The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-04-12
FEAR OF SPANISH FL0TILLA
WHY AMERICAN WARSHIPS PUT
 INTO HALIFAX HARBOR,


 iety Was Felt That the Cincinnati and
 New Orleans Might be Taken Short
 Handed by Spain's Torpedo Fleet-A
 Rough Voyage.
 Halifax, M S., April 11.--Great ex- citement prevailed this morning when the Citadel signal station announced that two large American men-of-war were approaching the harbor. All sorts of rumors quickly circulated concerning the arrivals at this date. The ships proved to be the San Fran cisco and the New Orleans, formerly the Amazonas, which was recently pur- chased from the Brazilian government by the United States. Both ships are from London and they were out fifteen days. They left on March 27 and dur ing the entire voyage did not receive a single word in reference to the war, the reason given for calling here was that the vessels were short of coal, but anxiety may have prompted Con- modore Howell to make this port. Without anything definite as to the &C., tion of Spain and the United States, there was much anxiety as to whether 1.-the ships would not be both taken short handed by Spanish f1otilla and at big disadvantage. By coaling at Hali- Commodore John A. Howell, who had his pennant flying from the mainmast of the San Francisco was seen by the Associated Press but declined to an- swer any questions as to the possibility of the ship being ordered to join the flying squadron. They will both coal as rapidly as possible and proceed to New York tomorrow.
 The vessels left London March 27 bound for New York and came along | rapidly in fine weather until the third instant, when heavy winds commenced to blow. From that time until the ships anchored here they have had | hard time of it. Rain, fog and heavy seas have prevailed for the past eight days. On the fifth the ships became separated and did not sight each other for twenty-four hours During that time the New Orleans was com pletely washed over by heavy seas. One of the starboard boats were | smashed and the steering gear was l slightly deranged. The course taken
 was as far south as latitude Al, longi- | tude 31. After going west to the gulf stream it was decided to make Hali- l fax.
 The usual visits were exchanged to- day by the officers and her majesty's representatives and the San Francisco
 and the forts exchanged salutes. | No man was the recipient of more 1 cordial greetings on board the United | States cruisers than Lieutenant Com- mander Nasero.
 | Lieutenant Commander Nasero was 1 formerly executive officer on the San Francisco and his former shipmates l gave him a hearty greeting when he visited the San Francisco to-day for l the first time since the warshipS left | England. Lieutenant Commander Ma l sero had a severe experience in his first voyage in the New Orleans. He says: | Our voyage across the Atlantic was
 a very rough one. You may think we
 simply followed the other ship in
 monkey and parrot fashion, but we had
 a desperate fight with the boisterous
 seas. For six days the New Orleans
 had to stem one of the heaviest seas I
 ever saw. The gales blew with hurri-
 cane force and the New Orleans being 1 too lightly laden, pitched and rolled | considerable. Tie first part of the l voyage was made with fine weather, but on March 3 the gales sprang up
 and they continued with varying force
 until couple of days ago. The storm | was at it's greatest violence Tuesday | night. Seas mountains high mounted over the vesesl's decks, threatening to engulf her. Pitch darkness reigned and l the gale hurled itself against the cruis- | CT with the force of a hurricane. Ev- | cry man oil the ship was alert, but in | the inky darkness of the night we lost sight of our convoy, the San Francisco l and we had to weather it out alone All I could do was to keep the ships head to the sea and for twelve hours | we scarcely did more than hold our headway. It was a terrible night and
 right glad was every soul on board | when daybreak came. A few hours later we sighted the San Francisco
 again and from that time on the weather was more moderate. During
 the storm Tuesday night heavy sea
 struck the ship, pitched over the deck
 with the force of a tornado, smash
 ing one of the starboard boats and
 slightly disarranging the steering gear
 The New Orleans behaved sp1endidly considering the difficulties under which l she labored. And I have no doubt she
 will give a good account of herself in
 time of action. As to the war I can
 only say that every officer on the ship
 will be ready to do his duty when the time comes."
 The San Francisco and New Orleans
 will sail for New York early in the i morning.