The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-29
IN THE TOLLS OF A STORM
THE FLYING SQUADRON ATTACKED
BY A FURIOUS GALE.
Crack Battleships of the Navy Tossed
About and JumbIed Together in
Almost Fatal Recklessness.

On board the flagship Brooklyn. off
Fort Monroe. Va. April 2S.-For IS
hours the flying squadron has been
unable to communicate with shore, the
storm which still prevails making it
unsafe to use the steam launch or cut
ters. A tug brought out the mail this
morning.
The storm that struck the coast Sun
day night came up Hampton Roads
like a fury. 1t whistled at the rate of
80 miles an hour through the great SUI
perstructure of the flagship Brooklyn
and whipped up the sea so hat the
white foam broke in huge masses over
the decks of the Massachusetts and the
Texas.
The heavy draft of the big war YES
sells made it impossible for them to get
in smooth water and they had to stand
the brunt of the storm. Towards morn
ing it increased i'm violence and as the
tide turned the food. the ookout on the
forward bridge of the flagship an
nouDced that the ship was dragging
its anchor. The officer of he deck
simultaneously reported that the
Brooklyn was getting In dangerous
proximity to the battleship Massa-
chusetts. Captain Cook and Executive
officer Mason went to the bridge i'm
mediately and ordered the second IN
chor down. At this time the wind was
blowing so fieroely that the men could
hardly keep their feet or deck. The
second anchor ran abou 20 fathoms of
chain and stuck and the big ship
stopped and for a short time breasted
bravely the wind and the tide. But
In a few minute she began to go back
slowly and il was evident that there
was no hold for the anchor. The sig
nal was Immediately given to prepare
to get under way and i'm the meantime
il was hoped hat the anchors would
catch and hold.
Faster and faster she went back, her
big broadsides swinging towards the
dangerous ram on the prov of the
Massachusetts. The latter was sig
nailed to pay out her cable and drop
away and she did so. In the meantime
on the Brooklyn the men in charge of
the forward compartments went to
their stations. closing the water-tight
compartments and preparing without
any outward sign of excitement for the
expected collision. The Massachusetts
cleared away her looms and prepared
for the collision. not daring to ship the
anchor for fear Of running herself on
the sand bar in close proximity or driv-
ing into the Texas. Faster and faster
went the Brooklyn towards the bat
tleship. and the men at the stations on
both vessels stood ~unfiinchingly ready
to perform the special duty assigned
to them in case Of collision. There
was no confusion. On the bridge with
cool heads. sharp eyes and active
brains were Captain Cook and his ex-
ecutive officers. while on the after
bridge. not interfering with the
agement of the officers of the ship,
stood Commodore Schley n his lieu
tenant. Sears. watching with as little
excitement as they watch a practice
cruise. the big ships coming together.
A conflict OF orders would have
meant disaster. but there was none.
One order from the captain and one OF
the big ancho came rafting up and
the ship drifts on a little raster TO-
wards its evident fate. Then. In ODE
dience to the helm. the stern, now al
most %scraping the Massachusetts bow,
swings out. and the head partly con-
trolled by the anchor. swings In as III
to take the blow. 1t Is within a few
yards OF the huge battleship and all
are awaiting the crash. Captain Cook
lcokso over the port side OF the bridge
and then saws: Full speed astern.
There is a clang of bells. a shiver as
the wheels turn and then the cruiser
slides rapidly clear of the M~assacnu-
setts with barely a hand to spare.
'Cleverly done" says Commodore
Schley as he goes dow to break
fast.
Clever s~eamanship. perfect discipline
n coo~lheadedness had averted a dis
aster. This ship obeyed her engines
perfectly" said Captain Cook modestiy
after he had anchored further out. The
storm continued without abatement all
day and the patrol boats that kept the
harbor closed had n rough nights
work. This morning there was q little
abatement Of the gale.