Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1898-08-20
CORRESPONDENTS,
Letter from the Navy.
AT SEA,
OFF ENTRANCE TO HAVANA HARBoR,

OFF ENTRANCE TO HAVANA HARBOR,
August 3, 1898.
TO the MINING JOURNAL.
! have received copy of the JOUR-
NAL. both of July l6 and %. Accept
my thanks for the same, as they are
the only copies of Maryland paper l
have seen since | have come South.
July LIST we lay off the entrance of
Nepe for ten days and the weather was
fine. Ourpicket duty laid right in the
"Windward Passage" and we always
had a fine breeze.
The only thing to annoy the Topeka's
crew was a fear that they would not
get in the fight which occurred on July
q. AS participant in it can say it
was fast and furious. For one hour
and five minutes we had 81 guns going
at the rate of 4 shots from each gun
per minute. and | can say it was
worse than ten thousand tons of steel
splitting the air and blowing the earth
The official account of the fight APP
peared in the New York Journal of
July "a.
If any of the boys are over-enthused
with patriotism just tell them to Join
the navy.
The Topeka at this writing is lyin g
just miles out from the great Moro
Castle. From what | can see of Ha-
vana 1T is ''the city of white" At
night she is trimmed in her gayest at
tire-so far as lights are concerned.
Last night six torpedo boats tried to
slip out and do us up, but the lookout
sighted them before they could get
close enough to do any damage, and
we soon made them turn their prows
and "git."
Hot Yes. We cannot stand on
the deck in our bare feet when the sun
is shining.
Work Yes:
Up hammocks. Coffee. .... a. M
Scrub and wash clothes. .......... A a. IN.
Stop clothes on line and scrub deck
down with sand and all other
paint work ............... 5! a. m.
All nammOckS IN netting .......... Z a. m.
mess, or breakfast. ................. Z! a. m.
Bright work ............ ...........S a. m.
SICK call .......... ................. 81 a. IN.
All IN clean Whlte SUITS. a. m.
Quarters and inspection. ........... 9! a. m.
Cast loose and prOvede, which means
get ready to fight, and other drill
exercise. ....... ........... ......10 a. m.
mess 1or nrst watch ..... II! a. m.
Iurn to...... OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. l p. m.
DIN. .;.......:... .......-.... -. p. M.
All vlolators of the law set to work
scraping decks NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 3 p. m.
Setting updrill. which is all body
exercise, such as all bending the
body in all shapes ............... 5 p. m.
Mess. ....,......... .......... 81 p. m.
fiammocks' .................. "a p. m.
Pipe down. Silence. ............. 8 p.m
The hardest work on the ship is
clearing for action, as everything
must be slowed in the hold of the ship
and all infammabie matter thrown
overheard.
What | wanted 70 do when | started
out with this letter was to thank you
for the JOURNAL and say that for its
consideration for the soldiers | hope it
may continue to prosper and grow
greater.
Hot9 Yes. In the engine-room $50
degrees! In my magazine this even
ing, which is the central one of the
ship, it is 10 degrees.
Am we'll and feeling well-only for
the prickly heat | can tell you,
though, that my avoirdupois is going
out to the sea. | weighed in at 1865
in May, and August LIST at 1891.
Think we Will go to Key West in a
few days, or as soon as we can be re-
lieved, as our circulating pump on
port side is broken down.
The feet is coming in and ere this
reaches you Havana will be ours.
We took two 3-masted schooners last
night as prizes, and they have been
sent to Key, West manned by prize
crews.
Excuse no stamp, as the sea is most
too rough to go into Havana for one,
and there is danger of contracting
fever. Besides, cannot speak Span
ish, and they might think | came to
take the city.
With regards to all the Shoppers
Union, | remain Yours,
A. B. LARGENT,
U. S. Ship Topeka,
II VI