Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-23

Started Toward Havana and
That IS Generally Supposed tn ba
the Objective Point. SeveralBoats
Left at Key West, Probably to
be Moved Out Later-The Fern
Has Gone to Tampa Tor Amnupi-
ton.
Key West Fla, April 22.-The North
Atlantic squadron, except the monitors
Terror and Puritan and the smallens
cruisers, sailed from Key West ar AZ
O'Clock this morning, headed far Flor !
ida straits. The skies were srrowino
gray with the coming dawn when ms
formidable family OF destroyers quiet
ly and unOsrentatiously steamed away
presumably for the shores OF Cuba.
Besides the two monitors the sbins
left behind are the gunboat Helena
the cruisers Marbiehead and Detroit
the dispatch boat Dolphin. and the ter
pedo boats Cushing, Dupont and Por-
ter
Throughout the long night unusual
activity on the vessels Of the feet told
weary watchers Oh shore that the long
awaited advance on Havana was near
al hand, yet there was nothing official
on which to found that belief
Washington adyices OF Yesterday
afternoon indicated the probability oil
a movement during the night or toll
day, but the naval men ashore dis
claimed any knowledge OF orders. Theyd
still ayerred that their condition of uni
certainty was still unchanged.
Early in the evening, however. came
the first realization of the fact that the
tedious period OF inaction was nearing
it's close. When signals We're hoisteCh,
recalling all the men to the ships with
out 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 on shore and had leaye
for the night.
About II O clock there occurred a de-
cided change in the situation. when a
special boat hurried, from the flagship
with orders4to ALI Still ashore to inn
mediateiy
RETURN TO THE SHIPS.
Midnight found the city empty of gold
braid and blue Jackets. with which 1t
had grown so familiar. Save one or
two recalcitrant jackies,: whose con-
vivial patriotism had run away with
their sense of duty, there was not a
naval man to be found in town.
The theatre of action was transferred
to the harbors where a glittering piano.
rama was enacted until daybreak APP
peared slowly over the waters of the
Gulf. For many days past the flagship
Enthusiastically swung at anchor about
seven miles out hanked by her gorge
Gus sisters; the Iowa and the Indiana.
To the eyes of Key West the great
smokestacles were barely visible while
the hulls lay like indefinable shadows
in the distance.
The inner ha4'lJor. however, offered
striking picture, crowded as II was
with monitors, cruisers, gunDoats and
little but sinister torpedo boats, MT
ting noiselessly la aud out. of the maze
Of greater vessels lying at anchor
When twilight fell last night this scene
was unchanged The signalling be
tween the distant trio of ships and
those closer in shore had been the Gus
fleet here but last night vari-colored
flights glimmered their messages across
skies and almost without cessation.
The first streaks Of the morning light
were crossing from the east and TWO
bells just sounded from the ships "heh
tiny, and to unfamiliar eyes. an al
most imperceptfbe line of fire appeared
on the sky above where lay me nag
ship. A moment or two after ana the
signal staff of the Cincinnati, lyihS OH
Fort Taylor in, the inner haroor, nash-
ed into epiored light, ackno" leasHig
the call.
The Puritan and Helena Joined In
the
INsCA1NDESCENp CONVERSAllCn'
and soon the skies were Kaleidoscope
as ship after ship answered, anu Hs~
lights licked messages fraught WIN tne
gravest Import and creative OIL nas.ofy
What words. o2 course, no one aShorn
knew, but the few who watched win
straining eyesHfrum sea and DOCKS need
ed no internreter to tell that 1t meant
hostile action
The message was not long in oeilvery
but sunrise had fully come as 0ns ,aSo
letter fiickered and went OUT ns',
the witness saw that the movement naa
actually begun under cover 81 tile nisnt,
The big ships could still be dlscernea
in the distance, but the otneFs haa
moved toward them. the flagship dra"-
ing other ships of the squadron 20 ner,
The Wilmington and Amplitude had
slipped from their anchorage ana an
vanced within haling distance Of qne
flagship. 1t was just 5:42 when ,ns
New York. without unnecessary us
play. moved pompously and Slowly ~
ward the outer waters Of the GUN. me
red light flashed the signal 10 ease.
eyes on the following feet ana ooia
them to get in motion at last. -
To those ashore it looked as II mo
New York was somewhat IN ADVANCE
Of the line with the Iowa ana ihdians
following on either side. but separated
from her by good stretch Of water.
As the line advanced toward the hori-
ION the ships spread oot until per
haps there was a distance or thres
miles between the tips OF the cres-
cent The shjps of the inner harbor