Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-03-26
ARRIVES 4 AND SAILS
Texas steams Out of Port
.... HurriedIy. .*
SHE is OFF FOR BROOKLYN
Shd Rumors Regarding tho Ships Hasty
s Departure. Monitor Puritan Will .
Ball Today. Mortars aud Am
w. unition for Fort Monroe.

,1dle SeCoTrd-cldSS b:ttt ieShiD 'T.xr.S
which arrived at Old Point late Thurs
day evening. steamed into port yes
ferday morning at $3.50 O'Clock and
dropped anchor in the stream near
'"'nere the ill-fated steamer Wyanoke
WAS sunk. Three hundred toms of
coal We're ordered for the Ship, but be-
tore the barge was sent out 70 her She
received orders 20 gut to sea at once.
for awhile there was a busy scene ON
rhe snip. The Seanlen We're getting
ready to sail. No word was sent to he
GOAL dock TO the effect that THE shin,
was ABOUT TO leave and the COAL was
weighed out and dumped ON a barge
Wtnen the barge was PLACED alongside
che TEXAS her commander refused ITO
keke the coal. saying he would ex-
paaAn later. Shortly after O'Clock the
srlan-of-w-ar weighed anchor proceedin g
out to Hampton Roads under a full
head OF steam
The hasty departure of the Texas
set af1oat q number Of wild rumors.
BY some vt was said the ship was
bound tor Key West to JON Zoe Get
There. OTHERS sald she had been or
dered TO cruise down the coast and
keep lookout for the Spanish torpe-
DO fiotdtla now en- route from South
American waters. This was "fshy''
talk The Texas was ordered to the
by the following dispatch received by
the Daily Press last night from WASH
ingtrn:
THE Texas is bound for THE Brook
1yn navy yard, where SOME improve
cnents will be made in the facilities
necessary plant for this purpose is not
avaida Bile at Norfolk. 1t is the desire
OF the depa rtment to put the Texts into
tlae highest state of efficiency. said an
80 as 10 have her ready for service AZ
tw-enty-fcur hours notice.
THIS Ship was ordered to Hampton
Roads from Key West and it was UNI
derstood that Old Point would be the
headquarters of the fleet of which She
her to these waters. AS soon as the
repairs aa<s made she Will RETURN tc
Hampton Roads.
SCHLEY IN COMMAND.
Commodore Winfield Scott Sohle.y has
been ordered TO command the flying
squadron in Hampton Roads. with
the Brooklyn as the flagship. He Will
take commend Monday
PURITAN LEAVES TODAY.
The double turreted monitor Puritan
ne,r southern waters and will probably
leave for Key West today. It beca me
known a. few days ago that the Puri-
tan would go to Florida. Since then the
1umOr has become prevalent that she
will not stop at the Tortugas Islands,
but Will proceed at once 10 Havana.
This report cannot be confirmed. as tne
instructions given 10 he' commander
have been kept a secret.
The Puritan is lying off the shipyarl.
and before she Sails today Will take on
seventy tons of steam coal.
Rapld-hre gums have been mounted
on the fighting tops Of the monitor since
she entered Hampton Roads.
BROOkLYN WILL NOT SAIL.
Ut Was reported laSa might that The
Brooklyn would ALSO sail today, but the
rumor cannot be confirmed. Yesier-
day was wash day" on the ship and
as there was considera BILE activity
aboard it is probable that the report
was matched up by some ONE who
did not understand the cause of the
stir. 1T lis known THAT the BROOKLYN
will not leave Newport News before
next "wednesday. and then she will s,o
to Old Point.
ANOTHER WARSHIP
A wa rSrip arrived ait Old Point late
last Night but her name cs,uld not be
definitely aSce1-tained. AS the Massa-
ohuset ts is due there. and the ship
answers to her description, ut lis though,
no be that 'batuleShip.
MORE >MORTARS FOR THE FORT.
Three cars loaded with supplies for
Fortress Monroe passed through the
city last night. Besides a quantity OF
powder Ehere We're six 15-iTy1h TlortarS
and eighty deck piercing projectile:.
The mortarva are the largest ever sent
to this fort. 5.M