The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-16

Guns-An the Officers and Men
Are Well Pleased.
FORT MONROE, Va. April 15.-The
flying squadron, the departure of which
caused so much excitement on Wednes-
day, returned today to anchorage at
Fort Monroe, after having completed
two days and two nights of arduous
labor, with satisfaction to its COM
manding officer.
Commodore Schley wanted the cap
tains of the fleet to know each other in
the movement of their vessels and to
be able to answer quickly to all sig
nails for movements liable to be made
in an engagement Running down to
Cape Henry on Wednesday afternoon
the squadron was taken fifteen miles
out to sea, at the same time
maneuveripg in response to the signals
from the flagship.
All the big vessels responded quickly.
the heavy battleshlps Massachusetts
ard Texas being especially and sur
prisingly quick. Line or battle was
formed with the Brooklyn on the right,
the Massachusetts to the left Of the
Brooklyn, the Minneapolis to the left of
the Massachusetts,, the Columbia next.
and the Texas on the extreme left The
signal to anchor in line was obeyed so
well that an almost perfect alignment
was obtained. Anchorage was made on
Wednesday night, fifteen miles east Of
Cape Charles light, near the Southern
drill grounds. 49,
Thursday morning >sfound very I'M
favorable conditions for eitheE man.
euver1ng or using the guns the wealth
er being intensely .disagreeable with a
heavy rain and hailstorm and a high
sea, but Commodore Sehley decided to
so out and begin the maneuver. The
Massachusetts dipped her low nose in
the water time after time, taking on
tons Of water, but was handled beauti-
fully coming up to alignment or cir
cling more quickly than light cruiser.
The other vessels. also were quick to
respond to Signals This drill was kept
up all day and atsnightfall anchorage
was made at a point thirteen miles
from Cape Charles. After dark signal
work by electric light was practiced for
two hours. SIS
Call to Quarters.
At o'clock, when most Of the officers
and men had prepared to retire, the
call to quarters and battle calls were
sounded. On the Brooklyn so quickly
was the work done that every division
officer had reported F"ready" in four
minutes, and the ship was ready for
battle with water2tight compartments
closed, ammunition hoisted to guns,
turrets swinging, battle matches down
and the crews at the guns ready to
shoot. +rs t.. ..-..r -. -
The other ships reported almost as
quickly.
Friday morning was given up to
practice at the guns, all the ships put
ting out targets at 800 yards The gun.
ners on the Brooklyn cut the flag from
the top of their target within twenty
minutes, remarkable work when it is
considered that the target was but
eighteen inches square and the flag
staff but two inches wide
AT o'clock the ships were signaled
by Commodore Schley to head fer
Hampton Roads for anchorage, with
the exception Of the Texas, which was
ordered to remain out and try her big
guns and improved turrets with solid
shot, The rest of the. squadron anchor
< ed off Fort Monroe at 5 o'clock.
The Texas ran into Hampton Roads
about o'clock and joined the squad
ron. Capt. Philip said the new turret
arrangement had worked satisfactorily
and the big gun could be loaded by
Lieut.. Haesler's new automatic ar
rangement at any angle and very
quickly. He could fire more than twice
as many shots now. he said, than un-
der the old English arrangement
The Columbia and Minneapolis went
up to Newport News tonight after coal.
Commodore Schley is very much pleas
ed with the skillful way in which the
new crews Of the Minneapolis and Co.
lumbia obeyed signals.
The Brooklyn in anchoring tonight
lost one Of her big anchors, the chain
breaking. The Norfolk navy yard peo-
pie will recover it.