The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1898-11-16

Be sAost, so T left the folks and went
over to examine more closely the little
torpedo boats.
had found by this time that the
only way to see things was to ask nc
questions but to 20 ahead aud see
them. No one is allowed on board the
torpedo boats but I was very anxious
to stand at the rail of the Winslow
where Ensign Bagley fell at Cardenas
I did not try the gang planks-a
guard was there-but / gave little
jump from the dock and landed on
that fragile thing called a torpedo
boat 1t actually rocked when I
s'landed." No one who has not seen
torpedo boat can appreciate what a
brave thing 1t is to get in range of a
warship, on board one of those small
craft. It reminded me of nothing
more than very long cigar. One
could lay on his stomach with his toes
over one side of her and his fingers
over the other, she is 80 narrow. From
the torpedo boats I went 10 the May
flower, formerly Goelet's yacht. She
is to be retained in the service as a
third class cruiser. She is the largest
and most expensive yacht ever built.
The Mayaower it was that lay in the
mouth of Santiago harbor and tried to
pick up Hobson and his gallant crew.
The Mavfower was being completely
overhauled and no visitor was allowed
on deck. But 1 had heard of her gor-
geous mural decorations and wanted
to see her. She was anchored some
yards from the dock, but there was a
huge lumber barge between her and
the shore, which was swinging at its
moorings. Part of the time it would
be close to the dock and then it would
swing over to the Mayfower, and 80
on. When It swung near the dock I
jumped on and made friends with the
deck hands and told them what I was
trying to do. They thought it was a
good joke-I think now they thought
the joke would be on me-and showed
me how to get to the top deck of the
barge, which was almost on level
with the deck of the Mayfower. Then
I waited until the barge swung to the
Mayfower when I jumped over, caught
the railing and had gained the at
tempt.
Most of the ornamentation is covered
with wainscotting, but everything that
is not covered is very fine. Then some
of the crew showed me real torpedo
They told me how they put it in the
tube etc. l went all over the May
flower from the cabin to the wash
room, from engine room to turret.
Then found that it was time for me
to Ego home" Yon can imagine how
felt when on reaching the deck I
found the Mayfower had swung out so
far that the barge no longer came
within jumping distance. I wandered
around like sick kitten for about ten
minutes, not having enough nerve to
tell any of the officers that I wanted to
go home. Finally I heard one of the
officers say he had to go ashore pretty
soon. l kept near him until I heard
him order the jackies to bring plank
and "stretch' it from the ship to the
barge. Then he said, Il don't believe
that's safe," but l very politely spoke
up and said, "I'll try it, SIR" and in a
second was on the barge. I very
soon reached shore and hurried over to
the dry COCK just IN time to see the
little dwarf of tug hauling the big
giant Brooklyn out to Wallabout chan
mel. Then we all went to Brooklyn,
got our dinner and went to the foot of
Fulton street, where we took the can
mex" for a ride on New York Bay.
There we saw Governors Island, Fort
Columbus and the Statue of Liberty
and landed at Jersey City, where we
boarded CORTLAND street ferry for
New York. The whole ride cost us
just 10 cents apiece. We got home
safe and sound at 6 o'clock having seen
enough for one day.
To Our Observation-Disclosures.