The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-17

Fort Monroe, Va, April 16.-Much in
dignation was expressed among the OF
ficers OF the flying squadron today, at
the action of the Norfolk contractors.
who furnish coal to the government
vessels. AL morning, and until .
o'clock this afternoon. the Brooklyn,
Texas and Massachusetts waited for
ccal TO be served them. This coal mad
been ordered at O'Clock yesterday at
ternoon. when the squadron arrived
here, and should have been delivered
at o'clock. Telephone messages SEEM
ed TO have no effect, and if sudden or
ders had come, the fleet would have
had TO put to sea without sufficient
complement OF coal. Then it was an
rounced that the contractors had been
busily engaged loading 5000 tons OF
coal upon the English tramp steamer
Hampstead. destined for St Vincent,
Cape de Verde Islands. where the Span
ish torpedo hotilla is assembled. Onicers
expressed their opinion freely. When
the coal lighter arrived off the Brook
lyn. Commodore Schley asked if it We're
true that the English vessel had sailed
with coal. and was informed that It
had not, but was loading.
SAILED WITH COAL FOR SPAIN.
Half an hour after Commodore Schley
had received his report, an EngIsh
tramp steamer, supposed to be the
Hampstead, and heavily laden, went 10
sea, dipping her colors to each vessels
of the fleet as she passed. a rumor
that the government had issued an or
der stopping the transport of coal was
prevalent, but naval officers agreed that
the sale of coal to any vessel flying u
foreign flag could not be denied or re-
stricted until a state of war was de-
clared, and coal made a contraband
article.
MERE NOTHINGS.
The Sioux. one of the tug boats of
the MOSQUITO fiotilla, newly converted.
reached here last night. and anchored
near the squadron. Its commander. a
naval cadet, reported to Commodore
Schley that the boat was not in sea
worthy condition, it's boiler not being
set to stand heavy seas. She was
caught in a very heavy gale. and ne
boat came near being wrecked. Inc
engineer of the Brooklyn ordered some
improvements made, and Commodore
Schley said to the young commander:
Never mind. my boy. when you get
to fighting, you'll look upon these
troubles as mere nothings.
All the vessels of the squadron VIII
be coaled tomorrow.
STOPPED FROM LOADING.
Norfolk, Va, April 16.-The British
steamer Hampstead, Captain Bland,
was stopped from loading coal on Fri
day at Lambert Point, when it was
found that she was loading for st. Vim
cent, Cape Verde islands, at which
port two of SPANS cruisers are now
lying, and that the flying squadron,
under Captain Schley. was being de-
layed in it's coaling until this cargo of
5000 tons could be completed. Evident
". hasty wires worked between Nor
folk. New York and Washington, and
after a short time the loading was re-
sumed and the full cargo finished. But
the steamer did not go. Orders for
her indefinite stay were received. and
today Captain Bland took his clearance
papers 10 the customs house here and
delivered them I'D.
The naval inspection board paid a
visit to the Hampstead and thoroughly
inspected her. and the chief engineer
evidently voiced the satisfaction and
decision of the board. when, on leaving
tine vessel, he remarked to one of the
officers: Keep yourself perfectly
easy; your ship won't leave Norfolk -
Captain Bland said tonight: II con-
slider the vessel as good as accepted by
the ITpifod States