They say down at
ADMIRAL Bunce's fleet to-day that it was neither
fair nor an official test. but the fact still re-
mains that the Vesuvius ran the blockade into
,be harbor last night with an ease that startled
IRE squadron. The run was made early In the
evening the cruiser crossing the dead line and
uhistling a notice of her success at 1872 o'clock
statements have been made to the effect that
che Vesuvius ran the blockade on the first night
she Joined the fleet. but these are incorrect. An
officer from one of the warships who saw the dy-
ramiter come in is the authority for this state
,rcrt Everybody IS excited over the affair Of
last night The officers Of the blOckadlng line OF
course make little of the achievement OF the
cruiser. but the men of the Nesuvius look at 1t
IN a different light.
The orders for the ships TO fall into the block
aiding line were signalled from the flagship Il
little earlier than usual. The four ships then on
duty, the battle-shp Maine, the flagship New
York the battle-ship Indiana and the cruiser CO.
lunlbia steamed to the southwark, taking posi-
lions at intervals of 5000 yards. Shortly after
o'clock the Vesuvius drew away to the south
also. and was soon lost in the fog. The weather
had been bad for several days, and as night
came on a fog settled down the face of the
water that kept every fog bell out beyond SUM-
Ter ringing.
At o'clock the test was we'll begun. The
bockading ships brought their searchlights into
play. and then, for the first time they began to
realize how small was their chance Of detecting
tie Vesuvius. The lights. which usually throw
a brilliant path Of radiance for 5000 yards over
the water, proved utterly inadequate TO the task
al penetrating the fog Objects 300 yards away
could scarcely be distinguished with the aid OF
the most powerful of the searchlights. ana when
Il IS remembered that the ships were 1000 yards
apart II will be readily imagined that the Nesu.
vus had pretty much everything her own way.
She had gone several miles TO SEA ana theh re-
turned.
As she approached the blockadus line all her
Nchts We're shrouded and orders were given IN
hIshed tones. The cruiser under Favorable CIR
cumStanCes can make a little better than twenty
TWO knots, but she did not tax her capacity last
night her engines were brought down 10
normal speed, and heading in between two Of the
warships she ran straight into the harhor with
out an iota Of trouble. All the precautions
which she had taken to escape detection Wer'
useless for in that fog she could have come in
jus IS we'll with all her lights going and never
been seen.
day. and il was said that the test was not a fair
one il is a little difficult however. 10 grasp the
Cgancy Of this reasoning II is true that only
four ships were on duty. the Amphlulte ana the
Marb,ohcad both being in port. and Il Is HSeWlSe
true that the night was favorable To the DOCK
G1e runner; but ii might he observed mat were
ihc NcTsuVius real biockade-runneI she "oulu
rrorably have selected Just uch weather for her
cXuedition and Admiral Bunce knew ne had only
lou! Of his ships in line when he gave his orders
q ne Nesuvius.
The NesuVius seems 10 have demonstrated
fairly well on the whole that four OF Uncle sam
les; warships would not be able 10 keep a block
adj runner out Of Charleston Harbor All she
would have TO do would he To wait Tor a heaN!
IL and then run in between the lines The re-
s(t of the attempt TO be made tonight VIII be
H. led with interest. The battle-ship MaSsa-
~ etts joined the fleet to-day, and the An
fN>Fte has resumed her place in the line. The
attempt will consequently be made with SIX
sn.ps in action. The weather is clear ana condl-
tons are far more propitious for the fleet