The record-union., 1898-04-29
THE FLYING SQUADRON.
The Brooklyn Narrowly Escapes a
Collision.

COLLISION.
OFF FORT MONROE (Va). April %.
ION Board the Flagship Brooklyn D
For thirty-SiX hours the flying SQUAD
ron has been unable to communicate
with the shore, the storm which still
prevails, making it unsafe to use the
steam launch or cutters A tug brought
out the mail this morning The storm
struck the coast at night and came up
Hampton Roads like a fury, and
Whistled at the rate of ninety miles
an hour through the great superstruc-
ture of the flagship Brooklyn, and
whipped up the sea so that the white
foam broke in huge masses over the
decks of the Massachusetts and Texas.
The heavy draft of the big war vessels
made it impossible for them to get
into smooth water, and they had to
stand the brunt of the storm.
Toward morning it increased in vio-
lence, and as the tide turned the flood
the lookout on the forward bridge of
the flagship announced that the ship
was dragging it's anchor. The second
anchor struck, and the big ship stop
ped and for a short time breasted
bravely the wind and tide But in a
few minutes she began to go back slow
~, and it was evident that there was no
HOS for the anchors. The signal was
then given TO prepare to get under way,
and in the meantime it was hoped that
the anchors would catch and hold.
Faster and faster she went back, her
big broadside swinging toward the dan
gerous ram on the prov of the Massa-
chusetts. The latter was signalled to
hpr COL Ia p6
she did so.
In the meantime on the Brooklyn the
men in charge of the forward COM
partments went to their stations, clos
ing the water tight compartments and
preparing without any outward sign of
excitement for the expected collision.
The Massachusetts cleared away her
bOoms and prepared for the collision.
not daring to ship the anchor for fear
of running herself on the sand bar in
close proximity or drifting into the
Texas.
Faster and faster went the Brooklyn
toward the battleship, and the men at
the stations on both vessels stood I'M
f1inchingly, ready to perform the spe-
cial duty assigned to them in case of
collision. There was no confusion On
the bridge with cool heads, sharp eyes
and active brains were Captain Cook
and his executive officers, while on the
after bridge, not interfering with the
management officers of the ship stood
Commodore Schley and his Lieutenant,
Sears, watching with as little excite
ment as they watch a practice cruise
the big ships coming together. A con-
f1ict of orders would have meant great
disaster, but there was none.
One order from the Captain, and one
of the big anchors came rafting UP
and the ship drifted on little faster
toward it's evident fate. Then in obedi-
ence to the helm, the stern, now almost
scraping the Massachusetts bow,
swung in as if to take the blow 1t is
within few yards of the huge battle
ship, and all were awaiting the crash.
Captain Cook looked over the port side
of the bridge, and then said, Full
speed astern' There was a clang of
bells, shiver over the whole stern, and
then the cruiser slid rapidly clear of the
Massachusetts,, with barely a hand to
spare.
"Cleverly DONE" said Commodore
Schley, as he went down to breakfast.
Clever seamanship, perfect discipline
and cool headed judgment had averted
a disaster
This ship obeys her engines perfect
ly,' said Captain Cook modestly, after
he had anchored further out
The storm continued without abate-
ment all day, and the patrol boats that
keep the harbor closed had a rough
nights work. This morning there was
little abatement of the gale.