The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-14

Charleston, S. c., Feb. 13.-They say
down at Admiral Bunce's fleet today
that it was neither a fair nor an off,
cial test, but the fact still remains that
the Vesuvius ran the blockade into the
1 harbor last night with an ease that
| startled the squadron. The run was
made early in the evening, the cruiser
crossing the dead line and whistling
1 a notice of her success at 7:32 o'clock.
Statements have been made to the
effect that the Vesuvius ran the block
ade ON the first night that she joined
the fleet, but these are absolutely in
correct. An officer from one OF the
warships who saw the dynamiter come
in. is the authority for this statement
Everybody is, of course, excited over
the event of last night The officers
of the blockading line, of course, make
very little of the achievement of the
affair. but the officers Of the Vesuvius
look at it in a different light.
The order for the ships to fail into
the blockading line was signalled from
the flagship a bit earlier than usual.
The four ships then on duty-the bat
tleship Maine, flagship New York bat
tleship Indiana and cruiser Columbia
steamed to the southwark. taking posi-
tions at intervals of 5000 yards
AIDED BY A FOG.
ClOTIly alleI o CLOCK I0e NeSu|lQS
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 fog settled down upon the
face OF the water that kept every fog
bell out beyond Sumter ringing.
At Z o'clock the test was well be-
gun. The blockading ships brought
their searchlights into play. and
it was then for the first time
that they began to realize
how small was their chance
of detecting the Vesuvius. The lights,
which usually threw a brilliant path
for radiance for 5000 yards over the
water, proved utterly inadequate TO the
task of penetrating the fog
Objects 800 yards away could scarcely
be distinguished with the aid of the
most powerful of the searchlights. and
when it is remembered that the shiDs
were 5000 yards apart it will be readily
imagined that the Vesuvius had pretty
much everything her own way She
had gone several miles to sea and then
returned. As she approached the
blockading line, all of her lights were
Shrouded and orders were given in
hushed tones. The little cruiser can.
under favorable circumstances. make
a little better than % knots. but she
did not tax her capacity last night
Her engines were brought down to a
normal speed and heading in between
two of the fleet she ran straight into
the harbor without an iota Of trouble
All due precautions which had been
taken to escape detection were useless.
for in that fog she could have come
in just as well with all her lights go
ing and never been seen. The matter
was made very light of on the fleet to-
day. and it was claimed that the test
could not be counted as a fair one.
NIGHT WAS FAVORABLE.
It is true, that only four ships were
IN duty, the Amphitrite and Marble
head both being in port, and it is like
wise true that the night was favorable
% the blockade runner, but it might
De observed that were the Vesuvtus a
-eal blockader she would probably
lave selected just such weather for her
expedition and Admiral Bunce knew he
lid not have but four of his ships in
inc when he gave the VeSuViuS her or
iers The Vesuvius seems to have
fairly well on the whole
hat four of Uncle Sans ships would
lot be able to keep q blockader out of
sharlestOn harbor. All she would have
o do would be to wait for a heavy
og and to run in between the lines.
Tfle result of the attempt to be made
onight will be waited with interest.
The battleship Massachusetts, joined
he fleet today, and the Amphitrite has
esunsed her place in the line. The at
ampt will consequently be made with
tx ships in action. The weather is
lear and conditions are more favorable
or the fleet