The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-04-22
shore had been the custom ever since the

| shore had been the custom ever since the
assemblage of the fleet here, but last
night vari-colored lights glimmered their
messages across skies almost without ces-
| sation. The first streaks of the morning
| light were crossing from the East and
| two bells just sounded from the ships
when tiny and to unfamiliar eyes, an
almost imperceptible line of fire appear
| ed on the sky above, where lay the nag
| ship. A moment or two after the signal
staff of the Cincinnati, lying off Fort
| Taylor, in the inner harbor flashed into
colored light, acknowledging the call.
| The Puritan and Helena joined in the
| incandescent conversation and soon the
skies were Kaleidoscope as ship after
| ship answered with new lights conveying
| messages fraught with the gravest i'm
| port and creative of history. What the
| words were, of course no one ashore
knew, but the few who watched with
| straining eyes from sea and docks need
| no interpreter to tell that it meant hos
| tile action.
The message was not long in delivery,
| but sunrise had fully come as the last let
| ter fickered and went out. Then the
| witnesses knew that the movement had
actually begun under cover of the night.
I The big ships could still beb discerned in
| the distance, but the others had moved
toward them, the flagship. drawing other
ships of the squadron The Wilmington
| and Amphitrite had slipped from their
! anchorage and advanced within hailing
! distance of the flagship 1t was just 5:42
| when the New York, without unnecessary
! display, moved stately and slowly toward
| the outer waters of the Gulf. The red
| light flashed the signal to eager eyes on
| the following fleet and told them to get
| in motion at last.
| To those ashore it looked as if the New
| York was somewhat in advance of the
line, with the Iowa and Indiana fellow
| ing on either side, but separated from her
| by a good stretch of water, As the
! line advanced toward the horizon
| the ships spread out until there
| was perhaps a distance of three miles
| between the tips of the crescent. The
| ships of the inner harbor had slipped out
one by one and stopped at various sta
| tions until the entire formation was ready
| to move. The exact order of the ships
| could not be ascertained from the shore.
From the highest point in Key West the
| line was semi-circular. The ships that
| followed the three leaders were the cruis-
ers Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville, the
| gunboats Wilmington, Castine, Machias,
Newport, monitors Amphitrite, the Man
grove, Mayfiower and torpedo boat Foote.
Why the powerful monitors Puritan and
Terror did not accompany the fleet could
not officially be learned, but it is said they
may follow shortly. The Marblehead is
taking on water and doubtless will join
the squadron in a day or two. The Fern
went to Tampa for ammunition for the
fleet, and will carry 1t to Havana if that
| is the destination.
The departure of the fleet was not so
| imposing as had been anticipated. On the
contrary there was something of a scram-
BILE in getting away. When all was ready
| the flagship swung round and came well
into the harbor, signalling to the other
ships about to sail. After receiving res
ponses she turned and headed for the
| open sea, with the Iowa and the Indiana
close in her rear
The Indiana had been coaling at the
Dry Tortugas, but was cabled for, and
at midnight she Joined her two sister
ships at the anchorage held by the three
while in the harbor The gunboat Mach
las lay nearest to the three big warships,
and was first to swing her squat bulk
into line She was followed by the New
port, which also lay outside.
OF the fleet lying close to the shore the
Amphitrite was the leader. She numbered
along after the Machias, her immense
guns stretching above her low freeboard,
she was the first of the monitors to join
the warlike procession, looking the
deadly instrument she is. Then came the
Nashville, her three smokestacks distin-
gushing her from the others, with the
gunboat Wilmington pumping alongside
| The Castine which was next, little CONF
pared with the other members of
the truculent family, but looked
game for a bloody work, should
the fortunes of war demand The
Cincinnati was delayed a little time, as
she was in the act of taking coal from
a schooner of Fort Taylor when the sig
nal to sail was given. But she got into
the jagged line next. The other ships of
the fleet followed in no very mathematical
formation, as viewed by the shore spec
tators. The May1ower brought up the
rear of the parade and was one of the
last to fade from view
| The torpedo boats did not start until
six o'clock, when most Of the Line was
under way: but as If to exhibit their capa-
bilities, they darted ahead and were lost
from sight in the forward group
The monitors Puritan and Terror lay
side by side, coaNng from a large barge
which was between them, their decks
crowded with officers and blue jackets
observing the naval pageant. It is he
r