The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-29
TWELVE PAGES.

w ILL "a AN bCs
ing ship for action without arms. followed
by great gun drill until IL.
"April 2O-21-The captains and com.
modore met on board at leo p m in
obedience to signal. They left at p. m.
Exercised IL c. m. and Is G. m. guns OF
battery from 10 a. m. to IL a, M
"April 1-e2-Exercised great guns from
10 to II. Is a. m.
"April 22-3s-After part exercised cor.
bines from until 1.
"April 93.24-LiRhter alongside With
30 tons Of coal during first watch Com
menced ooaling ship at and flushed at
a. m. Another lighter came alongside
during forenoon watch, from which took
rs tons by noon.
n "April 24-25-Afternoon watch Conn
manding Officer Teresa came on board.
Commenced .coaling at. 1.S0 p. M. In 4
to watch another coal lighter with 80
tons arrived; finished previous onee at
end of watch about 25 tons left In hghters
8 to 10 o. m. "a more tons came. Finished
coaling during the. forenoon watch.
"April 25-26-Lighters came a}ongsfds
with coal and rs mn. gun for destroyer
Furor, together with hbls. olive oil and
two cases mineral oil, "A loose oeel and
45 in bags.
april 26.27-P. m. SO tons coal, srtA.
lery stores and supplies for the Fusos.
and wines and provisions came asonghde.
Ccaling. Resolved 4 boxes exercise tor
pedo heads and another IS MN. gun for
Euror.
"April a9.es-Receiving coal loose.
2l.5 tons and in bags 90 tons ard sbores
for Turor. Ssnt to FuBor 16 cases Of
stores. Finished cooling during forenoon
WATCH"
THE SQUADRON AT SEA.
During all OF these days one can 90 b.
the record of the log how hard the crew
| of the Colon was worked. The suspense
must have been great indeed, and in one
instance the men were kept at work ooai-
ing ship all night long. The poor fellows
who did all Of this hard work for an un-
grateful country, are now. many of them,
lying along the surf beaten shores Of
Cuba or In the bowels of tho ship they
had workd 80 hard to make ready for the
battle with the Yankees" We see by
the log that in the forenoon Of April asth
the Colon sailed from Porto Grande in
company with the Infanta Maria Teresa
alag ship). Orquendo. Viscaya,E and tho
destroysrs Turor, Terror andI Rl1ton
The course the first day out was south So
degrees west, and the feet continued in
this direction with the variation Of one
or two degrees west until May 18th. The
first day out the feet stopped and man
oeuvred and only II tons Of coal was con.
sumed On the following days the coal
consumption was from rs to SO tons. and
the average days run was 175 miles until
the last day when six boilersi.were used,
and the days run was 2lS miles with a
coal consumption Of 46 tons. The Span
iards took it very easy in coming across
the Atlantic, being in no hurry to reach
the Cuban coast, and being hindered
from making any great speed by the fact
that the torpedo destroyers were In tow of
tho larger ships. The Colon had In tow
the destroyer Furor, and her starboard
engine broke down the first day out
This was repaired on fthe next day, and
both engines used again. On May 3oth
we read that the Colon's crew were mus
tered for Divine service. On May LIST the
Teresa was towing the Plutou, Oquendo
towing the Terror, and the Colon the
Furor On this day the Oquendo lost her
tow, and this caused some delay, until
she could pick up the Terror again. On
May second the drilling commenced on
card the Spanish feet again. The order
was given for the crews to be mustered
at quarters frequently and at unexpected
times day and night, without previous
nouice being given. Some target practise
was INDUCED in, the search lights were
tried, and the artillerists were given tho
oretical instruction.
On May 9th the Colon lost her tow and
had to renew it again, which took some
time. Then both her engines broke
down, and it took over two hours to re-
pair them. May 18th the ships were near
ing land, and by orders Of the flag ship
all hands were sent to their quarters ct
G. As O'Clock to remain there all night.
The Terror was detached and sent of on
scouting duty by the admiral. She re-
turned the next forenoon about nine
O'Clock, and on sighting her ths Grew Of
the Colon was called to general quarters
and preparations made to give battle
should she turn out to be Yankee.
When she was made out to be the Terror
the recall was sounded. This shows that
the Spaniards were on the alert and evil
IDENTIFY expecting the American fleet to
meet them somewhere hereabouts
| The Terror sent a boat on board the
flagship and shortly afterwards the feet
got under way again and proceeded at
full speed toward the land. At p. m,.
May 18th, Martinique was sighted on the
starboard hand, and all hands were sent
| to their stations and kept at the guns all
night. The next day, May l2th the fleet
| co. ~, hoJ1r Terror was sent