The evening times., 1898-04-08
The New Orleans and San Fran
cisco Shsuld Arrive Today.
MOVEMENTS OF THE SHIPS
The ZEN on the Approaching Craft
DO Not Know Hut That War Al
ready Exists Between America and
Spain, and They Have Been on the
Lookout for the Enemy.


new cruiser New Orleans. She is now
steaming to our shores. at most not more
than 400 miles away-her commander and
crew in total ignorance of all that hao
happened since she and her convoy, the
San Francisco, went out of the Thames
into the ocean.
On March % the day on which she
sailed from England. the last word her
commander heard from this country
was that at noentime Congress would re
ceive the report of the Maine Board OF
Inquiry and that it would probably act
upon it, Like every one else, undoubt-
edly, he felt. as certainly did his crew,
that there would be declaration of war
or its equivalent, even before she had
broken the seals of the orders under
which he sailed
To all purposes. except that OF taxing
the initiative in action, war was on. 50
far as the New Orleans was concerned.
The same watches had to be set; the
same lookout kept; the same precautions
adopted as would have been were the
cruiser on the ocean in time of active
hostilities. For all that her commander
knew to the contrary. war with Spain
was i'm progress within twenty-four
hours after he had left the shores of
England behind him.
Ii was his duty and that of his crew
ALWAYS to be prepared for the worst;
to scan the horizon for every sail ano
for every trace of steam that might
come from a hostile ship; to sweep the
sea BY day with glass and by night with
searchlight for possible danger; to trusI
no ship THAI peered ever so slight aboNs
sl,af 0aF fnn
neither the yellow and red of CASTLE ana
Aragon nor the freebOot pennant of
priyateer There was no sail that was
not 10 be treated as hostile and No pos
sibIe danger that was not to be appre-
hsnded.
For the officers and crew of the New
Orleans there is no hour Of the twenty
four that Is not brimful of duty and pos
sible peril. There is no minute of the
twentS-four that is not full to repletion
with anxiety. There is no man aboard
who knows aught OF what has been or
what will be before Fire Island is sighted.
All is uncertainty on the cruiser, and the
anxiety must deepen as she nears the
coast. wholly in ignorance as to whether
or not her progress will be challenged by
the deadly and stealthy torpedo. but al
ways prepared Ia face the worst.
The eleven days already on the seas,
strain though il must have been on the
physical and nervous organization OF the
crew must have been magnificent train
ing There isn't a gunner or seamen or
officer to whom Ii has not been worth
a dozen years of cruising in Summer
seas There must have been a training
In that uncertainty of when and where
a danger ever imminent for aught they
knew to the contrary. that no amount of
Dractice at ordinary drill, with no dan
ger possible. could give
They were on war watches and on war
drills from the hour they passed the
three mile limit beyond the shores OF
Britain Warshin or privateer might be
any vessel they met and they had to be
ready In a word. the New Orleans has
been in lighting trim for the past eleven
wa WAS ; not to to fire ~ first Shot. she has
been as she will Fe If war does come.
and has been in that state with only
her convoy to give her aid in the event
OF any attack by any of the ships of
Spain.
The voyage of the New Orleans is one
that must be testing superbly the quail
ties of her captain and crew. The strict
ness of the watch kent. the readiness of
an instant for most vigorous defense. the
unceasing watch and the stamina which
| the facing of uncertainty breeds in the
breasts of men will serve them in most
/ PXCGtlenI Steau witch int SLiIfiiS udN :
of patriotic action viii have come.
The Kntahdin.
Philadelphia. April s-The ram Katah-
din has left League Island navy yard un-
der sealed orders. The ships destination
will not be known until she goes to sea,
but it is believed she will go either to
/ New York or Key West.
| Lieutenant Robert c.. Peck. who had
been detailed for duty on the monitor Le-
! high WAS suddenly assigned, Just befc-s
the ram sailed to the post of navigati, (
! officer of the Katahdin, made vacant by
| the death of Lieutenant David Daniels.
The Katahdin has on her war paint and
| is prepared to do terrible execution with
her ram should the opportunity present
| itself The rams main battery consists
of four guns. She is commanded by Com
mander George F. F. Wilde and is man
ned by a full crew This is her first trip
at sea since she was laid up at the League
| Island navy yard over a year ago.
The baltimore.
Honolulu, March "a. lS9S-Fhe Balti-
more left port for a short target prac-
tice run. and returned on the morning
of March 10. having had target practice
| and the usual compass tes:.
| The Baltimore got back early in the
| forenoon. and heard through the papers
| that the Mohican was on the way to
| Honolulu, bringing ammunition and meh
for the China station. which the Balti-
more would take out.
The Mohican had left San Francisco
on March il. so she was expected i'm a
couple of weeks. and every one was
much surprised when she came into port
on March 49, having made the trip down
in less than nine days. She brought :
large amount of ammunition. and sons
men for the China station. which will
be distributed when the Baltimore joins
the Asiatic squadron at Hong Kong st
evidently the Olympia is not to come
here.
AS a consequence of the change ot
| station of the Baltimore. a number oi
changes have been made in the ship
Past Assistant Surgeon F. A Hesler /:
detached and ordered home; Lieut.. A. c.
Winterhatter and Ensign II. E. Smitf
have been ordered to the Bennington
Naval Cadets Lozer Burr. Wurtsbaugh
Macarthur. Kearney and Wettengel hav,
been detached and ordered to the Nava
Academy for final graduation.
Lieut.. f. IL Holmes arrived by the Dor
ic on March 10. as the relief of Lieut.
Elliott. who is navigator of the Bafti
more. Ensign n. Z. Irwin, who is ac