The times., 1898-04-04
NO SUNDAY OBSERVANCE
The Preparations for War Con-
tinue Without Cessation.
BROOKLYN In FIGHTING TRIM

The Flying Squadron Practically |
Ready for Sen-Nnyal Reserves to |
Experiment With Carrier Pigeons /
The Reserve Naval Stores-DriII- |
ing the Tars.
Fort Monroe, Va, April 3.-Sunday was |
a busy day on the ships of Commodore |
Schleys flying squadron. The workmen
from the Newport News shipyard who |
have been working night and day on the
new elevating machinery in the eight
inch turrets Of the flagship Brooklyn, fin |
ished this work about 5 o'clock this af-
ternoon and went over the big cruisers
side for the last time. The ships tars
got out their paint pots and soon had j
the last vestige of the old peaceful buff
on the turrets turned into warlike gray
blue
Now that the Brooklyn is all in fight
ing trim, at 6 o'clock in the morning
she will get up anchor and stand out
to sea to try the new machinery and give
the gun crews practice with the eight
inch rifles. When she comes back in the
evening she will anchor at Old Point.
The Columbia's men put in some good
work. too. She will come down from
Newport News in the morning with the
flagship and anchor here. The twenty
four men brought from League Island
for her by the Minneapolis, will go aboard
and then drill will begin in dead earn
est.
The battleship Massachusetts will not
come down. BY Tuesday the work of
freeing the ships bottom of marine
growth will be finished and then the ship
will come down here that evening or on
Wednesday morning.
Carrier Pigeons for the Navy.
New York, April 3-The officers of the
Battalion of the East, New Jersey Naval
Reserve propose to take several carrier
pigeons with them on the monitor Mon
tauk when they start for Portland, Me-,
from the League Island navy yard. They
have been in communication with Francis
Whitley, a well-known pigeon fancier OF
Newark and last week Paymaster Colby.
of the battalion, wrote Mr. Whitley ask
| ing him if he could let the battalion have
a number of pigeons. Mr.. Whitley said
| today:
Il have in my lofts nearly 125 carrier
pigeons and a large number of them are
| trained. As soon as the pigeons returned
| TO my lofts / would transmit by wire the
messages they bore to any point desired.
| Paymaster Colby asked what my terms
would be. / have informed him that
would accept no pay. All my homers
| are at the service of Uncle Sam, and
any time he may want them"
Sunday "a Busy Day.
New York, April 3.-There was no OBJ
servance of Sunday as a day of rest at
the Brooklyn navy yard today. The two
| converted tugs, the Nezinscott and the
| Uncas left for the coal pockets at Liberty
| Point In the morning and sailed for Key
| West as soon as coal had been taken
| aboard.
The date for the sailing Of the Dolphin
| is not yet fixed as the engineers are not
| satisfied with the condition of her en-
| gines The battleship Texas continued
taking on coal. She may sail at any
| time now. All but of the armor
| plates of the Mayfiower have been put in
place. and it is expected the vessel will
20 out of the dry dock Tuesday or We'd
| nesday.
Plans for the alteration and armament
of the yacht Sovereign are ready for ap-
proyal The Eagle and the Hornet will be
| in dry dock for some time. The Sioux
is expected to be in place by the last of
the week The Uncas will be finished
tomorrow probably, and the Tecumseh
| Tuesday.
The collier Saturn and the Trinidad
shipping and Trading Company's steam
er Irrawaddy, which mas been converted
into a collier, are expected at the navy
ward tomorrow. The Golfers will also be
armed.
Warships Stocked With Food.
New York. April 3-Not the least Of the
war preparations now in progress in the
Navy Department is the purchase, storage
and distribution Of large reserve stock
of all kinds of naval stores. The storage
warehouses at all the navy yards are al
ways well stocked, and all the ships have
been stocked with food and necessaries
to their full capacity
The Brooklyn Navy Yard is the chief
distributing point of the department ana
| over 300 separate shipments have been
made from there in the last month. The
| massing of the big fleet at Key West
has necessitated many shipments, and
all the larger vessels have now on board
sufficient stores to last them for three or
four months The warehouses at Key
West have received more supplies than
they could store conveniently.
The Whole Force Worked.
Norfolk. April 3.-Twelve hundred men
worked all day today in the Norfolk Ma
w Yard The officials at the yard who
could be reached professed last night not
| to know of the order to continue the work
on Sunday. 1t is understood that orders
have been given 10 the employees of the
yard not to admit that Sunday work was
| going on. The greater number of workers
are employed upon the cruiser Newark
which is ordered to be completed by Apri
15.
The cruiser Montgomery was dockeC
at midnight. and the revenue cuttel
Hudson arrived today, and Joined thu
five others of her class, being armed ant
armored at this yard.
Iowa Cadets Loyalty.
Mount Pleasant, Iowa, April 3.-At al
enthusiastic meeting last night tn
: cadets of the Iowa Wesleyan Universit!
of this place demonstrated their loyalt,
| by rendering to Gov. Shaw a full com
: ! pany of infantry. armed and officered
and ready for active service upon tn
3 | call for troops. President Stafford, OF tn
| university presided and stirring tall
, ! was given by Lieut.. Noyes, the Govern
. ment officer stationed here.
Calm Before the storm.
Key West, April 3.-Beyond a littl
work at cleaning the bottoms Of tn
ships taking a barge load of coal on tn
Indiana, placing the gunboat Castin