The San Francisco call., 1898-02-23

@ been received. O @ Captain Eulate decorated the @ @ ship to-day in honor of Wash @ @ ington's birthday, and received Q @ on board Rear Admiral Bunce Q @ and General Merritt. Three sa- @ @ lutes were fired by the cruiser @ @ one of twenty-one guns at noon, @ o to mark the visitors observance @ @ of the holiday, and the others (. @ when Admiral Bunce and Gen. @ @ eral Merritt went up her side. Q
 Captain Eulate's decision to take coal on board her in spite of an early an- nouncement from Spanish sources that he would not do so was in line with his assertion when he arrived that he was in a friendly port and had no apprehension regarding the safety of his ship Two coal barges lowed by tug approached the Vizcaya soon after her crew had breakfasted below, and by o'clock one was lying to the port and one to starboard of her, and she commenced the work of passing up fuel. Although her coal carrying ca pacity is great, the long run from Spain to this port had pretty nearly ex- nduSleU Ter SupplS, duu SHc udo ei run of several days to Havana before her it was absolutely necessary to re-
 fill the bunkers.
 | Due precautions were taken to aScer- tain that the coal contained no explo- sive and that no crank or fanatic had approached it. Captain Eulate ordered the coal through the Spanish Consul Senor Baldasano notified the navy yard of the arrangements he was mak- ing to supply the cruiser and guard boat was kept alongside the coal barges at Communipaw on Monday and until yesterday morning, when they were lowed to the cruiser.
 This coal was passed up in bags and baskets and was really subjected to two inspections before it reached the ships bunkers. A lieutenant was sta tioned on each barge and the men worked under his direction. Another officer was stationed on deck. and it is l believed the coal was poured out of the bags under his eyes.
 No one on board the cruiser ap- peared to entertain any fear regarding an attempt to tamper with the coal Indeed, they laughed over the work of coaling as they have laughed over the vigilance of the patrol boats which have surrounded them since the Viz caya anchored. The work was con- tinued all day, except for half an hour during the visits of Rear Admiral Bunce and General Merritt
 The Undine left the navy yard sat half past ten o'clock in the morning with the Rear Admiral, Commander ao tenant. Aaron Ward. They arrived alongside the Vizcaya at ten minutes after eleven o'clock. A bugle summon ed for a guard of marines and when they were lined up, Admiral Bunce as- cended and was received by the Viz caya's commander, with whom he ex- changed salutes. Mingling with the cruisers officers, Commander Gilmore and Lieutenant Ward followed Ad- miral Bunce and Captain Euiate to the latter's quarters. The visit was brief, and after an exchange of courtesies the admiral went over the side to the music of "The Star Spangled Banner played by the ships band. The gum ners manned the secondary batteries, the admiral's launch moved a few lengths from the cruiser, gun sound ed and Admiral Bunce stood up hold ing his cooked hat in his hand until thirteen reports were counted and the smoke curled above the flag trimmed Vizcaya.
 Then he donned his hat and the launch shot away.
 General Merritt, commanding the de- partment of the East, arrived a little later with Lieutenants Hale. Mott and Strother He was saluted by fifteen guns as he departed, getting two more than Rear Admiral Bunce. although their ranks are really regarded as equal.
 The crowded ferry boats carried thousands of visitors to Staten Island to-day to see the Vizcaya. It was holiday crowd, good natured and rich in comment. Comparing the Vizcaya with vessels of the white squadron was the chief amusement. The sightseers carried field glasses, cameras and sketch books, and took away many pictures of the cruiser. Some of them were rowed out toward her until the police warned them off \ party of ten careless young fellows approached as near as possible and sang patriotic American airs for the benefit of the vizcaya's company.
 Senor Baldasano, Spanish Con- sul- General, went on board before noon. As he walked to the landing in Tompkinsville crowds of