The times., 1898-05-03
.IRONsIDE5 Of THE NATION
Monitor Nantucket Has a Stormy
Voyage TO Gloucester.
CADETS EAGER FOR SERVICE
Members of the Second Class at An
napoIis Are Anxious to- Re Grad
uate0. SO Tint They May Fight for
Their FIng-The Cherokee Chased
by Spaniard.

Annapolis, Md. May 2.-Senator Caffery
and Representatives Meyer and Berry
were here today and had a consultation
with Superintendent Cooper, of the Naval
Academy, as to the propriety of gradu.
ating the second class of naval cadets at
once.
The members of the second class are
chatting under what they call the humili-
ating position in which they have been
placed by the situation of affairs. The
Government they say, is calling to its
aid Impractical men to man its ships.
while they, who have had three years of
training, and thirty-seven out of ffty-two
of the class nine months sea service, and
the rest six months, are kept at school
while war, for which they were educated,
is in progress.
Cadets think this state of affairs is a
reflection on the curriculum of the school,
II three years Of education cannot make
sailors out of them. The keenest poign-
ancy comes in that two Of the ''bHgers''
of the class have recently been appoint
ed ensigns in the service, and the mem
bers who graduate will have to serve
under those who did not
Members Of the second class have reach
| ed the average age Of twenty-one years
The Cherokee Chased.
Kingston, Jamaica, May 2.-The British
battleship Renown, flagship of the West
India squadron, commanded by Captain
Fisher, arrived at Port Royal this morn
ing from Turks Island.
The Renown reports the arrival yester-
| day of the Clyde steamer Cherokee,
from San Domingo ports, with a cargo Of
sugar bound for New York.
| The Cherokee was chased by a Spanish
vessel on the night previous, but escaped
in the darkness. She sailed again last
night.
The CatskiI.
| Gloucester. Mass. May 2-After tenn
pestuous voyage Of eight days the moni-
tor Catskir lies at anchor off Delivers
Neck. Capt. Hall reported the voyage
a fair test of the old boats sailing quail
tiles, and says she stood the rough
weather admirably. A few minor inju-
ries We're received by men al gun prac-
tice during rough weather.
For the first time since the war began
the 15-inch guns were fired off Cape Cod
coast yesterday morning. The 1-pound
rapid guns were also fired, and the
crew were delighted with the actual
practice of Nauset Light.
Lieut.. Silfrioye says most of the men
will enlist in the regular service and
the recruiting will probably be done
| through the Gloucester recruiting office.
War Craft.
Philadelphia, May There will be an
exodus of all kinds Of craft from League
Island within the next five or six days.
The break will be made tomorrow by the
Vixen. She is now waiting for the bal
ance Of her 6-pounders and ammunition,
which arrived at the yard today.
Following close upon the Vixen, the
monitor Montauk will sail away. She is
TO go 70 Portland, Me, in charge of Cam
den's contingent of the New Jersey Naval
Reserve.
One hundred and nine men left the re-
ceiving ship Richmond today and march
ed aboard the auxiliary cruiser St. Paul
at Cramps shipyard. These men will
about ill the complement of Captain Sigs-
bees ship. and he is expected TO be able
10 slip down the river today. The St
Paul will take on her ammunition at Fort
Mihiin.
The dispatch boat Peoria left the dry
dock today. She will be put into com
mission without delay, and will probably
start South within very short time
Another barge load OF boilers for the
three old monitors arrived at the navy
yard yesterday. Ten days more will see
1 the Manhattan. Canonicus and Mahopic
in better standing shape than ever they
have been.
The Paris.
New York, May 2-Although the
American liner Paris will not formally
go into commission as a warship until
this morning. the work Of getting her in
readiness for scout duty was pushed all
day yesterday. Capt. Frederick Rodgers.
chairman Of the Naval Auxiliary Board
viii assume formal command this morn
ing, and the merchantmen Paris will be-
come the naval vessel Yale. The house
flag viii be hauled down from the main
truck, and the naval pennant will be run
up instead.
Assistant Naval Constructor Watt went
aboard with a force Of men from the navy
yard yesterday to superintend the mount
ing Of the guns. The Yale viii have four
G-pounders on the promenade deck which
runs the length Of the vessel. One of
the guns was hoisted aboard from a big
floating derrick last evening and mounted
on the star5oard quarter aft. Another
will be mounted on the port quarter aft
and two more will be placed forward of
the lighthouse on the starboard and port
quarters.
As the Paris. as well as the Harvard
formerly the New York, was constructed
under direction OF the British admiralty
the work of mounting the guns can be
accomplished in a short time. The chas-
seurs, or circular foundation on which
the gun mounts swing. are already In
place. The work Of putting all the guns
in place IS expected to be completed by
the morning.
Capt. Frederick Watkins, all of the 9th
er officers Of the Paris and nearly all of
the crew OF 30 men which she brought
on her last trip as a merchantman. have
signed for years cruise under the
| American line. All but three of the en-
/ gineers have signed for the service. In
the engine and fire rooms will be twenty
six engineers eighty-six stolcers ana
! ninety-four coal-passers and trimmers.
| They will receive their customary wages,