The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-04
TILE PLYING SQUADRON"
Is Now Practically Completed. n will
be Ready to Move OH an Iiour's Notice
A Formida ble Fighting Force.

IL Now Practically Completed. and will
be Ready TO Move on an Iour's Notice
Formids ble Fighting Force.
FORT MONROE. Va, April 3.-Com-
modore W. S. Schley wiz tomorrow
notify the authorities at Washington
that with the arrival OF the Texas he
will be ready. to move at an hours no.
fast fighters eve gotten together Is
complete with the exceptions of the
Texas. The cruiser Minneapolis began
at noon to-day TO change her coat and
the painting will be finished by to-mor-
| row afternoon. Her bunkerS are flied
with coal, ard like the others vessels OF
the fleet, she is fully anmunitioneA
Commodore Sch1ey expects the battle
ship Texas within the next forty-eIShr
hours. Despite the enforcement OF the
Sunday observance law in Newport
News, which has had the effect of stop
ping Sunday work on the battleships
kearsargc and Kentucky, the divers,
three in number, continued work on the
bottom OF the battleship Massachusetts
to-day and made such progress thai
Captain Higginson believes they will
be able to finish by nightfall tomorrow.
HAMPTON ROADS. April 3.-The
practical completion of 4 flying squad
ron of the American navy by the as
signment of Commodore W. s. Schley
10 take charge and his acceptance as
marked by his active operation of Mon
day last. is an epocl-making event In
the history of the present difficulty.
No other action Of this government |
since the Maine disaster SO actively de- |
81 fo-N tl1t $50 49,
has been expected. The North Atlantic
squadron is already organized, and the
appointment OF Captain Sampson'to its
command is but the natural sequence OF
the retirement OF Read Admiral Stcard
from active duty. So to the assignment
OF ships OF war to THAI squadron are
but moves toward mobilization that
might occur at any time. But flying
s%quadrons are the direct outcome OF
dangerous war conditions: are not nee
essary of standing narieS in the eye OF
peace. and are expeditions of an extra
ordinary rature createl only when the
government fully decides there Is fear
OF attack or that the time is ripe for an
attack from her. 1t Is therefore not
only possible. but highly probable, that
the new American flying squadron has
work cut out for 1t.
formiinbIe Squadron.
The fleet partially gathered and alto
gether proposed that will bear this Gu
~phorious title Is one OF the most for
mIdable that can be gathered tG..ether
by any nation. Ego1istically In favor
Of the United States as that statement
may be. the facts bear 1t out. In aver
age rate OF speed. in armored protcc-
ton, in calibre and number of guns
and In fighting quality and discipline
OF men 1t can be proven that the COM
position OF this flying squadron is SUI
pcrlor, point of numbers being equal, to
any organization OF a like nature 10 be
formed by n foreign power.
When on Morday morning Commo-
dore Schley raised his flaE on the Brook
Ign, evidence OF an unmistakable char
actcr was apparent that every man
from stoker to commandunt was not
only fearless of battle, but courted IL
and hoped 1t would come. The small
calibre gun that fired the commodorc's
salute with blank cartridges sang out
n high-pitched pean OF welcome and
peace. About the land-locked water OF
Hampton Roads where thIrty-five' years
ar, the Monitor and Merrimac fought
their terrible battle, sunshine touched
the hills Just assuming their emerald
cnrb. and nature awoke. after her hi
bcrnatlon carcsSing the hills. spoke
only for peace. But as the smoke blows
by, In every eye was the kIndling spark
OF vengeance for fellow came hurried
10 death and the hope that the can
Eon's tenor note might be changed to
the dreadful one Of war. And II war
comes. what Of this squadron?
w. S. Schley, commanding this fleet.
is n well-bullt man of about 52 years
nf nIrp with n rpuprll ununn rn t,,n la-I