The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-26
The adtiehita 1aiY Eagle Thursday ore, naY IS, ses

ship TO notify the CHIEF Of Navigation OF
his safe arrival IN port, az home or
| abroad
In the bureau OF navigation record OF
the arrival and departure OF every ship is
kept and the changes in the various
squadrons renoted on boards that hang
on the wall and are designated as ship
boards" These boards are arranged &C
cording TO squadrons. and the names of
each ship in the squadron ard its present
| location is noted on Httie slips of card
board, which can be easily altered as the
ships move about from one station TO
another.
Just row the movements OF the ships OF
the American navy are not only being
watched by the officers of the bureau Of
navigation, but their manoeuvers are be-
! ing observed by all the nations of the
world. There is not che same amount OF
freedom in announcing the movements
of our ships in time Of war as there
would be in rme of peace. Therefore,
IAN a w-ful circle has been thrown around
/ the bureau Of navigation. ana only few
/ trusted and faithful officers OF the navy
are perma TIED to enter within its sacred
precincts. II is there that the real news
/ of the present war IS received and deS-
| seminated.
\ great deal goes on in the bureau of
navigation which the outside world has
! no knowledge. A great deal OF irfornla-
/ ton regarding the movements Of ships
! and the intentions of the war board must
necessarily be kept secret TO prevent the
! enemy from taking advantage of know
| ledge which does not properly belong to
! them.
Day and night the force IN the bureau
/ of navigation IS on duty. When the de-
partment closes for the day and the
| clerks and employees OF other divisions
of the department retire to their respec-
tive homes a detachment Of the employees
in the navigation bureau remains on duty
A visit was made the navy department a
few nights ago during the mid-watch in
the navigation bureau. Lieutenant II.
H. Whfttlesey, the officer on detail in
charge Of the cipher code. was at his post
of duty, where he had been all day.
Since the war commenced Lieutenant
Whfttlesey and his staff of assistants
have remained in the department every
night TO receive such information as might
be sent from the war ships, wherever they
may be. Cots are provided for the watch
ers, and between the intervals of re-
ceiving and sending dispatches Iieuten-
ant Whfttlesey and his men sometimes
drift into dreamland, always leaving two
or more persons on deck prepared to
arouse them should an emergency re-
quire.
Lieutenant whittlesey is master OF the
naval cipher code. He has all the COM
binations at his command, and he can ex-
press in a few apparently meaningless
combinations of words whole volume OF
Information concerning the orders to COM
handing officers of the war ships HIS
assistants during the mid-watch are
Lieutenant G. W. Logan, Lieutenant w.
B. Hoggatt and ensign r. ]. Hartung
These four officers are intrusted with the
| mysteries of rhe naval code, and htey
alone decipher all dispatches sent out or
received by the direction Of the secretary
and the war board. The clerical work at
night is done by E. W. Callahan, F. S.
Hinricks, P. ]. Willett and S. R. Hud-
nell, stenographers.
Along about or o'clock II the morning
the eyelids of the watchers in the cipher
room grow heavy. The lights are lowered
and the tired men fling themselves down
for a few moments of needed repose.
Suddenly the clicking of the telegraph
office half way down the corridor A
moment later a messenger hurries down
the dinly lighted corridor TO Lieutenant
Whittlesey's room. in an instant Lieu
tenant Whittlesey is aroused, the lights
are turned up and the sleepy assistants
assume their respective stations and pre-
pare to decipher the dispatch just re-
cefved. Should the dispatch be or
startling nature. such as that of the ar
rival of the Spanish feet are Martinique
or Dewey's victory at Manila or the
changing of base of any of the ships.
the information is hurridly sent 10 Sec
special messenger on a bicycle. Tine
president is also notified. and the members
OF the war board are communicated with
Immediately. If speedy action is required
the board quickly assemblies at the de-
directed to frame a dispatch in aceor-
dance with the code.
1t sometimes occurs that the informa-
ton received is not OF such nature as
TO require prompt action. In that case
it is not brought to the attention Of the
secretary or Captain Crowninshield until
the next morning It win be seen that
Lieutenant Whittlesey and his staff have
TO exercise a fine discreet In dealing
with these nocturnal duties. Some nights
there is a food of Information pouring
in and out of the department: in that case
there is little chance for sleep. and the
force is kept busy until their relief comes
at o'clock.
The state department keeps company
with the navy department in these nigh.
vfrfls. Assistant Secretaries Cridler and
Adee take turns remaining al the de-
rartment az night. They are assisted by
Cipher Clerks Thomas T. Keller, Hubbard
T. Smith. E. c. Stewart and D. G. Morri-
son.
Hub Smith. who IS known the word
over as the author Of that catchy little
song. LIS. en- to NJ Tale OF Woe" IL fire.
cruentl7 summoned to help ~; in the rnys-
teries.
How TO Look Good.
Good looks are really more than skin
deep. depending entirely on healthy con-
dit!on OF all the vital organs. II the liver
IS inactive. you have a Bilious look. ifyour
stomach IS disordcred. sou have a dyspep-
tic iook:If your kidneys are affected. you
have a pinched look. Secure good health,
and you viii surely have good looks
Electric Bitters" Is good Alternative
and Tonic. Acts directly On the stomach.
liver and kidneys. purifes the blood. cures
p,rnples. blotches and boiis, and gives a
+ -4 .--,-7..~5o-, r-,-a~sr F.0-r-a arfsrarl-