The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-01
4 MIGHTY FLEET MOVING.
arA PTorURBs OF THE PROGREss
or rHE LRNR OF JNTAsION.

ne E1tlea 81 WArahtpe hbt Ere1sR'S
apa Spectacle Presented ~ the iris rrena
wsy West 10 ssnt~inGe-Ths Lights. F're-
vsVIts. Hiags a. eFeat EihS'
orr SANTIAGO, June 2o.-The naval convoy
N-r the nrst army of Cuban invasion left Key
west on Tuesday, juno IA. Nine vessels as
osmbled of the bar buoy and at D In tho evening
stood 70 the westward, the Indiana leading. Tho
ether members Of tho column we're the Bancroft,
D.tro,t. Manning, Wasp. Hawk. Eagle. osceo!a
and wompatuck- In one respect 1t was the
pnost remarkable marine procession that has
left Key West in many = day. There were no
nsvspaper tugs along. This fact would have
Admitted it to Emperor william as . strictly
business party, no doubt.
Nirht found us steaminE doggedly along att
nine-knot clip steering west ono-Quarter south,
m double column; the Indiana heading the star
beard column, Bancroft the port column. EH-
cant for the generous glow OF the stars there
vras no light, the small wisp We call q moon not
bsin0 due until after midnight. Each ship
showed at her taffrAil q single red light, visible
only directly aft, aS though sulkily reckoning
her next astern to come on.
Away of to tho westward the white masthead
liRht of q merchant steamer 10 visible to sharp
oyos that can tell Il from the lo~w-hanging stars.
In this latitude tho stars are visible right down.
- the horizon. Soon Mr.. Merchantmen green
side light shows up 40 he plungeS innocently
siong, heading right for our feet Of lead-colored
invisibles. The ships of tho feet are barely to
be seen from each other. even whom the trained
ere knows where TO sock them with q night
Rlasa. Small chance for our merchantmen II his
hupinosS 10 not straight. Sorry day that he ever
left his wharf.
Now he 10 abeam Of the Indiana. That vessel
shoots Q soarchlight. The sun shines on his hull,
xirGinE, smokostack, spRrr. He moves swiftly
ahead a. the spray at his PROV, the bono in his
teeth, shows. The finger of light moves with
him. touches him firmly, plHyfully. securely.
"Tagi" It seems to say. Tag old fellow.
you're It. Don't try to get away Don't try to
cheati Tagi You're It'll"
The steamer shows up perfectly, . big fellow.
high out of water. one Of the Panama line of
passenger steamer. He has como up the Yucca
tan channel, around the western end of Cuba,
instead of by the usual route, south Of Cuba and
through the windward Passage. Commerce
takos no chances on CerVera's breaking OUT OF
Santiago.
The Indiana 10 satisfied of the strangers idenr
tity, and the Searchlight now shows nothing new
except tow sleepy passengers stumbling on
dOck, h ave their eyes put out. Tho rest OF the
GOot lisa listed there's no chance of prize money
or rather 'diBRusted because Of It, and is again
looking to the westward. Tho searchlight II
turned on. Darkness overwhelms the brightly
lighted cone instantly. Tho steamer passes OF
TO tho Atlantic. hugEing tho friendly FloridI
coast, sure of Uncle Sans string Of lighthouses
sure Of the Gulf Streams helping hand. H,
burns o Coston signal as she goes, Q sort Of vot
Of thanks.
We have somo hrOworkB Of our own. Tn
Panama liner IL not concerned in these, either
The Indiana. like Q well-bred flagship, opens tn
game with Q rocket. Then follows q string q
reds and whites, electric light signals. two at
time, three at . time. four at . time. Now the
arc ell rcd; now all white. Now they change
shift, alternate. die away. like tho Fourth {
July fireworks that gladdened our boyhoo
days.
By the way. how che signal chest Of q man-o
war would delight . ANAL boyi To-night's di
play has not required half Its richness. Ther
arc Coston signals that would shame the glo'
Of nero red fFo or limeliRht, and Very signal
green's and reds, fired from q pistol to the heigf
Of 800 feet to drift and scintillate.
Here's work for signal officers, taking q
these messages from the Indiana The bacl
stays glow with reds and whites 90 the entir
neet repeats the wiE-wag code, but of all thi
beautiful confusion 10 mado the simple now
that the ships are to anchor "at discretion"
Daylight is fast breaking a. the convoy fe'
anchors. Ono scout alone keeps under wa;
and sets out to the northward to look for ii
tranBports.
As stumble down TO my bunk. my Sleer
eyes catch Q view of TortuRaS light, white ar
faithful. planted on the western waters edg
ana TO the northWard l see tho red and viii
nash Of Rebecca Shoal light. Tho mornir
comes beautiful. but my bunk Is best.
Wednesday the feet lay of Tortugas. II
Wasp, the Eagle and the OsceolG secuted 4
transportS. Tho torpedo boat Ericsson travellS
constantly between tho cable station at D.
Tortugas and the flagship. Evidently the pre-
censor passed out some interesting news.
About 4 in the afternoon the Ericsson can
cut from TortuRas flying q white flag bearing
blue ive of clubs, the despatch flag. ThiS WI
the message awaited. no doubt, for the 1ndiaI
signAlled the fleet to get under way. BY 8 u
convoy squadron is heading to the north. tt
scouts soon Join and speed is increased to Nil
knots.
Just about dusk tho transports are made oil
coming from the north. They are steaming
three columns. led by the Helena, tho Casti
and tho Annapolis. This we see before dar
ness sets in. Tho Indiana makes a half Giro
and leads her column to the southwark. ThrouI
the night We see half the horizon taken up
the transports. The naval convoy moves on
course parallel to theirs. a mile distant.
Morning brings out the immense invadi
aOet The ahipB keep emerging from the mist I
I'll one doubts his eyes. Miles of them. ThiI
steamers, In three columns. crowded with mt
moro u olg follow towing his coal supply II
a large schooner. Another tows q coAl-lad
bark. Count In the three men.of.war headi
the feet, that makes 80 ships; two Golfers,
three scouts, 36; three torpedo boats. Al; cot
the Indiana and her eight consorts. so shi
$4,000 mon. Fifty ships and $4,000 men,
Invading force OF the United States. moving
the name Of Justice.
The Indiana makes moro signals. The ma
convoy move into the fleet of transports. t.
position AZ ordered, and tho fifty ships beco
enc. The course IL east-southeast, and the G
Stream 10 with us.
Soldiers swarm on tho Lighthouses of
transports and climb the rigging, bound to
everything they can. Jack on the naval sh
returns the stare, but with an easy air. as
comes . man who has seen all tho world. IT
Z, gominds me Of the River Mersey at high It'd
SOmark1 q Liverpool sailor as he scans the n
.lina liGhE mhta. hna shina - reinina anntl