The evening times., 1898-05-26

may decide the fate of the war for the
spatch is printed
on Sand Key Light last Wednesday the
flee, ST. Paul was sighted steaming at Top
sneed and soon from her masthead she
flung signals for coal in hurry. sig
nal ship took her message, and sent II "
another nearer Key West. Then II was
transmitted to Commodore Kenny, III
charge of the base of naval supplies mere
and in an hour the former American IN
er was taking on fuel at rate that sur
prised even the veterans along the piers.
In the offing little while later anothef
ship appeared, and the beautitui broon
lyn, working her engines at Top speeu'
came bounding to an anchorage. She' 100
wanted coal. and got ii. After her came
the Texas and the Massachusetts, guard
ing between them the Scorpion. THESE
were the ships of the flying squadron that
left Hampton Roads Monday.
None then knew where they were go
ing. No dispatches telling of their sud-
den arrival here and rapid coaling were
allowed to pass the censor. There was
only the supposition that they were of
to join the admiral after his lombard
ment of San Juan and his unsuccessful
search for the fleet of Spain that sailed
Commodore Schley came ashore on the
Scorpion, which is the dispatch boat of
his squadron. He talked for a while with
Commodore Remy, and in a short time
thousands OF tons of coal were heinz
poured into the bunkers of his warships
scarcely had the excitement attenlins
this naval surprise died away when the
New York brought Admiral Sampson In
Iar ahead OF the other vessels of his fleet
The flagship bore marks which shower
that she paid small percentage to vic
tory, but she needed no repairs before 90.
ing out for another.
She began to coal at once and rapidly.
Ihe admiral, though. was impatient He
sent an order to the Dupont, and soon the
little torpedo boat went out to sea to hur-
ry in the laggards.
The Dupont found first the battleship
Iowa almost off Lobos Key, in the old
Bahama channel. Fighting Bob's" ship
was doing double duty in furtherance of
orders to be speedy, and was helping in
her unwieldy steaming companion, the
monitor Amphitrite,
When the Dupont sent to the Iowa the
orders Of the admiral. the monitor was
cast of to care for herself, and the bat
tleship plowed in here at an average speed
of fifteen and a half knots. With her
coming ended the surprises of Wednesday,
Another one came Thursday morning,
and still another before the day was
done.
The Indiana came in soon after dawn.
The monitors Terror and Amphitrite were
companions in arrival.
Then Key West saw a sight of which
no other port can boast, for most of the
United States Navy lay in its harbor.
But it was not for long. When the last
of SIMPSONS ships dropped anchor the
first of Schley's squadron set her forefoot
toward the Cuban coast, and away she
went. leading the others, including the
two big battleships.
Nobody knew where they were going.
but it was supposed that the swift piece
of naval strategy given to them for execu-
tion followed the receipt of news that the
Spanish fleet had left Curacao and had
gone either to Cienfuegos or Santiago.
Proudest Of all those who sailed with
Schley was Fighting Bob Evans. So
eager was he to get away that he person.
ally superintended the taking on of coal.
although one of his arms had been crush
ed at the time of his ships arrival by the
falling Of battle hatch. He suffered in
tense pain, but he had the Iowa of the
minute the signal to start was given and
he received his orders to join the flying
squadron.
More and more increased the activity
In the harbor. Commerce was forced
from the shore by the preparations for
battle. Smaller ships-auxiliary cruisers.
tugs. dispatch boats-crowded in to coal,
and forced peaceful craft to get away
from the coaling piers. The Montgomery
and the Detroit. Of Sampson's fleet,