davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-30
A LARGE NUMBER
 OF NAVAL EXPERIMENTS
Rear-Admiral W. A. Kirkland to Go
 Out of Active Service in

NEW YORK, May 29.-A Washing ton special to the Herald says: The next six months will witness compara- lively a large number of retirements, Rear Admiral W. A. Kirkland, com mandant of Mare Island Navy Yard will retire on July 3. His retirement will simply reduce the number of rear admirals to that authorized by law. Upon the retirement of Rear Admiral c. s. Norton in August, Commodore F. V. McNair will be promoted, and Cap tain w. T. Sampson will become com modore.
 Rear Admiral Montgomery Sicard, chairman of the Naval Board, will leave active service on September 30, and Captain B. J. Cromwell be. pro- noted to flag rank upon the retirement of Rear Admiral F. O. Matthews in Oc- tober. Rear Admiral J. N. Miller will be relegated to retirement in November, and Rear Admiral F. IT. Bunce in De- cember. These retirements will pro- mote Captain H. F. Picking and Cap- tain Frederick Rodgers.
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-30
THE OREGCN'S OFFICERS
 AND MEN COMPLIMENTEn
Secretary of the Navy Highly Pleased With the Successful Voyage of
 the Battlechip.

NEW YORK, May 29.-A Washing ton special to the Herald says: Secre- tary Long has officially commended Captain c. E. Clarke and officers and men under his command for their ex- cellent work in bringing the battle-ship Oregon safely to Key West. This com mendation was given upon telegraphic announcement from Captain Clarke of his arrival at Key West, and not upon his mail report, which is expected to reach Washington on Tuesday. The Secretary's letter is a pleasant state ment of the facts concerning the cruise, and highly compliments Captain Clarke and his subordinates for their work
 The assignment of the battle-ship to Rear Admiral Sampson's command gives that officer off the northern coast of Cuba three armorclads-the armored cruiser New York and the battle-ships Indiana and Oregon-besides four i.lon- itors and protected cruisers.
 No surprise need be felt if it is learn ed within the next few days, in case Admiral Cervera's presence in the har- Dor of Santiago de Cuba should be ab- solutely confirmed, that two of the monitors have been ordered to Commo- dore Schleys assistance, these vessels to relieve, perhaps, the Iowa, which may be returned to Rear Admiral Simpsons immediate command.
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-30
BritiShVeSseIFOsCOIidRuns Into the Columbia
 During a Fog.
Badly Disables the Warship and Is Itself Sunk in Nineteen
 FathOmS of Water.

NEW YORK May 29-When the United States cruiser Columbia, in | command of Captain Sands, anchored off TompkinSville, S. l., this afternoon it was seen that she had a large jagged | hole stove in her starboard side, abreast the mast, and immediately for ward of the after barbette. Above the water line the hole extended about ten feet in height and six feet wide. Just how far below the water line the crui- ser was damaged could not be ascer- tained, and none of the naval officers would give any information in regard to the accident.
 AS soon as the vessel came to anchor. the captain and crew, twenty-one in all, of the British steamer Foscolia. which left this port yesterday with a cargo of machinery and general mer- chandise for Bordeaux, went ashore Neither the captain nor any of the Brit ish crew would talk and they left at once for New York to report the acci- dent to their agents. No one was al- lowed to go on board the Columbia, but to a correspondent who rowed out to the cruiser, the officers of the deck made the following brief statement:
 At about TAO a. m. the British ship Foscolia, in command of Captain John EVdQS, WlIn our vessel during a dense fog. We were then about eight miles southwest, off Fire Island. We lowered two life boats and rescued the captain and crew, numbering twenty one all told. We stood by until the Eos colia sank at o'clock this morning. As soon as we arrived here we sent the rescued men ashore"
 Further information in reference to the accident could not be obtained.
 At o'clock one of the navy yard tugs steamed alongside the cruiser and de- livered some messages from Rear Ad- miral Bunce, commander of the navy yard at Brooklyn. A few minutes later the Columbia headed for the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where it is supposed she be drydocked and the extent of her in jurieS aScertained
 Captain J. Evans of the Foscolia, af- ter reaching this city, said regarding the collisions:
 "The Foscolia cleared from this port at noon on Saturday with a general cargo of about 2200 tons. All went we'll was on the bridge and ordered the ing. As the fog grew denser the speed of the ship was reduced to one-half.
 "At about o'clock the lookout, John- on the bridge, reported a steamer on brightly and the fog signal was whist steamer with four tunnels dead ahead As the steamers were not 200 yards apart, I saw that a collision was in-
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-30
Madrid Celebrating a Great "ViCtOry" Over Samp-
 son and SChley.
Press Gives Extensive Details of Battle in Which CerVerd
 Crushed His Foes.

three cruisers and three smaller ships to surround the Vizcaya and the Almi- rante Oquendo. The FurOr, between the crossfire of the enemy, made for the American flagship, notwithstanding the fire of the heavy guns. The out come of the contest was that two American warships were sunk and one Spanish Warship disabled in it's steer ing gear. The remaining vessels of the American squadron were so much dam aged that they were compelled to take refuge in Haytien waters.
 It is reported that the Cristobal Co., Ion captured an American ship, which had been disabled from a shot by the ViZcaya, that perforated her side.
 The ViZcaya risked destruction from an American destroyer. It Is believed that after the combat the Spaniards sailed for Havana, or, if the conditions of the vessels or the presence of a Su- perior force of the enemy required, took refuge within Cardenas or Matanzas.
 The publication of this dispatch from Paris caused an excited discussion of the conflicting reports from various sources which completely absorbed all sections of the press and all circles of the public in Madrid. Speaking to-day of yesterdays rumors of the defeat of the Americans and the death of Rear Admiral Sampson, Captain Aunon, the Minister of Marine, without crediting it in the absence of official confirma- ton, remarked that it was within the limits of possibility. It is hoped that the result of to-day's Cabinet council will disclose information confirming or denying the report
 WASHINGTON, May 29-The dis patch from Madrid giving an account of naval battle between the combined squadrons of Sampson and Schley and that of Cervera is absolutely discredit- ed by naval officials. Their advices show that it is not possible that a fight could have occurred.
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-30
WAR REVENUE
 BILL BLOCKED AnnexationistS Delaythe
 Vote. ADOPT PECULIAR TACTICS. TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE
 PRESENT CRISIS.
ADOPT PECULIAR TACTICS.
May Even Go to the Extent of De- priving the Government of Means for Waging the
 Conflict.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

NEW YORK, May 29.-A Washington special to the Herald says: Were 1t not for the Hawaiian annexation question Congress could pass the war revenue bill, finish the appropriation bills and adjourn within two weeks.
 The debate on the revenue bill has been practically concluded, and a vote could be reached at almost any mo- ment but for the threat of Senator Lodge and other annexationiSts to press the annexation amendment and precipitate a long debate. The oppo- nents of annexation believe they can prevent this, however, by moving to lay the amendment on the table after Sem ator Lodge has made his speech upon it. This motion is not debatable, and, could be brought to a vote at once. It is understood a number of annexation ists will vote for it on the ground that it is not proper subject for incorpora- tion in a revenue measure.
 It may be that the motion to- lay Lodges amendment on the table may not carry, as the Senator by no menas stands alone in his disapproval of the means taken and bargains made to de- feat annexation. Should the amend ment not be laid on the table a debate would enSue, the end of which 1t would be impossible to foretell Interests which are opposed to annexation are so strong and have been able to con- trol number of Senators so absolutely that they might even go as far as to delay the passage of the revenue bill until the Government is left without means for carrying on the war through complete exhaustion of the available cash in the treasury.
 Speaker Reed, who has become ac- customed to speaking for the entire House of Representatives, has been a party to the attempts to sidetrack the Hawaiian resolution by an agreement that it should not come up in either house during this session, He is with an even more serious rebellion than when a large element in
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-30
A SPANISH STEAMER
 HAS A CLOSE CALL

Copyrighted. 1898. by James Gordon Bennett.
 KINGSTON, Jamaica, May 29.-The Spanish steamer Purissano Conception arrived in Kingston from Montegro Bay. Had the United States auxiliary cruiser Harvard been called in time she would have endeavored to capture her.
 L. M. Preval, formerly Deputy United States Consul at Santiago de Cuba, and now clerk at the United States Con sulate, has returned from a trip on the Dandy to the fleet off Santiago. He carried official dispatches and was ac- companied by Alberto Nunez, an expe- rienced Cuban pilot, who gave Commo- dore Schley much valuable inforni- tion concerning the harbor of Santiago de Cuba and it's approaches.
 Preval and NuneZ are aboard the Harvard now, but for what object I was unable to ascertain.
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-30
CERVERA'S FLEET PENNED
 IN SANTIAGO HARBOR
Contiued From First Page.

partment, he stated in a most positive manner that he believed that the Span ish fleet was at that point, and that he intended to destroy or capture it. Communication with the insurgents de- veloped the information that he was mistaken, and as soon as he satisfied himself of it's correctness he coaled and sailed for Santiago. In his dispatch to the department yesterday he did not commit himself to the bald statement that Admiral Cervera had not gone. Perhaps he did not care to again put himself in a false position, but the off cials with whom I have talked assume that he is passing his future action on che assumption that the Spanish fleet is in the harbor. The officials profess to be still ignorant of Commodore Schley's plan of ascertaining whether Admiral Cervera is really in the har- bor, and of bottling him up if he is there, but among members of the Naval War Board much favor is ex pressed for the proposition of sending old hulks to Santiago de Cuba; of sink ing them in the channel so as to pre- vent the egress of the Spanish fleet, of mining the harbor near these hulks
 
 Spaniards and finally to leave one or two vessels on guard to fire upon any expedition that may attempt to remove the Instructions from the channel. No doubt exists that Commodore Schley's opinion on this plan has been asked, and if it should meet with his approval instructions will be sent to Commodore Remey at Key West to load several old cfo r1d and send them to Santiago de Cuba
 The reported departure of the troop ship Alfonso XIII from San Juan, Por- to Rico, for Mayaguez, Porto Rico. is regarded with suspicion by navy off, cials, it being their belief that Havana is the real destination of the vessel. Mayaguez is situated in the western part of the island, facing what is gen. eraIly known as Mona Channel, and is but a short distance from San Juan, which is situated on the northeastern coast The Alfonso XIII is an auxil- iary cruiser armed with 5-inch Honoria breech-loading rifles. When she left Spain six weeks ago she had on board half million dollars in gold, a cargo of supplies and 800 soldiers, destined for Havana, but so strict was the blockade maintained by the American ships that she was unable to get through and she put back to the Bar badoes, subsequently, proceeding to San Juan. It is supposed that she left the soldiers and gold at San Juan and will now attempt to get through the blockade with provisions for Captain General Blanco. The authorities have ordered Rear Admiral Sampson to keep a sharp lookout for the Alfonso XIII, l and she will be captured, it Is confi- dently predicted, if she goes near the blockaded section of Cuba.
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-30
MEN FROM THE
 TWO DAKOTAS Eight Companies VoIun- teerS Arrive Tuesday. ANOTHER REGIMENT LATER NATIONAL RELIEF COMMITTEES
 PLAN IS ENDORSED. The Health of the Camp at Chicka- mauga National Park Is Re-
 markedly Good.
ANOTHER REGIMENT LATER
NATIONAL RELIEF FCOMMITTEE'S
 PLAN IS ENDORSED.

l PORTLAND, Or, May 29.-Eight companies of volunteer infantry from | North Dakota arrived here to-day ir two special trains, one coming by the Northern Pacific and the other by the O. R. and N. and Great Northern. Both sections were transferred to the South ern Pacific, and they left for San Fran cisco this afternoon. The troops were well provided with lunch during their stay here by the ladies of the Oregon emergency corps.
 SIOUX FALLS, S. D., May 29.-The First Regiment of South Dakota volun- teers, Colonel Frost commanding, left to-day for San Francisco.
 CHICKAMAUGA NATIONAL PARK, Ga, May 29.-Lieutenant Colonel Hart suff, chief surgeon on General Brooke's s staff, announces that he cordially in dorses the plan adopted by the national relief committee of receiving and dis bursing supplies to sick and needy soldiers contributed by friends at home. He states that he himself received a number of communications from var ious States inquiring as to how sup plies Of the character mentioned might be sent to the soldiers in camp here. He therefore asks the Associated Press to say that the committee organized in Chattanooga will take care of and dis tribute all contributions of this char acter promptly and satisfactorily.
 The health of the camp is remarkably good, and it is believed that, aside from the usual slight complaints incident to these seasons the worst of it is over now with the men who have made such radical change in temperaure, water and diet. There were three deaths to- day, as follows:
 Pierce Collier, aged IS, Company H, Fourteenth Minnesota, of Beaver Falls, from pneumonia, contracted in campp before reaching Chickamauga.
 Harry O. Burnham of Lynn, Mass, Company D, Eighth Massachusetts, pneumonia.
 Ludwig Bohnert of Springfield, H., Company D, Fifth Illinois, blood pois- oning.
 Two troops of cowboys arrived to-day in command of Captain J. s. Gregory from Fargo, Dak There were 160 men and 200 horses. These troops complete the regiment of 1000 officers and men.
 It is understood that the two army corps, the First and Third, now being formed, will be the only troops to oc- cupy the park territory. Negotiations are now proceeding to lease tract of 5000 acres just north of the park near a body of fresh water. The Sixth corps, to be commanded by General Wilson, will occupy this site. The ground Is high and rolling, a most desirable point for the encampment of such large body of men.
 for Battery A, Fourth Artillery, sta toned at Fort Canby, arrived from San Francisco on the steamer Columbia this morning.
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-30

MADRID, May 29-El Progresso pub fishes dispatches purporting to come from Paris giving details of an alleged battle near Jamaica in which, it is said, two American warships were destroyed and one Spanish Warship was injured. Although the account is very circum- stantial as to time, place, incidents and results, 1t is received here with sus- picion.
 The story is that Commodore Schley's squadron parted from Rear Admiral Sampson's off Cape Maysi, the eastern point of Cuba, and steered toward the Yucatan peninsula, followed closely by Sampson's ships. Both were sighted from the watch towers of Santiago de Cuba. Rear Admiral Sampson arrived off the Province of Puerto Principe, continuing thence in the direction of Jamaica
 Admiral Cervera left Santiago on Thursday, May 26, at midnight, all his lights being extinguished, with the Viz caya and the Almirante Oquendo pre- ceded by the torpedo boat destroyer Furor. He took a position in proximity to Jamaica. Two hours later the re- mainder of Admiral Cervera's squadron withdrew from the harbor of Santiago and proceeded in a southerly direction. On the morning of Friday the Furor came up rapidly to the Vizcaya and the Almirante OquendO, advising Admiral Cervera of the approach of the enemy. Rear Admiral Simpsons ships steamed with full speed toward the Spanish yes sells, which accepted combat, but moved in a southerly direction, to effect junction with the remainder of the Spanish squadron.
 Presently the battle ragged furiously on both sides. The Americans detached
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-30
CUBAN WATERS TO BE
 THOROUGHLY PATROLLED
A Hundred Men-of-War Will Soon Be Employed for That
 PurnoSa

NEW YORK, May 29.-A Washing ton special to the Herald says: Re-en- forcements for the American blockad- ing squadron will soon be sailing for Cuba, and before another month passes there should be at least 100 American men-of-war patroling Cuban waters
 Most formidable of vessels soon to be sent south is the protected cruiser Newark. commanded by Captain A. s. Barber. The Newark will leave Norfolk Navy Yard next week and be assigned duty as Commodore Watson's fiarshin.
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-30
Cornell Grants the Request.

ITHACA, N. T., May 29.-Corneu has granted the request received from Yale and Harvard asking Cornell to row the triangular boat race on June g instead of 23d or 24th. An answer to this effect was immediately wired to the captains of the Yale and Harvard crews, and the qualification of the Cornell navy was ex- pressed for the courtesy shown by liar ward and Yale in their efforts to arrange matters satisfactorily to all parties.
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-30

the House practically compelled action on the Cuban resolution, before either the Speaker or the administration wished it. This time the rebellious Re publicans include nearly all the men on that side of the House, and they have the advantage of having the ad ministration with them, instead of op- posed to them, as in the case of the Cuban resolution.
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-30
A POPULAR SOCIETY
 SWELL.

As well as the business man, or the man of fastidious taste in dress, al- ways attires himself in the most ir- reproachable linen, as the customs of good society demands. They have found our establishment to be the laundry par excellence for transform ing their soiled linen into "a thing of beauty" in color and finish, just like a new shirt, collar or cuff.
 United States Laundry, office 10o4 Market street. Telephone, South APO.
The San Francisco call., 1898-07-10
GUNS OF DYNAMITE CRUISER VESUVIUS PRoTRUDING
 THROUGH THE DECK IOE THE VESSEL

long and not quite fifteen inches in diameter.
 The rear end of the shell is fitted With wings or fans, to insure the tor pedo's preserving its horizontality dur ing it's time of flight. This torpedo is loaded to the gun at the breech, near which there is a revolving chamber holding five other tcrpedoes, quite after the manner in which the cartridges of Colts revolver are carried; hydraulic power is used to manipulate this car Tier. Once in place and the breech closed, the air valve is opened, the con- pressed air rushes into the firing cham bers and away speeds the most deadly proJectile mans ingenuity has thus far devised.
 The one respect in which the dyna- mite cruiser, speed excepted, is inferior to the torpedo-boat destroyer is in the important matter of aiming the guns These being immovably fixed in the vessel cannot be trained and handled like other guns, they cannot be laid to hit the target by moving them to the right or left or up or down; instead the Vesuvius must be maneuvered so as to get within the range. She thus becomes the gun carriage, her helm and her screws being the means employed by her for the accurate laying of her guns.
 Herein lies an objection to the dyna mite gun as it is emplaced on board IHG N6SuVluSy ana TOT a long tune It was thought to be insuperable.
 The ship being laid for the target. the range of the dynamite projectile ia controlled by means of the amount of compressed air admitted to the gun No torpedo of the Whitehead or Howell type can approach this, a thousand yards being an extreme range for them and for effective work not over eight hundred should be attempted
 
 distance at which the Vesuvius should operate is about mile off, and to land her projectiles on shore or at a target at this remote distance would reo,fire an air pressure of about eight hundred pounds.
 The Vesuvius was not designed to attack Notifications, yet it wouId seem as though Tor such role she s admirably adapted; better than for tbe role of ship ttack, where the time needed to get herself in position for fir ing would expose her to a hot ranid fire that would certainly annibileta her.
 Silently can she take her stand and by means of range finders accurataII, determine her position; then, without more noise than big popgun wo1,Id make, she can send her nroieoti1a. gracefully curving through the air irto the enemy's camp. In short. the vaS,, vius has a distinctive part to play in this war we are now Maging against Spain. It is purely an offensive part TOT hai,,sf she IS so pitia6ly weak defensively that we'll directed rifle bullet co,Iid wreck her. eouio
 The Vesuvius should never entar combat unsupported, but always rndar cover of some large vessel able to draw an enemys lire and receive u } punish ment that would be otherwise directed toward her When thus safeguarded lne sesuVlus serves a most valuable purpose, and the lwork cut out for her. Will greatly conduce to shortening the oombardment of the fortifications of Cuba.
The San Francisco call., 1898-07-10

hold of the ship, where the compressed air machinery is, and where the ammu- milton and the breech and loading mechanism are situated
 The tubes are made of light cast-iron, are fifty-five feet in total length and have an interior diameter of fifteen inches. There are two air compressors to compress the air that is used as the propellant to discharge the aerial tor pedoes from the long tubes. The sub aqueous torpedo with which ordinary torpedo craft are supplied is discharged usually by a charge of gunpowder, which is quick in acting; hence the or dinary torpedo gun is short, not above eighteen or twenty feet long; but the slow, steady action of the compressed air cannot reach it's maximum intensity for some time after impinging on the base of the projectile. It begins to move the torpedo gradually, and rapidly in creasing in propulsive force drives the shot out of the long barrel at high velocity.
The San Francisco call., 1898-07-10

provements have already been sug- gested so that when another vessel of the same kind is built there is no say ing what speed it may reach.
 Nearly every day for the past six weeks the Turbinia has been out on a trial trip with delegation from some of the big shi., building yards of the world. Engineers have come from America, Australia and Russia as well as from every country in Southern Eu- rope and in each instance they have been surprised and delighted with what they saw. She's the most marvellous piece of marine engineering ever ac- complished," has been the general yer dict.
 It is not entirely to the construction of her hull that the Turbinia's mar velous speed due. Nor is it entirely to her engines, although they are of an entirely new type. But it is to the combination of both. An ordinary type of engine would tear the hull of the Turbinia to pieces long before speed of 35 knots was reached, even granting the engines were capable of producing it. Nor by putting the engines of the Turbinia into an ordinary hull could the high speed be obtained although there Is no denying there would be a