The evening times., 1898-06-20
CRUISE OF THE HARVARD
Story Of the Scout Ships Tour
Of Duty as q War Craft.
EXPERIENCE AT MARTINIQUE
One of the Omcers of the Auxiliary
Cruiser Records the Movements Of
ed From Southampton Till the
BOn.bArdment Of Santiago.

The auxiliary cruiser Harvards first
tour of duty as a warship is described in
this log Of her voyage. kept by one Of
her officers: s.s
1.-The New York. row the Harvard, was
lying at Southampton expecting to sail
on her regular trip on AprA-23 Orders
suddenly came to make all speed to New
York, SO. after coaling. We started on
April Is. at o'clock p. m. the st. Louis
| sailing at IL m.
I'VE carried neither cargo nor passen-
gers. and We were warned to keep a
| sharp lookout for Spanish cruisers :. in
| case war was declared during the pas
sage. r
I'VE reached Sandy Hook Light Sum-
| day, April "a. at o'clock a. M, and the
pilot informed US that war had broken
| out and the fleet had sailed. We reached
| the dock at $50 o'clock, and all the crew,
| excepting q very few, signed for one
year. -rs.vis. -.
April 25. Lieut.. Kane, with twenty
eight marines. under command of Capt
Cotton and Lieut.. Beale, took charge of
| the ship. The transfer was made at noon,
1
mainmast. The officers under the employ
| of the company were: Captain, sPassow;
| first officer. Bradshaw: second officer
Grant; assistant second officer. Crockett:
| third officer. Furman; fourth officer,
Cummings; chief engineer. Cowan; pur-
ser. Hinsley: surgeon, Rice, and chief
! steward Farrell.
tuesday. at p. M, the ship moved
out into the bay opposite Tompkinsville.
and coal was taken on board until 4 800
tons were supplied. Every hold was fill
| ed. provisions and medical stores having
been received for two months.
I'VE received sailing orders for Satur-
| day. April 3O and at a. m. we weighed
| anchor and passed out of the harbor,
| followed by the St. Louis
when passing Southwest Spit we pass
| ed the Paris coming in. As much anxiety
had occurred regarding her safety, a
great cheer went up from both ships
''The Harvard's voyage was uneventful
| until May 5. On that day the hea; was
| intense and forty-one cases of prostra-
tion occurred among the crew, but only
slight. AT II a. m. We sighted a steamer
directly ahead. All were anxious for a
prize. and we developed a speed of q IL
| knots. gaining rapidly.
I'VE came up with the ship at 1880.
but although she did not show -colors
our captain. for some reason best known
| 10 himself. did not board her. -'--- 80
.'The smoke Of large steamer was
seen on the port bow the next afternoon.
We put on full steam, and the St. Louis
soon appeared. The captain of the St.
Louis came on board in his gig. and
remained clossted with Capt. Cotton for
one hour. and then sailed away.
| Our speed was reduced to four knots
1 q n nd hnna ,t-f,,
| five knots from St. Thomas and back.
The heat was intense. but the sea was
perfectly calm. There were many pros
trations among the crew. and the heat
was 127 degrees in the fireroom
I'VE entered st. Pierre Harbor on May
IL. There officials came on board and al
lowed us to land but notified us to leave
| In twenty-four hours. Official visits were
exchanged by Capt Cotton and Lieut..
Beale. We saw no ships while cruising
Little darky boys kept constantly pad
ding around the ship in canoes. and for
| 10 cents would dive under the ship. They
were perfect fish. -f
ITO our great disappointment we could
get no coal or water.
The American consul came on board
and informed US that the whole Spanish
| fleet was outside of Fort de France. sew
| en- miles distant. and that one of the
torpedo boats had entered that harbor
We then were ordered no: to leave for
twenty-four hours longer. Double
watches were ordered, and all lights were
put out. Signals could plainly be seen
| from shore. All sympathy is with Spain.
The Terror was supposed to be just
outside watching for us. The anxiety
was intense, and no one went below for
sleep.
I'VE notified the French government on
May IL that our machinery had become
disarranged, and demanded ten days to
repair it.
Water was so cents a gallon, and we
started condensing water. We could see
no warships. and supposed they were be-
hind the headlands. The discipline was
perfect, every one doing his whole duty
under the most trying circumstances
watching for torpedoes during dark hours
Lieut. Kane and the American consul
remained in the hills during the night.
They came on board and reported to the
captain, but We were told nothing. Capt.
Cotton and Capt. Parsons divided watch
es all night with the other officers.
Searchlights were constantly thrown. but
we saw nothing.
-Four Spanish cruisers and four torpe-
do boats were reported off Fort de
France, and We hoped the American feet
would come to our rescue None of the
crew was allowed on shore.
"A large warship appeared odtside OF
| the ha-bor on May IS. From what we
could see 1t was a FrcIofn.H. We all
feared that we were to be ordered off.
She steamed up and down, plainly watch
ing US. 49,.
''Some of the marines claimed to have
seen torpedo boats at night. but 1t was
very doubtful. If the captain saw any
he did not report it. The steamer disap-
peared at 6 p. m. and probably went to
Fort de France. Our apprehension was
terrible.
ION Saturday, May q. we weighed an
Choir at II a. m. and passed down S-the
harbor. The first half hour we developed
IS 1-2 knots speed. All guns. were loaded
and gun crews were at their Stations.
Anxiety was intense. The speed was in
creased to % 1-2 knots. We-were fairly
| flying. but saw no ships, although two
| torpedo boats were supposed to be ready
| to catch us.
1--WE changed our course at o clock
and slowed down to fifteen knots, making
| for Mona island The heat was perfectly
| intense. and prostrations were many
I'VE sighted Mona Island on May "a al
| p. m, having passed no-vessels.- At {
| p. m, however, we saw the smoke of a
steamer in the distance, and believed 1t to
| be a Spanish warship. Our speed was
reduced, and all hands were on watch,
but we could not make her out. The
| ship turned and gradually moved away
| in an opposite direction, and we put af-
| ter her.
The race was intensely exciting. After
going about 10 knots we found the cruiser
| turned broadside on. We expected to be
| fired upon, as we were in range, but 1t
| did not come, SO we turned and approach
ed the ship. When we got nearer we
again turned quickly with our twin screws
| and ran away as fast as we could.