The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-07-29

PORqSM0U9H'S TRIP.
How the Battalion Of the
East Is Working
and Playing.
EXCITEMENT AT THE START
Great Gun Practice on the Maine
Flash Light Scenes from
Rough Waters.
EXCITEMENT AT THE START
Especial to THE Jersey CITY News."l

the Battalion of the East Naval Reserves
of New Jersey, is rocking in a heavy sea
| about two miles from Fishers a
rocky shore. Abreast of her about half
a mile to port is the big white battle-
ship Maine. OF her port bow some two
miles away are the battleships Texas and
Massachusetts close together, with the
saucy little torpedo boat Ericsson darling
in and out between the two SO that 1t is
hard to tell where she lies. The wind
has been blowing steadily for two days
from the Eastward and IS piling the seas
in a way which gives the reserves the
toughest weather they a yet exper-
fenced. 1t is also giving them great
experience in handing small boats in
rough water, as boats nave been leaving
and returning to the ship all day.
The Portsmouth left Hoboken at 2:S0
| O'Clock Saturday afternoon. The start
from Hoboken was attended with excit-
ing events. Lieutenant George Mather,
| Commander of the Newark. Division ar
rived at the pier in Hoboken when the
| ines had been cast off and the Portsmouth
was slowly moving out OF the dock. A
whale boat which had been sent out to
take the men who attended to the lines,
was at hand and took the Lieutenant on
board. While this was being done those
in charge of the boat paid more attention
to the Lieutenant than they did to their
surroundings. The result was that the
| small boat got between the Portsmouth
and the pier and it looked as though it
would be smashed. Those on the wharf
| called out to those on the Portsmouth and
the officer of the deck signaled to the
tug that was towing the ship to stop.
Those in the boat managed to get out of
danger and a catastrophe was averted
In the meantime Seaman Kudlich of the
Jersey City Division fell overheard, and
that increased the excitement. Kudlich
is a fine swimmer and soon reached the
whale boat. This was quickly rowed
along Side the Portsmouth and the
Lieutenant and its crew were taken on
board. Two tugs towed the Portsmouth
around the Battery and through Hell
Gate. The historic old sloop of war was
saluted on all sides as she passed along
and a Quartermaster was kept busy Dip
ping the colors in response. At Trong's
Neck one of the tugs cast off and at
Hampstead Bay the ship parted with the
other tug. Then the cruise began IN
earnest for the Reserves. Navigator z.
| Mcclure Peters was officer of the deck.
At his word the men sprang to their
| stations and soon the broad white canvas
| wings of the Portsmouth were spread to
| the fair winds which was blowing. Fore
| and aft sails were set and during the
| night the ship stood on under top sails.
The voyage to Fishers Island was with
out incident and made in good time.
| Anchor was dropped close to the Texas,
| Massachusetts and the Ericsson. AS soon
| as the Portsmouth came to anchor the
Captains gig was called away and Com
mander Irving and his aide Lieutenant
Farnham Yardley went to report to the
| commander of the Massachusetts,. The
| four divisions of the New York Naval
| Reserves in command of Commander w.
Butler Duncan are on the Texas and
| Massachusetts.
The Portsmouth had been at anchor
only a short time when a crew from the
New York Reserves rowed around her,
| and while passing under her bows tossed
their oars. That in the Navy means a
Challenge to row, and the Jerseymen will
accommodate the New Workers If their
officers viii permit IT, tb hne fee foa anehored
here, and will make colors ana Dells with
! the Massachusetts.
When the men tumble on deck lues-
day morning they saw coming from the
direction of New London a low white OBJ
iect which left in its wake a streak OF
black smoke, which was soon made out to
| he the battleship Maine, aboard which the
Jerseymen were to receive their first In
struction in handling a modern ship Of
war. Breakfast was quickly disposed OF,
and the cutters took the starboard watch
| over to the Maine. These seamen and petty
officers took the Jerseymen in hand anu
showed them over the ship, and the man
ner of performing the duties OF their re-
| spective stations was explained to them.
In the afternoon the starbOard watch
| went to the Maine and followed the sam
routine.
There was much excitement aboard the
| Portsmouth Tuesday night. The old sloop
| Of war, with the Texas, Massachusetts,
and Mama : f0 whieh { the eio fEicson w saaAe to
| slip. It was an ideal night for a block
ade running. Dark as pitch itch yith a high
sent out a picket boat. and the boys that
composed the crew had a taste of naval
| warfare they did not expect. The Maine
biiseeSade by msans Of the electric code,
which was read by Chief Gunner's Mate
Bourke, who sent replies, Then began q
i~Smen-of-war commenced to throw their
| dash lights in all directions, forming fam
tastic figures and making everything as
| cred. This was kept up for a half hour
or more when the crack of a single rifle
| was heard coming from between the
| Maine and the Texas. This was immedi-
| ately followed by a blue rocket from the
| Maine. and it was thus announced that
| the Maine had detected the Ericsson.
| Every searcnlight was thrown in the d.
| rection of the rife shot, and there could
| plainly be seen the low dark hull creeping
In.
The officers and men of the Maine have
| taken a great fancy to the Jerseymen.
Their experience with the Connecticut
| Battalion last week had thoroughly dis
/ gusted them with Naval Reserves, and
they received the Jersey sailors with cool
| ness. But when they saw that there was
| no airs among them, and they were both
willing and able to learn, they melted,
| and before they left the ship the first
| day they were enthusiastic in their praise
| Of the Jerseymen- The chief petty Off
! GERS of the Maine showed their apprecia-
lion of the young sailors efforts BY call.
ing in a body on the Portsmouth's chief
petty officers. Yesterday the men prac-
ticed with the 6-inch and six and one
pound guns on the Maine.
There is not a case of sickness on the
Portsmouth.