Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-29

e
with the Massachusetts, Clever
seamanship, Perfect Discipline
ond Cool Headed Judgement
Averted a Disaster "A Moment
when Hearts Might Well Stand
Still,
On Board the Flagship Brooklyn, off
Earl Monroe, Va, April 2S.-For thirty
sfv hours the flying squadron has been
unable to communicate with shore, the
s,orm which still prevails making it
unsafe to use. the steam launches or
enters. A tug brought out the mail
t5is morning. The storm that struck
nh coast Tuesday night came up
HAMPTON Roads like a fury. 1t whis
,ed at the rate of ninety miles an
borr through the great superstructure
of the flagship Brooklyn and whipped
nm the sea so that the white foam
broke in huge masses over the decks
nj the Massachusetts and the Texas.
THE heavy draft Of the big war vessel
made il impossible for them to get into
smooth water and they had to stand
The brunt OF the storm. Towards
morning it increased in violence and
As the tide turned flood the lookout
IN the forward bridge CT the Brooklyn
announced that the ship was dragging
its anchor The officer of the deck
simultaneously reported that the
Brooklyn was getting in dangerous
proximity 10 the battleship Massachu-
sets. Captain Cook and Executive
officer Mason went to the bridge i'm
mediately and ordered the second an
Choir down AT this time the wind was
blowing so fiercely that men could
hardly keep their feet on deck. The
second anchor ran out about twenty
fathoms of chain and struck, and the
big ship stopped, and for short time
breasted bravely the wind and tide.
But in a few minutes she began
TO GO BACK SLOWLY,
and it was evident that there was no
hold for the anchors. The signal was
Immediately given to prepare TO get
under way, and in the meantime it was
hoped that the anchors would catch
and hold. Faster and faster she went
back, her broadsile swinging to-
ward the dangerous ram on the prov
Of the Massachusetts. The latter was
sgnalled to pay out her cable and
drop away, and she did so. In the
meantime, ON the Brooklyn, the men
in charge of the forward compartments
went 10 their stations, closing the
water-tight compartments and prepar-
ing without any outward evidence Of
excitement for the expected collision
The Massachusetts, cleared away her
big bocms and prepared for the COLI
sion not daring to ship the anchor,
for fear of running herself on the sand
bar in close proximity or drifting into
the Massachusetts,. Faster and faster
ship and the men at the stations on
both vessels stood unflinchingly, ready
TO perform the special duties assigned
them in case of collision. There was
no confusion. On the bridge with cool
heads, sharp eyes and active brains,
were Captain Cook and his executive
officer while on the after bridge, not
interfering with the mana cement OF
the officers Of the ships, stood Schley
and his flag lieutenant. Sears, watch
ing with interest but with
AS LITTLE EXCITEMENT
as they would a practice cruise the big
ships coming together A conflict of
orders would have meant great disas-
Ter but there was none.
An order from the captain and one
II the big anchors comes rafting up
ald the ship drifts on a little faster
'oWards its evident fate. Then, in obe-
llence TO the helm. the stern, now al
most scTaping the Massachusetts bow,
swing out and the head partly con-
FoiIed by the anchor swings in as if
10 take the blow Ii is within few
Yards of the huge battleship and all are
awaiting the crash. Captain Cook
looks over the port side of the bridge
and Ten says sharply: Full speed
Ss'efn. there is clang of bells. a
salYer as the big engines turn and then
Jae cruiser slides rapidly clear of the
Massachusetts with barely r hand TO
spare "Cleverly done" says Commo-
core Schley as he goes down to break
fast.
Clever seamanship. perfect discipline
an deoll headed judgment had averted
disaster. This s4ip sbeys here en-
gihes PERFECTLY said Captain Cook,
Iacdesily. after he had anchored fur
Their ont.
me storm continued without abate-
hen all day and the patrol boats that
A5ep the harbor closed had a rough
ngats work. This morning there was
lNde abatement of the gale.
Newport News, Va, April 2S.-3 D. M
he warships have suffered no dam
age IN the gale which is still blowing.
IS exceedingly rough, but all ships
nave their sea anchors down and are
perfectly secure.
------A-------
AN IMPORTANT RULING
ny comptroller Dawes Concerning AS
St>Sments Against Bank Stockhold-
erS.
NdSlinpfOn mil 90 An iunn0rfaOt