The record-union., 1898-04-23
THE ATLANTIC SQUADRON.
It's Departure From Key West to
Blockade C7lha


KEY WEST, April 22. - The North
Atlantic squadron, except the monitors
Terror and Puritan and the smaller
cruisers, sailed from Key West at 5:45
o'clock this morning headed for the
Florida Coast The skies were grow
ing gray with the coming dawn. when
the formidable family of destroyers
quietly and unostentatiously steamed
away, presumably for the shores of
Cuba.
Besides the two monitors, the ships
left behind are the gunboat Helena,
cruisers Marblehead and Detroit dis
patch boat Dolphin and the torpedo
boats Gushing, Dupont and Porter.
Throughout the long night unusual
activity on the vessels of the feet told
weary watchers on shore that the long
awaited advance on Havana was near
at hand. yet there was nothing official
on which to found that belief.
Washington advices of yesterday in
dicated the probability of a movement
during the night or to-day. but the ma
val men ashore disclaimed any knOwl-
edge of orders. They still aVerred that
their condition of uncertainty was still
unchanged.
Early in the evening, however, came
the first realization of the fact that
the tedious period of inaction was near
ing its close 'Fher signals were hoist
ed recalling all the men to the ships
without delay, many interpreted this as
a precautionary measure, especially
in view of the fact that a number of
officers. including several from the flag
ship. remained ashore, and had leave
for the night. About II o'clock there
occurred a decided change in the situ-
alton. when a special boat hurried from
the flagship with orders to all still
ashore to Immediately return to the
ships. Midnight found the city empty
of gold braid and blue jackets. with
which it had grown so familiar Save
one or two recalcitrant jackies, whose
convivial patriotism had run away with
their sense of duty, there was not a
naval man to be found in town.
The theater of action was transferred
to the harbor, where glittering pano-
rama was enacted until daybreak ap-
peared slowly over the waters of the
Gulf. For many days past the flagship
majestically swung at anchor about
seven miles out. lanked by her gor-
geous sisters, the Iowa and the Indi-
ana. To the eyes of Key West the
great smokestacks were barely visible,
while the hulls lay like indefinable
shadows in the distant waters. The
inner harbor, however, offered strik-
ing picture, crowded with monitors,
cruisers. gunboats and little but sinis-
ter torpedo boats, fitting noiselessly in
and out of the maze of greater vessels
lying at anchor.
When the twilight fell last night this
scene was unchanged. The signaling
between the distant trio of ships anI
those closer in shore had been the Gus
tom ever since the assembage of the
fleet here. but last night vari-colored
lights glimmered their messages across
skies almost without cessation.
The first streaks of the morning light
were crossing from the east, and two
bells Just sounded from the ships, when
a tiny. and to unfamiliar eyes, an al
most imperceptible line of fire appeared
on the sky above where lay the flag
shin. A moment or two after, and the
signal staff of the Cincinnati, lying off
Fort TAYLOR in the inner harbor, flash
ed into colored light, acknowledging the
call. The Puritan and Helena joined
in the incandescent signals, and soon
the skies were Kaleidoscope, as ship
after ship answered, and new lights
ticked messages fraught with the gray
est importance and creative of history.
What words. of course no one ashore
knew. but the few who watched with
straining eyes from sea and docks need
ed no interpreter to tell that it meant
hostile action.
The message was not long in deliv-
cry. but sunrise had fully come as the
last letter flickered and went out Then
the witnesses saw that the movement
had actually begun under cover of the
night. The big ships could still be dis
cerned in the distance, but the others
had moved toward them, the flagship
drawing other ships of the squadron to
her. The Wilmington and Amphitrite
had slipped from their anchors and adj
vanced within hailing distance of the
flagship.
1t was just 5:42 when the New York.
without unnecessary display, moved
pompously and slowly toward the outer
waters of the Gulf. The red light
flashed the signal to eager eyes on the
following fleet, and told them to get in
motion at last. To those ashore it look
ed as if the New York was somewhat
in advance of the line, with the Iowa
and Indiana following on either side.
but separated from her by a good
stretch Of water. AS the line advanced
toward the horizon the ships spread
out, until there was distance of three
CONTINUED on Eighth Pageo