The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-23
THE FLEET.
Some Interesting Statistics of the Ships

The presence of the North Atlantic
squadron in the harbor is good thing
for the city in more ways than one. There
is the matter of coaling the big vessels.
Two days ago orders had been given for
1900 tons and the work OF putting it on
board the ships has made business not
only for all the available scows. but sew
eral scheoners in the harbor waiting for
cargoes have been pressed into service.
An officer of the Iowa said the other day
that his vessel alone would require 500
TONS The coal must be hauled to the
ships and then transferred to the bunk
ers. They use lots of water out on the
fleet and the water boats Dickey and Fan
ME G. have had all that they could do in
supplying the demand There has been
pumped into the Brooklyn alone As, 900
gallons.
They eat up about all of the provisions
in day on the ships. When the vessels are
in port these provisions are procured IN
der contract from local dealer and this
contract for a number of years, on which
the vessels of the North Atlantic Squad
ron have visited Portland, has been Sc
cured by Mr.. G. A. Robinson, the proyis-
ion dealer of No. IL Moulton street. A
| few days before the arrival of the fleet the
| local dealers receive invitations to submit
proposals to furnish fresh beef, vegeta-
bles and bread. This year Mr.. Robinson
has been sending on board the ships ton
of each kind Of the provisions specified.
On the morning of each day petty
officer from each ship comes ashore and
hands to Mr.. Robinson list of the arti-
cles required for the day. The lot for each
ship is put up in separate package and
sent to the wharf, where the boats are in
readiness to convey it to the vessel. In
addition to these provisions, which are
bought and paid for by the government,
the different messes on the shipsSbuyl from
their funds such other provisions as they
desire, and this trade is scattered among
the various local dealers. When the time
comes for the ships to depart, Mr.. Rob-
inson is visited by the fleet paymaster,
who comes on a cheerful mission. He gets
the amount of Uncle Sans indebtedness
and pays the bill generally in cash, al
though sometimes a check is used in set
Element.
| letter received by Alderman Ilsley
explains why the ships were not illuni-
mated Friday evening, as it was expected
that they might be. MI. Ilsley asked the
admiral if the ships could be again light
ed up for the benefit Of the thousands who
would like to see the display, and Admi-
raj Sicard assured him that it should be
done if possible. The letter from Com
mander West, tells why it was not posi-
BILE to repeat the illumination. Comman-
der West said:
referring to the question of illumi-
mating the ships of the squadron this eve
| ming, l have to say that | find the illu1ni-
mating apparatus dismantled and put
away below in the store rooms, and it
takes couple of days to get it up aloft
and in order. Therefore, I regret to saw
that it will be impossible to light the
ships this evening. l have, however, di-
rected the search lights to be exercised
from 7.30 to 8 p. M
The water was smooth, almost as glass,
in the harbor yesterday, and in the morn
ing, in the bright sunshine. the steamers
ss>~N~ OS~~S-
people on their way to the warships. The
Puritan was open all day, the Maine in
the morning, and the New York in the af-
ternoon, and the officers and men had
their hands full entertaining their visit
ors.
AT noon the skies began to darken and
there was quite a heavy shower with some
thunder and the afternoon was cloudy
with lowering skies AS consequence,
there was not as great a rush as there
would have been if the weather had been
pleasant, but still there were large
crowds that defied the rain in their desire
to see the ships. The Alice, Josephine
Hoey, Emita and Mary W. Libby carried
them.
The Grand Trunk excursion train from
Island Pond and intermediate stations
brought in eight hundred excursionists
early in the morning and they all-or al
most ail-made rush to see the war
ships.