The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-06
IN GUANTANAMO BAY.
North Atlantic Squ-- Iron
Busy Reftting--S -Schley
0usted From the
Brooklyn.

Correspondence of The Associated Press.)
GUANTANAMO BAY, July 81. 1885,
For whole week the bulk of the North
Atlantic Squadron under Rear Admiral
Sampson, has lain in this pleasant land
locked harbor and the peace term cere-
monies, the bugle call to quarters and
drill, the painting of ships the visiting
parties from one war vessel to another,
gave little hint of war or it's turmoil out
side
But on the big batleships was slightly
different scene. Injuries to the ships
from battle and from hard usage were be-
ing repaired, and the Vulcan, the travel
ling blacksmith and repair shop, was busy
indeed
On the Brooklyn a work of almost stu
pendous character was being performed.
The mounts to all the five-inch guns, the
guns that did such splendid work in the
battle of July 3, were injured and were
being replaced by more substantial mod
ern ones This meant the dismounting.
of every one of the big 5-inch guns, the
removing of the gun itself from the
jacket and carriage with a new one.
Twelve guns in all had to be replaced, In
addition to a 6-pounder that had been
bent and spoiled. The work began on
Tuesday when the Armenia arrived with
the new mounts, and in charge of Gun
ner Applegate the work, done entirely by
the crew of the Brooklyn, proceeded so
rapidly that on Friday night all were
finished. The diary of the week may
prove interesting.
On Saturday, July "a, the Brooklyn and
the Vixen left Santiago for Guantanamo
and for the first time in eight weeks the
frowning Morro looked down upon the
caribbean Sea free from menacing war
vessels. The Brooklyn was In bad con-
dition and was ordered to repair at once.
| The Texas was ordered TO New York her
decks being in dangerous condition, and
she signalled the flagship that she would
be ready to start on the morrow. She
transferred in the meantime such stores
and ammunition as could be used by other
ships. Under the naval order of the de-
partment, detailing all the arinored ves-
| sells for European voyage, the Brooklyn.
Iowa, Oregon, Yankee, Prairie, New York
and Indiana began taking coal and sup
plies.
On Tuesday it became known that the
| Brooklyn had been added to Admiral
| SIMPSONS fleet and Commodore Schley
had been ordered to select another flag
! ship from the small vessels to be left on
| the blockade.
On Tuesday night the Texas bade fare
| well to those with whom she had fought
| so nobly and started for New York It
was just at sunset and the bugles were
blowing retreat while officers and men
on the quarter deck of the vessels stood
bareheaded as the flags came down. Then
! the Texas was reported as being under
| way, and the order was again to raise the
| flag while the crews of all the big war
! ships were ordered to prepare to cheer
the ship. AS the Texas got under way
| and passed the other ships there were
throat-splitting cheers for her. and they
were returned with a will by Captain
Philip and his gallant crew
On Wednesday all the ships were busy
repairing and coaling for their long voy-
| age, and It was understood that the fleet
would be ready to sail on Monday.
On the Brooklyn a very sad accident
| resulted from a disobedience Of orders.
Karl Anderson, "a years old, had SNUG
gled aboard a one-pounder shell, which
| he had taken from the Socapa battery,
near the entrance of Santiago Bay. The
/ shell was loaded and had a time fuse.
| He had removed it from the cartridge
| case but finding the plunger. which ex-
| plodes it, hard to unloosen, began ham
| mering 1t. 1t suddenly exploded, fortu-
| nately, however, In a direction opposite
| to that of q number Of men In the apart-
ment. Two pieces few back and struck