The times., 1898-04-16
The Signal for War Will Find
Them Fully Prepared.
FLYING SQUADRON RETURNS
Commodore schIey Well Satisfied
VIII, the BehaviOr of His Battle
ships-InduIged in Naval Mnneu-
vers and Target Practice-increas-
ed Activity Everywhere 0bscrv-
ab:e-The Army Moves south.

Fort Monroe. Va, April 15.-Commodore
Schley took his flying squadron out OF
Hampton Roads on Wednesday with all
the secrecy of a most important mission,
but almost before the ships had got their
anchors up the people on shore knew
that it was for fleet evolutions that the
squadron was going out. The drill was
a great success.
The evolutions began with the flagship
Brooklyn leading and the Massachusetts.
Minneapolis, Columbia and Texas follow
ing in the order named. The ships moved
off in columns, shifted into line, changed
back into columns, then into double col
umns, wheeled into line again, advanced
en- echeIon wheeled, cireled, turned and
twisted and at last at 4 o'clock let go
their anchors again right where they
had been the night before.
In the morning they passed through n
sharp rain squall with hail. The wind
shift ed a bit in the afternoon, and the
sea quieted down. The men went to their
hammocks with the prospects of a peace
full night but just when they had got
quietly 10 sleep a. signal went up on the
flagship that turned the whole squadron
to in lively fashion. II was general quar-
ters. In an instant every officer of the
Columbia at least was out of the ward
room. moment later they were running
to their stations, buckling on their swords
as they ran. Before they had started the
roll of the drum was turning the blue
| jackets OUT of their hammocks The guns
| were all lashed secure for sea with theli
| covers on, and ii was pitch dark, but in
| less than three minutes some of them
| fired their primer-the signal that they
were in action, and In an incredibly shor
time every division had reported TO the
| executive officer that it was ready.
The flagship, with her crew that haI
| been drilled in home and foreign waters
was ready to blaze away in three and
| half minutes hardly a single round aheat
| of the Columbia.
The Minneapolis was right with thu
Columbia, and Commodore Schley sal,
| this afternoon that he was very mucl
pleased at tho work of the two ships
1t was all over by 8 oc.0ck, and whel
| the clear bugle on the Texas soundei
taps" the notes fiOated over a squadrol
peacefully settling down again to a quie
| night.
This morning. with moderate breez
blowing. the targets were put out 70
Sub-caliber practice On all the ship
it was a repetition of amazing work don
on the Brooklyn here the other day
Each ship pat out two targets. The ship
| rolled and pitched considerably but sho
after shot fell close enough TO the target
TO have made it mighty uncomfortabl
for the men swimming about them an
swimmers are not targets for men-of
war.
The captain of the big S-inch rife O
the Columbia made especially amaZin
practice.
After the targets We're up the squadro
headed for the capes. Then it began t
be apparent that the squadron was CON
ing in again and everybody waited eagerI
for the pilot, who could tell what ha
occurred on land in the two days durin
which the ships had been at sea, bu
when the Columbia got her pilot he ha
nothing to tell He had been at Sc
more than two days himself and coul
only guess that nothing had happene
because nothing had been signaled t
him. The otherlI four ships came ol
leaving the Texas At the capes to tr
her big guns and the new turEet gear
The Texas showed throughout the eve
lutions that she was the steadiest gu
platform in the fleet Just after the c,
lumbia let go her anchor and before II
Minneapolis had dropped hers, the flai
ship made signals that the two fa
cruisers were, to go on to Newport New
for coal. So The Columbia got her anchr
up again and went on. In this way Il
whole squadron can make up the co
used up in the evolutions more quick
than il it all depended on the barges
Commodore Schley was greatly please
with the work of the ships, especial
with that of the Minneapolis and Colur
bia, whose performances, in view of II
short time they have been in commissio
was remarkable.