The herald., 1898-04-27
THE FLYING SQUADRON
Enthusiasm Reused by the Departure
of the Landing Party

Enthusiasm Roused by the departure
of the Landing Party
ON FLAGSHIP BROOKLYN, OFF
FORT MONROE, April 26.-The stirring
incidents of this morning In Hampton
Roads made mems blood leap in their
veins and enthusiasm boil up to fever
heat. Shortly before o'clock one of the
little gunboats that the Government will
use hereafter to conduct friendly steamers
through the lines of torpedoes shot off TO
the north and the signal man on the after
bridge of the flagship almost simultan-
eously called. Cruiser Montgomery ap-
preaching, SIR" Sweeping along at u
rapid rate, her beautiful lines showing up
we'll in the Quaker-gray paint, the cruiser
| came down the Roads, preceded by the lit
! tie picket boat guiding her between the
dangerous lines of explosives When
near the Brooklyn a salute was fired to
Commodore Schley and returned by the
flagship. Then the transport Panther. with
it's 500 men, raised anchor, and with the
formidable cruiser as an escort, started
for the sea. 1t was then that the enthusi-
asm broke out. The marines on the trans
port crowded the decks in long lines and
waving their hats, gave vent to mighty
cheer, while sailors, marines and even
firemen on the big warship crowded to the
forecastles and returned them with n
will. The Montgomery Joined In the
chorus and the cheers resounded from ship
to ship, continuing until the transport and
convoy were out of hail. Hardly had the
pair gone than a booming afar off an
nounced another approach and the gum
boat Vicksburg came along on her way
out firing a salute to the Commodore's
flag. The flagship doomed a seven-gun
answer, and then the men on board the
Vicksburg swarmed into the rigging and
almost lost their hats in their enthusiasm.
Every ship of the squadron returned the
cheer with a will, and the men went back
to their duties with an aching desire to
follow the ships out.
The Panther goes out with a splendid
protection on her journey to Key West,
the convoy being large and able to care
for anything, while along her route are
strewn active and formidable members of
the mosquito fleet. The orders for the clos
ing up of the harbor after sunset and un-
til sunrise goes into effect fully tonight
Captain Casey, chief of engineers. has
issued an order which says: mo vessel
will be allowed to pass through the chan
mel on either side of the ripraps (Fort
Wool, Va.) between the hours of sunset
and sunrise. During this interval vessels
must not approach within three miles Of
Fort Monroe.
Patrol boats will be placed above and
below the defenses. These boats are
authorized to stop vessels, to inquire into
their character, or to instruct them how to
pass through the mine fields. The orders
of the patrol boats must be precisely
obeyed.
Sailing vessels and all small vessels,
drawing three feet and less. can safely
pass through any part of the channel dur
Ing the day time.
Steam vessels must pass at slow speed
through a special channel, which will be
marked by buoys.
mo vessel will be allowed to anchor be-
low the wharf at Fort Monroe without
special authority.
"Vessels are warned that, If they dis
regard these regulations they will expose
themselves to serious damage and proba-
bly, be fired on by the batteries"
The morning on board the big ships was
spent in lively work. At a signal from the
flagship all of the vessels cleared for ac-
The guard boats of the squadron worked
in a heavy sea tonight and in nasty
weather The blockade was enforced rig
idly by the combined forces of the boats
of the army engineers at Fort Monroe ana
the squadron launches. All went out well
armed and no vessel of any kind was al
lowed to proceed, being ordered to lay at
anchor until sunrise.
Out of Sight
BOSTON, April 26.-The cruiser Minne-
apolis, which left the flying squadron at
Hampton Roads last Saturday night and
passed in by Highland light yesterday
evening, was nowhere to be seen in the
bay this morning and incoming steamers
from the east and other points saw moth
ing of the ship.
News From Havana
ON BOARD THE FLAGSHIP NEW
YORK, Off Havana, April 25, Midnight
Copyright by The Associated Press.) The
first news from Havana reached the squad
ron this evening when the British steamer
LuciIine was stopped by the flagship. The
Luciline is commanded by Captain Tucker.
She halls from London, and was bound
from Havana for Bermuda and Philadel-
phia. She has about 200 Cubans, men and
women. on board, besides cargo of horses
and sugar. She is the first boat known to
have left Havana since last Friday, when
the blockade was commenced. She was
seen coming out from Ell Moro about D.
m. and was about six miles from land be-
fore the New York started on her trail.
The New York cut off the stranger, who
was also going at a good pace. Lieuten-
ant Marble was sent on board by Captain
Chadwick. The Cubans on the Luciline' s
deck shouted "Hurrah," and waved their
hands at the New York. Captain Tucker
gave satisfactory proofs of the Luciline' S
identity He said that the people in Ha-
vana did not know that the war was in
progress.
There were no evidences, he said, Of
starvation in the city of Havana His
Cuban passengers-many of them children
in arms, were being taken out of Havana
ION general principles" He had heard
that more mines were to be laid in the har-