The record-union., 1898-04-23
FIRST SHOTS
OF WAR
ARE FIRED.
Continued from First Page.)

miles between the tips of the crescent.
The ships of the inner harbOr had step
ped out one by one and stopped at va
rious stations, until the entire forma-
ton was ready to move
The exact order of the ships could
not be ascertained from the shore.
From the highest point in Key West
the line was semi-circuIar. The ships
that followed the three leaders were
the cruisers Cincinnati, Detroit and
Nashville, the gunboats Wilmington.
Castine, Machias and Newport, the
monitors Amphitrite, the Mangrove and
the Mayfiower, and the torpedo boats
Foote, Dupont, Porter, Winslow, Erics-
son and Cushing
Why the powerful monitors Puritan
and Terror did not accompany the
fleet could not be officially learned, but
it is said they may follow shortly. The
Marblehead is taking on water, and
Will doubtless join the squadron in
day or two. The Fern went to Tampa
for ammunition for the fleet, and Will
carry it to Havana, if that is the des-
tinatiOn.
AS last seen the fleet was moving
well out to sea, and may await further
orders if those so far --ce:red are not
final. Torpedo boats held here can
quickly carry such dispatches to the
ships
The terrible tension of waiting days
are past. and all ears are now strained
for the thunder of guns which will tell
that the long awaited crisis is at hand
ct last
The Dauntless, dispatch boat of the
Associated Press, left here with the
fleet.
The departure of the fleet was not
so imposing as had been anticipated.
On the contrary, there was something
of a scramble to get away. When all
was ready the flagship swung round
and came we'll into the harbor, signal
ing to the ships to sail. After receiV-
ing responses she turned and headed
for the open sea. with the Indiana close
in her rear. The Indiana had been coal
ing at the Dry TOrtugas, but was ca
bled for. and at midnight she joined
her two sister ships at the anchorage
held by these While in the harbor Of
the fleet lying close to the shore, the
Amphitrite was the leader. She lum-
bered along after the Machias, her i'm
free board. She was the first of the
monitors to join the warlike procession,
looking the deadly instrument she is.
Then came the Nashville, her three
smokestacks distinguishing her from
the others, with the gunboat Whining
ton pumping alongside. The Castine
which was next, was little compared
with the other members, but looked
game for bloody work, should the for
tunes of war demand. The Cincinnati
was delayed a little. as she was in the
act of taking coal from a schooner off
Fort Taylor when the signal to sail
was given. But she got into the jag
ged line next The other ships of the
fleet followed in mathematical forma-
tiOn. The Mayflower brought up the
rear of the parade, and was one of the
last to fade from view. The torpedo
boats did not start until o'clock, but
as if to exhibit their capabilities, they
darted ahead and were lost to sight
in the forward group. The monitors
Puritan and Terror lay side by side
coaling from a barge. 1t is believed
that the two monitors are to follow the
rest of the squadron.
Following the floating forts was the
fleet of newspaper dispatch boats num-
bering about twenty. Three expert
Cuban pilots accompanied the fleet.