Evening star., 1898-01-27
Orders to the Squadron.

In view of the radical change of the
naval policy with respect to the Cuban
situation, the orders under which the North
Atlantic squadron has been concentrated at
Tortugas, Fla. within such easy access
to the capital of Cuba, are of special in
terest at this time. These orders are dated
on board The flagship New York at Fort
Monroe, January II. They are addressed
to the commanding officers of the various
ships of the squadron. and are signed by
Rear Admiral NJ. Sicard. commandments
chief. They follows:
Sir: The squadron is TO be prepared TO
sail from Hampton Roads, weather and
contingent circumstances permitting, with
steam for ten knots. at 10 am of Saturday,
January 10, for the vicinity OF the Dry
Tortugas, OFF the coast Of Florida YES
sells will unmoor in the morning watch.
unless signal is made to the contrary
Squadron under sailing orders at am.
The order of ships will be; First division
i. New York; 2, Iowa, making the hrst
section; 3. Massachusetts; 4, Indiana, max
ing the second section Second division-5
Texas. first section.
The Fern will proceed singly to Key
West unless otherwise directed. The new
York. Iowa and Indiana Will proceed from
Hampton Roads to the first sea rendezvous
off Currituck. n. c., latitude 36 30 north,
longitude ~ 20 west, in about hfteen
fathoms of water, the light house bearing
W.S.W. 1-S west, distant twenty-five miles,
permitting. until noon of Sunday. the 10Th
instant. They will then proceed to sec
ond rendezvous off Cape Fear, N T., IN
fifteen or eighteen fathoms of water, Fry
ing Pan Shoal light bearing north, distant
about nineteen miles, and remain in that
vicinity until about pm. Tuesday, Janu-
airy Is. when they will proceed to Dry
Tortugas. communicating, possibly. by
some light draft vessel with Key west IN
passing that port.
1T is expected that the Massachusetts
will leave the New York navy yard Fri
day. the 18th instant, and the Texas on
Saturday, the 18th instant The Massachu-
setts will endeavor to join the flag ship
first on the Currituck rendezvous, and II
that is missed, then on the Cape Fear rem
devious. 1t is hardly expected that the
Texas will be able to join the flag ship on
the Currituck rendezvous therefore direct
ly the Massachusetts joins there tprior 70
noon of the 10th instanD the squadron Will
not then await the Texas, but proceed TO
the Cape Fear rendezvous and there it Is
hoped that the Texas will be able to JOIN
by 6 pm. of Tuesday, January Is. Should
the Massachusetts miss the flag ship at
both rendezvous. or should any ship be
separated from the flagship by reason OF
weather or other contingencies. the next
third. and final rendezvous will be the har-
Dor of Dry Tortugas, where they will await
the flagship.
While the squadron is on the Florida
drill grounds, which will include occasional
anchorage in Dry Tortugas harbor. the
post and telegraphic address will be Key
West.
THE above dates for sailing and rendez-
vous are subject to change due to the COM
pletion of repairs to vessels at New York
or to heavy weather. Should the Brook
lyn. Maine or other vessels participate in
the drills on the Florida drill grounds de-
tailed orders will be given them 1t Is not
intended that any of the battle ships or
armored cruisers Except the Maine) shall
enter the harbor of Key West except by
special order of the commander-in-chief, or
in case Of emergency.
tSigned) "SlCARD,
Rear admiral commanding U. s. naval
force on the North Atlantic station"
When these orders We're made the follow
ing program Of exercises OF the North
Atlantic squadron during the winter of
1895 was prepared by Admiral Sicard and
approved by the Navy Department.:
Leave Hampton Roads January 10; pas
sage to Tortugas, four and half days.
January 20; small arms target practice,
January %. three days; TO drill grounds,
January "a, one day; moving subcaliber
practice, January y, two days. moving
target practice. January 30. six days;
squadron evolutions. February q, six days.
excluding Sunday: return to Tortugas Feb
ruary 10. one day roaling. ten working days
and two Sundays. February 23, exercise
boa flotiIla. February 81, four days; squad
ron evoiutions. March G. nine days, one
Sunday intervening; return to Tortugas.
March 10: coaling. six working days and
one Sunday squadron evolutions, twelve
working davs and two Sundays, April 1:
drill grounds to Hampton Roads, four
days. arriving there April I.
UnfavCrahle weather postponed the de-
parture of the fleet from Norfolk for two
Gays and will consequently necessitate n
change in the prearranged program to that
extent. The New York. Iowa. Massachu-
setts, Indiana and Texas are now m the
vicinity of Tcrtugas together with the dis
patch boat Fern. and the armored cruiser
Brooklyn. which belongs TO the squadron
will start from New York about the end of
the week for the same place, and will par
ticipate in the proposed evolutions. Other
vessels at Key West and vicinity are the
battle ship Maine. the cruisers Detroit AMI
Montgomery and the torpedo boats Cush-
ing and FOote. while there ere several gum
boats at different points in the West Indies
including the Wilmington and others.
II will thus be seen that while the move
ments of the warShips have been ostensi-
bly, of the mildest and most pacific char
acter, they are actually so placed as to be
prepared for instant and radical action in
case ii movement against the Spanish col
ony should become necessary.
All the officials say that there is no sig
nihcance in the orders to the Maine more
than is indicated by the authorized state
ment issued by the Secretary of the Navy
but the general Impression is that the ad-
ministration has at last concluded that the
time is fast approaching when the United
States may conclude to use force in bring
ing an end to the troubles in Cuba