The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-17
WARLIKE SCENE AT KEY WEST.
CREWS ON THE wARsHIPs EAGER
FOR THE FRAY.

Vengeance for the Sinking of the
Maine, the Desire in Every Heart.
Constant Interchange of Signals
and Flashing by the Searchlights
at Night--ChIef Engineer of the
Torpedo Fleet Talks OF His Craft
and the DestrOyers.
Port Tampa, Fla, April 16.-At Key
West the situation remains practically un-
changed, so far as the position of the
ships and the disposition of officers and
men are concerned.
Eagerness for action grows more patent
hourly, so that each shot aimed at an
old hull or dancing target is freighted
with wish that it had a Spanish desti-
nation.
Even the coal passers "a sturdy lot with
muscles like armor plate) discuss the
chances of action and with wild whoops
give vent to their desire for vengeance
on the 'murderers of the poor fellows
down below in the Maine" Yet the wis.,
dom of careful precision and provision Is
recognized by the thoughtful commanders,
who will have posts of equal danger and
greater responsibility. At night the scene
is most warIike, for while there is no
booming of guns there is a constant inter-
change of signals over ten miles or more
Of ocean, and now and again a searchlight
shows torpedo boat, ugly as devil fish
and far more dangerous than any creature
Hugo could imagine, stealing quietly
along from ship to ship on its way to
open sea and patrol reaching, mayhap
to within sight of the big guns at the
Vidado, Habana.
On the naval docks the hustle ends only
with darkness and while we are told
everything Is in readiness and has been for
a week, the thousand and one duties left
over or partially sighted call for constant
activity.
The Associated Press correspondent was
talking with Kester recently-Kester,c chief
engineer of the torpedo fleet and probably
as well posted there anent as any man in
the service. He has had thirty months tor
pedo boat duty and the world cannot show
an equal record. To the query: rs not 1t a
pity we haven't more torpedo boat destroy
ers?" the bronzed, keen-eyed young officer
replied: "Oh, yes / suppose so. But after
all, they may not be so dangerous in real
war as many are inclined to suppose. You
see they have never been thoroughly tried
as destroyers. As fea ne, given destroy.
er after torpedo boat and would rather
be on the smaller craft"
isn't that queer ohoicer'
'Ill tell you why would make 1t. The
destroyer running thirty knots, gets aftel
the torpedo boat, running twenty-five. DID
you ever see either under full head way
! / tell you the destroyer carries a perfec
wall of water ahead. So does the smalle
craft, but the destroyer's big gun is for
ward, while the torpedo boat has hers
only a little one, to be sure-aft, wher
there is no wall of water, and where th
motion is much less percepuble. The mai
on the destroyer might be up to his necl
In water when he fred. If he hit the littl
fellow it would be all day, sure enough
but the little fellow has a big
ger target, a chance for 1ie
aim and If he can't see the hull of the pur
suers he can see the big bone he carrie
in his teeth. If one of the 1-pound shot
from the torpedo boat hit fair IL woul'
make a hole clear into the boiler room o
: the destroyer and would probably do
heap of damage"
At Port Tampa ther is no little excite
ment over the prospective arrival of sevel
regiments of troops. The dock facilitie
here are certainly admirable. The shi
canal is nearly mile long, is 224 feet wild
at the bottom with a minimum depth o
"A feet. At present the only boats availabl
for transporting troops are the Florida
Oliyette and Mascotte all of the Plan
; Line. But The port is readily aceessibl
both from Atlantic ports and from tn
Gulf.