The Portland daily press., 1898-04-18


quarters-that is, to clear the ship, and
make ready for battle-both vessels were
in shape to fire every one of their guns
inside of four and one-half minutes.
This was considered by Commander
Schley to be the most remarkable achieve
ment of the two days work.
81 have been in squadrons, fleets ana
on single Ships" he said, "but nothing
ever pleased me So much as the work OF
the past two days. The concerted re.
sponse to the call to quarters was splen-
did. The target practice this morning
was also gratifying, as it demonstrated
that no foreign boat could approach the
squadron under the storm of fire that
would be thrown upon it,
While the squadron is satisfactory to
the commodore, it can be stated that he
would be better pleased if the navy de-
partment would withdraw the two bat
tleships the Massachusetts and the Texas,
and in their place assign him the cruis-
ers New York, New Orleans and San
Francisco. With the battleships out and
the cruisers in the squadron would be
more deserving of the title "fying." AS
1t is now formed 1t can move faster than
Is knots, but with the cruisers it could
make nearly 20 knots.
Thursday morning the conditions for
maenuvres were most unfavorable. A
half-gale from the northwest had churned
the sea up to nasty heights, and early in
the day storm of hail descended with
such force that all but those on duty
were driven to shelter. The hailstones
as large as marbles. ratified like bullets
made the ships roll heavily.
With only seven feet of free board, the
ponderous Massachusetts shot through
the seas, sometimes carrying hundreds of
tons of water on her decks. The Texas
was the best sea boat in the fleet. She
careened several degrees less than the
others and behaved beautifully in answer
to the rapidly changed signals from the
flagship. In fact the two heavy battle
ships performed the maneuyres more rap
idly than did the Minneapolis or the
Columbia, the two fastest warships in
the world. Commodore Schley explained
this by saying that the cruisers required
longer.
All Thursday was spent in drilling for
the purpose of familiarizing officers and
crew with squadron work and the numer-
Gus movements which would be neces-
sary in action.
IF hot ci0 -rir
en-, and the ships formed abreast, with
the Brooklyn on the right and the Tex
as on the extreme left, as the axis. The
Ego ahead" signal followed, the line
made cleft Wheel" and the Brooklyn
described the largest area.
Then the single column signal was
given, the Brooklyn starting out first,
the Massachusetts second, the Minneapo
lis third. the Columbia fourth and the
Texas fifth. Double columns came
next, the Brooklyn leading, with the
Massachusetts paired with the Minneapo-
lis and the Columbia with the Texas.
After that they moved zen echelon,"
the Brooklyn forming the apex, the
Massachusetts and the Columbia the
right wing and the Minneapolis and
Texas the left
At nightfall the squadron anchored is
miles east of Cape Charles.
From 80 until $50 p. M, WAS spent
in exchanging signals by colored cleo
trio lamps hung in the masts to train
the crews in reading them readily.
By this time all hands were tired out,
and mo of the men prepared to re-
tire. On the Brooklyn, at 8 o'clock, most
of the officers were in their rooms asleep.
Half dozen were sitting in the ward
| room, doing. Forward, three-fourths
of tho crew were in their hammocks,
some of them asleep, and others listening
| to the tinkle of a banjo and either played
by two of the galley boys.
Suddenly the call to general quarters
| rang out. At the same instant the sig
| nal was sent up for the other ships.
What happened on one of them happened
| on all of them. Half.dressed and up-
dressed men and officers rushed for their
stations, most of them in their bare feet.
The gunners of the main battery jammed
| themselves into turrets. Others tumbled
into the magazines. Ammunition hoists
were worked; great projectiles, some of
them weighing 100 pounds each, were
sent up to the gun crews above, with 500
pound packages Of brown powder. Water
| tight compartments were shut, matches
| were battened down, captains got into
coming towers. and in precisely three
minutes on the Brooklyn the crew of
every gun was ready for business
On the Columbia one amusing incident
occurred. Ordinarily the captain S cabin
is sacred. The crew never venture into
it unless ordered. When general quarters
are sounded no place is sacred. The
crew assigned to the two 4-inch guns
IN Capt. Sands's cabin found him hurry
ing into a pair of trousers, and being
green, they stopped to ask permission
before entering. That stop was the only
breach of discipline in the manouvres.