The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-04-22

on the sky above where lay the flag
ship.
A moment or two after and the sig
nal staff of the Cincinnati, lying off
Fort Taylor in the inner harbor, flash
ed into colored light, acknowledging the
call.
The Puritan and Helena Joined in the
incandescent signals and soon the skies
were Kaleidoscope as ship after ship an
swered light licked messages fraught
with the gravest Importance and crea-
tive of history.
What words, of course, no one ashore
knew, but the few who watched with
straining eyes from sea and docks need
ed no interpreter to tell that it meant
hostile action.
The message was not long in delivery
but sunrise had fully come as the last
letter f1ickered and went out. Then
the witnesses saw that the movement
had actually begun under cover or the
night. The big ships could still pc
discerned in the distance, but the 9TH
ers had moved toward them, the flag
ship drawing other ships OF the squad
ron to her.
The Wilmington and the Amphitrite
had slipped from their anchorage ana
advanced within hailing distance of the
flagship. 1t was just 5:42 when the
New York, without unnecessary dis
play, moved pompously and slowly to-
ward the outer waters of the gulf The
red light flashed the signal to eager
eyes on the following fleet and told
them to get in motion at last.
To those ashore, it looked as if the
New York was. somewhat in advance of
the line, with the Iowa and Indiana fol-
lowing on either side but separated
from her by a good stretch of water
AS the line advanced toward the hor1-
zon, the shops spread out until perhaps
there was distance of three miles be-
tween tips of the crescent. The ships
of the inner harbOr had stepped out one
by one and stopped at various stations
until the entire formation was ready
to move.
The exact order of the ships could not
be ascertained from the shore. From
the highest point in Key West the line
was semi circular. The ships that fol-
lowed the three leaders were the cruis-
ers Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville, the
GunboatS Wilmington, Castine, Ma
chias, Newport, monitors Amphitrite
the Mangrove, Mayflower and torpedo
boat Foote. Why the powerful moni-
tors Puritan and Terror did not ac-
company the fleet could not officially
be learned but it is said they may fol-
low shortly. The Marblehead is taking
on water and will doubtless join the
squadron in a day or two.
The Fern went to Tampa for ammu-
milton for the fleet and will carry it to
Havana if that is the destination. AL
though it is a fOregOne conclusion that
the fleet has moved on Cuba, it is GER
tain that for the present at least it is
lying well out to sea awaiting further
orders If those so far received are
not final, torpedo boats held here can
quickly carry such dispatches to the
ships.
When Key West arose it was a cry of
wolf story again. Bedtime left the sit
uation no different from what it has
been for the past week and rumOrs of
sailing orders have been so frequent
and unfounded that it lacked credulity
this morning when the town found the
harbor bare of all but few of its Wis
itOrs. The terrible tension of those
waiting days are past and all ears are
strained for the thunder of guns which
will tell that the real and long awaited
crisis is at hand at last.