The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-30
IN THE AUXILIARY NAVY.
FROM THE DIARY OF NO. OF THE
PORT GUN.

ate J0ker-Str0ight After "a Big
Spanish Fleet"
! Continued from Last Week)
Copyright 1898, by s. S. Mcclure Co.
! When man-of-war sails from port I'M
der what is called sealed ORDERS" which
means that the orders given the captain
/ by the admiral are not to be opened for a
| certain number of hours or when the ship
reaches certain degree of latitude, there
is mystery about the affair which ap-
| peals strongly to the crew.
| We Of the Yankee felt very curious as
to our destination when we left Santiago
that night, and the interest was greatly
stimulated by the discovery before We had
| gone very far, that the st. Louis and Mar
blehead were following us.
The rumor committee went into active
| session without delay
BET can guess it, said Stump, as a
half dozen of US met in the gangway.
1--WE are bound for a cable station some
where"
"To cable the news of the hght?" said
Flagg.
NO; that was done by one of the other
ships"
what then?"
ITO get permission from Washington
to go ashore and reclaim all that steel we
wasted in the bombardment."
There was laugh at this sally.
Il have been figuring on The cost of the
fight" remarked Hay, after a pause. "A
| five-inch shell is worth $50, and as we
| Tfred about $50, it means just $4,000 worth
of fve-inchers alone"
Then there are the six-pounders."
''They cost $40 a shot" resumed Hay re-
fiectively. Il guess we must have fired
about a million of them"
Hardly that" smiled Tommy "but We
expended enough to bring the total up to
$4,000 at the very least. War is a costly
thing, boys"
When the quartermaster on duty came
off watch he Joined us in the gangway and
reported that we were steering a straight
course to the southwark.
IF we keep ii up Wen land somewhere
near the Antarctic ocean," remarked Ken
nedy doubtfully. Il wonder"
Il know, I know" broke in the Kid
eagerly; were going for Ice
The burning question was solved at day
break. The morning sun brought into
view a stretch of highland which proved
" ne 1QDds we HdQ SAGdiHGu out TO sea
on scouting duty, and had doubled our
tracks, as 1t were. But the port we found
10 be Guantanamo, small place some
forty miles 10 the eastward of Santiago.
The town itself lies on bay connected
with the sea by a tortuous and winding
channel. The entrance is protected by a
fort and several block houses, and when
we steamed in shore we espied the st.
Louis, peppering away with her guns. The
Yankees crew was called to general quar-
ters at once, and 1t was not long before
we were engaging the fort.
The Marblehead presently Joined us, and
the three ships began a lively lombard
ment. Shortly after the firing began a
Spanish gunboat was seen steaming out
past the fort. A few shots in her direc-
ton sent the craft scurrying back again,
and that was the last seen of her during
the fight. After the battle of the previous
day, this affair seemed insignificant, and
aroused little interest.
The block houses were destroyed and the
fort sileneed after short period of fight
ing, and the ST. Louis proceeded with the
duty which evidently had caused our Wis
it. 1t was the cutting Of a cable connect
ing Guantanamo with the outer world
Our little fleet steamed to sea in the af-
ternoon, returning just before dark. The
following morning the fort, which showed
signs of termination, was treated to an
tied it, A small fishing hamlet composed
of a dozen fiimsy huts of bamboo, was set
on fire and burned to the ground. When
we left Guantanamo shortly after dark,
bound for Santiago, we had the satsfac-
ton of knowing that one blow had been
given against Spanish rule in the fair isle
of Cuba
At dawn the following day Santiago was
sighted The fleet was still lying off the
entrance like a group of huge gray cats
watching a mouse hole. AS we passed in,
the flagship began signaling, and ii soon
became nosed about the ship that we had
received orders to leave for Mole St.
Nicholas after dark
at looks as If the Yankee will come in
handy as a messenger boy" said Stump.
when the admiral wants any old thing
he tells his flag officer to send the naval
reserve ship"
ITS good thing to be appreciated"
grinned Dye. ITO tell the truth. though,
I'd rather be on the move than lying here
watching the land"
1--WE don't want to be away when Ger
vera comes out" remarked Flagg.
when he comes out! retorted Stump,
emphasizing the first word meaningly. |
'The old gentleman knows when he is
well off and hen stay inside"
(Which, as the Texan said when he was |
accused of stealing a horse" put I'm Tom |
c%e'N
your eye on the gun and wait"
There goes another string for signals |
on the New York" exclaimed Dye, point !
ing toward the flagship Whit ia hate |
to be signal man aboard of her. They |
are always at IT.
The flagship of a fleet like that assem-
bled in front Of Santiago during the block |
ade is certainly kept very busy. In the |
naval service everything in the way Of |
routine emanates from the flagship. Ev- |
cry ship in the squadron, for instance, |
takes the uniform of the day from her. |
The number of sick each morning must be |
reported by signal all orders (and they |
are legion are transmitted by wlgwag or |
bunting; scores of questions are asked |
daily by each ship. and II is indeed seldom |
that the signal yards Of a flagship are |
bare of colored flags.
In the American navy the present meth |
cd of communication is by the use of flags |
representing numerals, by the Meyer code !
Of wig-wag signals and by a system of |
colored electric bulbs suspended in the |
rigging. The latter system is called after |
its inventor Ardois.