The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-29

| @TououS al It's pest. Will be made yer,
great deal easier. But such a base cal
only be obtained through cooperation
with the army. as the force of marines
at the disposal of the admiral is no
large enough to cope with the possibl,
strength that Captain General Blanct
could concentrate on short notice Then
while the army Of the United States (!
naval gunners will not be idle
! CHASE OF THE VAR0NlCA
During the weeks cruise OF the flag
ship New York, from Matanzas toward:
the eastern end of Cuba and back. there
were many incidents of note. Everything
depended on the news from Commodore
Schley and disappointment was visible fl
every face when ii becamt known that the
Commodore was mistaken IN thinking he
had Admiral Cervera bottled up in Glen
fuegos. but this feeling of disappoint-
ment soon gave way TO renewed enthu-
| siasm when news was received from San
| tiago de Cuba. This really was more
acceptable than the reports from Glen
| fuegos, for had Admiral Cervera succeed
| ed in accepting landing at Cienfuegas
he would most likely have been able to
transport his alleged cargo of arms and
ammunition to Havana, while from San
| tiago de Cuba 1t will be almost impossible
| for him to do so.
During the first few days out from Key
West there was a heavy sea which made
life miserable for the torpedo boats Rogers
| and Foote. and which made the monitors
very heavy.
The sharpest kind of a lookout was kept
and more than once the fleet went into
battle formation owing to anxiety upon
the part of some mon on the lookout in
the tops who thought he saw the smoke of
five Spanish warships on the horizon Alb
solutely no lights were shown at night and
signals were constantly exchanged be-
tween the fagships and the scouts The
latter, geenrally, were the New Orleans,
Mayfower and Machias.
The latter which started miles ahead
or were on the TANKS or astern of the
fleet, were always busy. Their location
was learned every few hours by the faint
CLEAN of their private signal lights. They
have special signals TO display in case the
Spanish fleet was sighted
The eagerness with which the blue
Jackets in the tops looked and prayed for
that particular colored light was de-
1eghtful exhibition of the spirit which
prevails throughout the fleet.
There have been no wild exhibitions of
patriotism, but there has been a quit,
healthy evidence of real lovt of country
and grim determination to annihilate the
enemy if possible. Officers and men alike
seemed fully TO realize that naval warfare
nowadays is almost entirely a matter of
science and knowledge. The steady hand
and clear eye now do the work at 1000
yards, which in olden days was done with
ships grappled together by slashing cut
lasses, pistols. axes and pikts, IN the
hands OF almost frenzied men. So when
once or twice during the past week when
it was thought that the Spaniards were in
sight. the crews of tho United States
warshps were very cool lot. with tele-
scopic sights TO adjust, delicate ammuni-
ton hosting machinery TO watch, a score
of levers to look after. and everything de-
pending upon the perfection o. echanical
details.
It has beer observed by those who have
been in action this month that the gun
ner's mate and his crew have TO time
to wave their hats and utter patriotic
shouts
On Thursday and yesterday the squa-
dron's cruise was made in better weather.
The moon. too lightened the work OF peer
ing after the Spaniards and a chast last
night was the only event worth recording.
The New York had left the feet far be-
hind and was speeding toward Key West.
with the Vesuvius as consort. AS the
sun was going down q sail was sighted.
Incidentally the New Yory has The habit
of getting & prize the minute she leaves
the fleet Consequently the tack!es be-
came jubilant and the propelltrs churned
the water as they had not done since the
tsrdy monitors mad laggard out OF the
feet and when the New York towed them.
With foam swishing from her bow. the
fagsh.p steamed toward the strange sail,
then growing dim against the fading
background Of the dying sunstt. Like the
sunset scene of Cuba 4: was glorious.
more beautiful than any remembered even
by those who have chiefly cruised the
tropics. For two hours ,ne smoke poured
from the New York's tunnels. The sea
was perfectly calm ard the flagship was
going as she went when she captured the !
on the first day OF the war
Gradually the strange sail doomed black /
against the light cloud. There was no /
need 10 fire gun. because the flagship |
va ssoing UP alongside the stranger.
though down below stood the gun captain 4
with itching Angtrs Suddenly the search /
light was turned on the chase, and there. /
like living picture shed on 4 dark screen.
was an old-fashioued bark under full sail. |
The rays OF the searchEght jus; embraced /
her from the water line % her royals SEe /
ay there like a second Flying Dutchmar. /
I sudden appa1tion. The man at her
wheel shaded his eyes from he search
lights glare and her crew gathered obcu: /
the 6eckhouse. on her pJJp stood a
red-hs 3Tsl man. wear
ng Glue shirt, o1sn ~ IRE neck. Aarar-
entity he was the skipper Of the bark
What boat is that9' asked Lieutenant
Narhlt, the officer Of the deck from re
bridge O fthe New York. II answer came
torrent OF words in an unknown tongue.
.ou the red-besrded nan On tac pccp
;: the sailing v''re's y IN Li'Itenan:
Marble sho red his qu-s.'rn. wl>7In Ser
nan accept thick and remarkable. came
he reply: Bark Varonios, Arundel.
Norway. from Apalaehiocola 10 Queens
and with lumber"
BY this time her name had been made
ut on her stern and the lU1hgr could be