The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-29
SQUADRON RIDES OUT A STORM.
Coll Hendedness Prevents a Collision
Between Two of the Sbtnx

On Board the Flagship Brooklyn, OF
Fort Monroe, April 2S.-For thirty-six
hours the Flying Squadron was unable to
communicate with shore. The storm struck
the coast Tuesday night, and came up
Hampton Roads like a fury. 1t whistled
at the rate of ninety miles an hour
through the great superstructure of the
flagship Brooklyn, and whipped up the sea
SO that the white foam broke in huge
masses over the decks of the Massachu-
sets and the Texas. The heavy draft Of
the big war vessels made it impossible for
them to get into smooth water, and they
had to stand the brunt of the storm.
Toward morning the storm increased in
violence, and as the tide turned flood the
lookout on the forward bridge of the
Brooklyn announced that the ship was
dragging its anchor. The officer of the
deck simultaneously reported that the
Brooklyn was getting in dangerous prox-
unity to the battleship Massachusetts.
Capt. Cook and Executive Officer Mason
went to the bridge Immediately and or
dered the second anchor down. At this
time the wind was blowing so fercely the
men could hardly keep their feet on deck
The second anchor ran out about twenty
fathoms of chain and stuck, and the big
ship stopped and for a short time breasted
the wind and tide.
But in few minutes she began to
back slowly and 1t was evident that there
was no hold for the anchors. The sig
nal was then given to prepare TO get under
way. Faster and faster she went back,
her big broad side swinging toward the
dangerous ram of the PROV of theMassa-
chusette. The latter was signalled to
play out her cable and drop away, and
she did so.
InA the meantime en- the Brooklyn the
men in charge of the forward compart-
ments went TO their stations closing the
water tight compartments and preparing
without any outward evidence of ex-
element for the expected collision.
The Massachusetts cleared away her
big boats and prepared for the collision
Faster and faster went the Brooklyn to-
ward the battleship and the men at the
stations on both vessels stood unfiinch-
ingly ready to perform the special duties
assigned to them in case of collision.
There was no confusion. On the bridge
with cool heads, sharp eyes and active
brains, were Capt. Cook and his execu-
tive officer, while on the after bridge, not
interfering with the management of the
officers of the ship stood Commodore
Schley and his flag Lieutenant Sears,
watching with interest, but with as lit
tie excitement as they would a practice
cruise, the big ships coming together A
conflict of orders would have meant great
disaster but there was none.
An order from the captain and one of
the big anchors comes rafting up, and
the ship drifts on a little faster towards
its evident fate. Then, in obedience to
the helm, the stern, now almost scraping
the Massachusetts bow, swings out and
the head, partly controlled by the anchor,
swings in as if to take the blow. 1t is
within a few yards of the huge battleship,
and all are awaiting the crash
Capt. Cook looks over the port side of
the bridge and then says sharply: Full
speed astern!'
There is clang of bells, shiver as the
big engines turn, and then the cruiser
slides rapidly clear of the Massachusetts
with barely hand 10 spare.
"Cleverly DONE" says Commodore
Schley, as he goes down to breakfast.
Clever seamanship. perfect discipline and
49, S,,1,v L, AZ
aster.
This ship obeys her engines perfectly"
said Capt. Cook, modesty, after he had
anchored further out.
Toward afternoon the storm cleared off
and the heavy sea quickly subsidized. Boats
began running from the ships and commu-
nication with the shore was resumed.
The steamers of the Boston and Provi-
dence line and of the Old Dominion Steam
ship Company, which were detained yester-
day evening, left as usual tonight.
Anxiety is felt as to a large schooner,
three masted. disabled by loss of main top
mast part of foremost and rails, and an
chored near the Chicamicomico life saving
station, which is ninety miles south of
Virginia Beach and twenty miles north of
Cape Hatteras. The schooner, whose
name was not known, was anchored two
miles north of the station, and was
thought to be in danger ~ the wind con-
tinued strong from the northeast, this last
intelligence coming early yesterday morn
ing.
Telegraph and telephone wires from Vir-
ginla Beach to the south are many of them
down, as only Cape Henry and Virginia
Beach were heard from last night
A section of the Virginia naval reserves,
acting as a signal corps, is stationed at
Cape Henry and is having a taste of
rough weather.
HAYTI NOT TO PRIVATEER.