Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-08-21

erously. When the New York passed the
column on her way out 70 take the lead
1er Land was playing "Ain't | Glad to
Get Out OF the Wilderness" and as the
SHIPS caught the air there was great ap-
plause. IT was decided to run at eight
knots an hour, the Indiana being ineapa- @
bic Of sustaining = greater speed. anG,
with The New York leading, the big ships
headed eastward.
east OF Cuba. was sighted and AZ o'clock
the column OF ships headed TO the north
AT go the land for whose freedom amer
lean bravery had been tested and american
blood shed faded from view. and 1t was
a sinGulariy significant fact, that, on the
gun deck OF the Brooklyn. at the hig en-
Gines Of destruction that few weeks ago
had dealt death to an enemy, peacetui
multitude raised its voice in the third verse
of America
Let music swell the breeze.
T. And ring from all the trees.
Sweet Freedoms song.
Let mortal ton CUES awake.
Let all that breathe parIake,
Let rocks taeir silence break.
The sound proioas
So the fleet that. for nine long weeks. had
aided and watched the progress of freedom,
took last leave OF Cuhan shores.
Monday morning found the feet IN sight
of some OF the smaller islands, but away
from Cuba and in the Windward pass,asy:
The Indiana had developed a nine-knot
speed, and greater progress than e&pecte5
had been made. Tuesday. the fleet passed
il view OF the island where Columbus mace
~.
day, sigraied that sne had broken her star
board condenser, and after she mad spent
three hours fixing II. she haG 10 go 10 WoFh
for a similar length of time on the po:L
condenser. Despite the delay. one half of
the distance Eaa been rnade at Wednesua!
noon, the rate of 2"J miles a day having
been accomplished. With the exception OF
the Indiana, the feet could have made
eleven knots an hour, the maximum speed
of the Iowa and Massachusetts. The ore
gon. New York and Brooklyn could have
made thirteen knots, but admiral sampson
decided to keep them together.
Wednesday afternoon the Indiana got
speed OF nine knots, and from that time nm
til Sandy Il yok was reached the men At her
engine room id splendid work. The trip
was by 20 means d simple excursion home.
Besides the daily routine toere were Ire
and collision drills on al! ships and active
work was done in painting and repairing.
The weather was fine, and rounding Cape
Hatteras, usually so stormy, there was
calm. hot day. Thursday and Friday were
uriay at ! a. m, running by Scotland light.
the navy yard tug brought out an order Tor
the fleet to proceed up the North river TO
Grants tomb fire a salute, and return 10
Tompkinsville at anchorage.
In no way do the big ships show the nara
usage to which they have been subJectesi.
the exception of those through the smoke
stack have been patched and the big snip
repainted and polished till she shines. ol
the starboard side can be seen great steer
patch over the hole where one of the VIZ
caya's shots went through and on the quar-
ter-deck a wooden patch where the deck
was torn up. The armor belt still ho!us the
prin; of large shell and critical eye can
see the dents made by several more, even
through the gauZe of new paint. The iowa
has patch over her bow, where she was
hit by a sx-inch shell, and the Indiana has
patched up the hole In her deck All lhe
ships have been painted and their peace
trappings arranged. SO that, as reminders
OF the greatest naval battles ever fouSht
they were rather disappointing.