Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-14
ON The FLYING SQUADRON.
Ships are Stripped for Action, and All Ready
for Hard Fighting.
Commodore sehiey is Happy Now-was
Weary of Inaction-Has a Good
Fighting Force.

Fort Monroe, Va, May 14.-On board
the flagship Brooklyn at sea, via pilot
boat, May 13.-Commodore Winfield
flying squadron steamed out of Hamp-
ton Roads this afternoon at 4:25
o'clock. under sealed orders.
The entire squadron was to have
gone, and at o'clock all the ships had
reported ready for getting away. but at
1:15 D. IN. a dispatch from the navy
department ordered Commodore Schley
to leave the cruisers New Orleans and
Minneapolis in Hampton for further or
ders. Both are fast ships, much bet
ter time makers than the big battle
ships, and could leave hours later and
still catch the squadron.
Captain Folger of the New Orleans
was left in charge of the two cruisers.
At precisely 4:20 the flagship Sig
nailed that she was ready to proceed.
and at 4:25 the Brooklyn. the Massa-
chusetts, the Texas and the Scorpion
were moving majestically down Hamp-
ton Roads for sea, the water with scarce
ripple on 1t and the bright sun touch
ing Old Glory as II In tender benedic-
ton. The temper of the men on the
squadron was well illustrated by the
forecastle to the quarterback, and rs
Commodore Schley remarked with Il
smile:
"Those are the boats for fighting"
He refused to say where he thought
the fleet was bound for. but the fact
that the collier Sterling accompanied
them. carrying $500 tons of extra coal.
and that each ship had on board extra
coal and water would seem to indicate
that there is lively work cut out for
them.
1t is n hard fighting aggregation, this
Flying squadron. under cool and OAR
ing fighter.
equalied in fighting power by anything
In the Spanish navy. and the Brooklyn
IL the best fighting ship OF her kind In
the world.
In totals the ships carry four 1s-inch
guns, two l2-inch guns. sixteen s-inch
guns, ten 6-inch guns, sixteen 5-inch
guns and ar enormous battery of raniI
fire guns. of small cellber.
As soon as the squadron was at sea,
active preparations We're made to meet
an enemy. The ships were strippec
for action, all lights covered ammrni-
tion supplied othe guns and men sent
TO hghting quarters for tho night. The
SHIPS are all ammunitioned to their fun
CARRYING capacity. and win do desper-
ate hghting. The men at the guns
have been proved to be accurate marks.
men,
AZ Cape Henry, where the squadron
arrived at dark. the pilots were dis
charged taking their own boat. The
men who brought the ships down In
safety through the mine fields in
Hampton Roads are members of the
virginia Pilots association, officially
recognized by the government
w w. scott plotted the Brooklyn, ].
x. Peak the Massachusetts, and George
Commodore Schley stood upon tho
bridge as lcng as the light lasted and
and when he retired said: II have not
been so happy In weeks. InactIon was
was killing me-" -
Nearly every officer and man on the
hagship seemed to think the same way
Lord Aberdeen's Retirement,
Ottawa, Ont. May 14.-Lord Aberdeen
has officially notified the Dominion
government that he intends reslgnlng
and leaving for England next October
or November,