The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-23
Every Man on Board Except One or
Two Tipsy JaCkiss.
PRETTY MARINE PICTURE.
Moved Out Across the Ocean in
the Shape Of a Crescent.

squadron, excepting the monitors Terror
and Puritan and the smaller cruisers,
sailed from Key West at 545 o'clock this
morning, headed for the Florida straits.
The Dauntless, the dispatch boat of the
Associated Press, accompanied the fleet
Throughout the long night unusual ac-
tivity on the vessels of the feet told weary
watchers on shore that the long awaited
advance on Havana was near at hand, yet
there was nothing official on which to
found that belief.
Washington advices of yesterday after
noon indicated the probability of move
ment during the night or to-day, but the
naval men ashore disclaimed any knowl-
edge of orders.
They still averred that their condition
of uncertainty was still unchanged.
Early in the evening, however, came
the first realization of the fact that the
tedious period of inaction was nearing its
close.
the men to the ships without delay, many
interpreted this as a precautionary meas
ure, especially in view of the fact that a
number Of officers, including several from
the flagship, remained ashore and had
leave for the night.
About II o'clock there occurred a decid-
ed change in the situation when a special
90 ,f,, yffI
to all ashore to Immediately return to the
ships.
Midnight found the city empty of the
gold braid and blue jackets with which it
had grown so familiar, save for one or
two recalcitrant 'jaclxies" whose convi-
vial patriotism had run away with their
sense of duty, there was not naval man
10 be found in town. The theater of ac-
ton was transferred 10 the harbor, where
a glittering panorama was enacted until
daybreak spread slowly over the waters
of the Gulf.
For many days past the flagship ma
testically swung at anchor about seven
miles out, fanked by her ponderous sis
ters. the Iowa and the Indiana. To the
ewes of Key West the great smokestacks
were barely visible, while the hulls lay
like lndehnable shadows on the distant
waters.
The inner harbor, however Offered
striking picture. crowded as 1t was with
monitors, cruisers, gunboats and little, but
sinister torpedo boats, fitting noiselessly
in and out of thesmaze of greater vessels
lying at anchor.
When twilight fell last night this scene
was unchanged. The signalling between
the distant trio of ships and those closer
in shore had been the custom ever since
the assemblage of the fleet here, but last
night vari-colored lights glimmered their
messages across the skies almost without
cessation.
The first streaks of the morning lignt
were crossing from the East and two bells
had lust sounded from the ships when the
tiny, and 10 the unfamiliar eye, almost
imperceptible, line Of fire appeared on the
sky above where lay the flagship.
moment or two after and the signal
STAFF OF the Cincinnati. lying off Fort Tay.
lor in the inner harbor, flashed into COL
ored light, acknowledging the call. The
Puritan and Helena Joined in the lncan-
descent conversation and soon the skies
were Kaleidoscope as ship after ship an
sWered
New lights licked off messages fraught
with the gravest import and creative his
tory. What words, OF course, no one ashore
knew. but the few who watched with
straining eyes from the sea wall and docks
needed no interpreter to tell that IL meant
hostile action.
The message was not long In delivery.
but sunrise had fully come as the last
glitter hickered and went out
Then the witnesses saw that the move
ment had actually begun under cover OF
the night The big ships could still be
,liscerned in the distance, but the others
had moved toward them, the fagship
drawing the other ships Of the squadron
to her.
The Wilmington and Amphitrite hao
slipped quietly from their anchorage ana
advanced within hailing distance OF the
flagship.
IL was just 5:42 o'clock when the New
YoElk without unnecessary display moved
pompously and slowly toward the outer
waters Of the Gulf.
The red light flashed the signal TO eager
eyes on the following feet and told then,
TO get IN motion at last. To those ashore
Il looked as II the New York was some
CONTINUED on Seventh Page.)