The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-12
NIGHT N MANILA Bay
How the American Fleet Keeps
Its Eye Out.
FOR TREACHEROUS ATTACK
Half the Ships Com pany
Ready All the Night
FOR TREACHER0US ATTACK

|
water that stretches between our squad
ron and the city of Manila A humid hea
has made the ships almost unbearably
sultry all day. But now the sun is near.
ing the horizon, and faint ripple on the
water two or three miles away shows
that at last we are to have an at least
temporary relief.
Heavy clouds are banked up to the
northward, and as the sun drops out OF
sight the exquisite colors of Philippine
before the quickly oncoming night cuts
snort the panorama Widespread flashes
of neat lightning varied by the forked
bolts of distant thunder storm, keep the
west aglow at intervals. Then all bright
ness dies out and the impenetrable
gloom OF a tropical night closes down
over the ships.
What will it bring forth? Ten miles
away lies the forces of a defeated and
sullen enemy. Since the battle of May
l not move against US has been made.
All the bombast and bravado of the gov
ernor general has had no deed to back 1t
| up. There are, We are told, several tious-
and troops under the Spanish colors in
| Manila, besides a large body Of seam en-
and marines whom we drove out of Cavite
1t cannot be possible that among so
many brave men-and they do not lack
for daring when properly led-there are
not score or two capable of risking
their lives to destroy our ships. At any
rate, our admiral does not intend to take
| any chances, and when night falls over the
for
ton exactly as though we were in the
presence of an alert and determined foe.
Just before the last of daylight dsap-
pears swift steam launch or one of
the captured tugboats shoots away from
the Olympia, passing around the squad
ron and giving the countersign faor the
night. BY the time II has finished its
circuit the deep darkness has fallen, and
woe be to the boat that then ventures
within gunshot of any of or vesselsl
Even the picket boat that we keep out
for our own protection does not care to
roam about too neaE the forbidden waters.
for an overhasty lookout might hail and
then fire without waiting for a reply.
In the first few nights there were several
such incidents to enliven the existence of
the young officers on picket duty but,
fortunately, no one was hurt.
All night onehalf of each ships com
pany is on watch along the side of the
guns of the secondary battery-that is the
6-pounder, 3-pounder and 1-pounder rapid
firers and the automatic machine guns
At intervals, on each side of theship, are
posted the keenest eyed seamen of the
watch.
No glow of light is visible from any
part of the vessel after eight o'clock, but
two or three men stand around each
searchlight, ready at a word from the
officer of the deck to turn a concentrated
pencil of binding electric rays upon any
object within a range of 1000 yards.
Every few minutes these lights sweep the
waters of the bay.
These lights oInetines fall upon one of
the remaining merchant vessels that have
not succeeded in getting enough ballast
aboard to enable them to go to sea- and
the effect is magical Under a sky Of
dense blue the horizon and the atmos-
phere just above the water seem of a
pencil of brightness shoots out from the
side of our vessels and falls upon a full
rugged ship, bringing into fairy outlines
all this null, masts, spars and rigging OF
the craft. Shouted against an inky dark |
ness. like a Transformation scene in /
spectacular play. This never occurs to 2
warship, as ii is contrary to naval eti- |
quette to throw searchhght upon man.
OF war.
I he guns Of the main battery are loaded |
with eoither shell observation-disclosures |
with either shell or sharpnel. The / /
ounder and the automatic machine guns
in the military tops are also manned,
at hand.
These precautions are taken rightly
not because there is special alarm con-
corning torpedo attempts. but because 1t
is the custom OF Anc.:oan naval officers
70 take nothing fer gri ted in war times
The men not stationed as lookouts are
allowed TO sleep beside their guns, and OF
the officers only the one incharge of the
watch is required 10 be on deck.
But now the time has come when the
moon is almost negligeable quantity. II
Is after three O'Clock in the morning when
It rises. so that the greater part OF the
night is dark as Erebus. If the Spaniards
intend 10 attack us they will do II before a.
new moon begins TO rise early and Ign:
up the bay for a continually lengthening
period OF time. Every one on shipbo1rd
IS little more on the qui vive than has
been deemed necessary before. More and
more frequently the searchlights are
swept over the face OF the water and the
captain sleeps with even greater readi-
less 20 awaken than usual
About ten minutes before the first watch
that Is. hte time between eight o'clock
and midnight-four red lights suddenly
lash into being along the backstays or
he fagship's rainmast. This Is tie
general calT' and every vessel replies by
urning the same arrangement OF AgR-s
lpon her Ardois signal system
Rapidly the red and white lanterns are
urned on and OF aboard the Olympia
while the other vessels repeat each COM .
,inatioa as t appears OF the nagship's :
mast; until we have read the message s
Have reason 10 expec: torpedo attack I
Sc ready
AS the message has been sent b. the .
ommon ''wig-wag" code. with which ]
most OF the seanea and apprentices are :
amiiiar. the whole squadron instantly .
,noEs its Du-port and there Is q Ittle !
uzz OF inte-es; throughout the vessels Z
The effect IS not noticeable. exos2; on Z
lose scrutiny. however. There IS I'd ex- z
stenen1. 10 noise. and. apparently 10 :
hsnge II TIE arrangements usually made &
,at 4 careful and experienced observer :
III see <hat TIE executive officer = 60 Z
~ through the snip. giving personal a. :
snt.oa 70 the selection q lcokouts a, +;
Re more importzn posts; hat re raw c
aor = inspecting each seazchAght and {
attic lantern. 20 Re sure ctzt TIE s9ecer.1 L
arrslt is working satisfactorily. RAJ esca |;