Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-10-17
LIKE PALE GHOSTS
The Ships OF the North Atlantic
Squadron Stole Away.
OFF FOR THE PHILIPPINES
Texas ct L.mbert's Pint C"nifpx
Other Three Vessels En- Route
to New York.

Uncle Sans beautiful white war
riors OF the deep have departed. Not Il
one remains of the splendid squadron
Whs::: ~ IF Old Point last week. ad-
mired by thousands. Yesterday, the
gallant ships weighed anchor ana stole
out Of the harbor lill. pale ghosts across
the waters.
The most notable departure was the
last-that Of the nH,gnilcent ar:nored
cruiser Brooklyn, which at 4:45 o'c.o>k
started on her long voyage ito the
Philippines. where she goes to become
the flagship OF Admiral Watson's new
squadron.
rhe Brooklyn came here with the
other vessels Of the North Atlantic
squadron and found awaiting her
orders to make readiness 10 proceed,
to Manila. Preparations were ut once
begun. The Vessel was coaled ana put
into sea shape. Saturday. Captain
Jewell received orders to sail as soon
as ready. by O'clock yesterday
afternoon. the last detail of the pre-
palltions had been comp:eted and
forty-five minutes later. the cruiser was
under way. In half an hour, her grace
full outlines were lost in the haze. BY
now. she is we'll off on her h,,lf-around-
the-world cruise. the longest she has
ever attempted. .0.
Aboard the cruiser is Lieutenant
Commander Rodger y. Gait who will
navigate the ship. This officer has been
stationed here for number Of wears as
inspector of equipment. and during that
time has made himself greatly popu-
lar in official and unofficial circles. He
leaves behind 4 great host Of friends,
who. while consratulating him upon
his assignment to active sea service, le-
greet exceedingly his going.
AS TO the Brooklyn, her history is
too we'll known to require even the
partial telling. The part she played in
the wonderful sea fight off Santiago.
when she was Schley's flagship. is
known to every school child She is
eminently qualified by reputation as
We'll as material fitness for the PROUD,
position she goes to occupy at the head
OF the squadron which Watson will
command.
Captain Jewell. Of the Brooklyn, was
formerly attached to the cruiser Min
neapoils and was on her when she was
anchored in the Roads while the Fly-
ing Squadron was being formed.
Three ships OF the North Atlantic
Squadron. now the three most powerful
vessels of Rear Admiral Faruuhar's
command, sailed from Hampton Roads
yesterday morning at 9 o'clock for New
York and will reach their destination
some time today
The three ships which passed out are
the flagship New York and the forrni-
dable battleships Alassachuttes and
Indiana. The New York displayed sig
slals to prepare to sail at O'Clock and
an hour later the battleships We're sig
nailed to weigh anchor and proceed to
fea. The cruisers, with Admiral Far
quhar'S burgee of TWO stars flying from
the after truck, started first and the
massachusetts followed. the Indiana
bringing up the rear of the line
AS the trio passed out of Hampton
Roads 1t met the battleship Texas COM
Ing in. The Texas is still attached to.
the squadron but will not sail for New
York until the middle of the week,
according to the present understanding
This ship has been off the North Caro-
lima coast for three days. She went
there to blow UP wreck which was in
the road of ocean vessels and a menace
TO navigation.
The Texas is short of coal and is now
at Lambert's Point replenishing her
bunkers.
According to a story in c7rcu:ation at
Old Point, there has been cOnSidera bic
rivalry, bordering in fighting enmity. be-
tween the iackics of the cruisers Brook
lyn and New York since the naval en-
gagement off Santiago in July of 1855
Since the coming to Hampton Roads it
is said that several collisions have been
narrowly ave1ted between the jackies.
The officers it is said, lived in fear OF
men from the two crews meeting. 1t
was noticed that when sailors from tha
New York were ashore not u Brooklyn
Jackie is to be seen. and vice versa.
1t was iokingly remarked at Old Point
chat the Brooklyn is being sent to Ma
mia to keep her jackies from, externi-
natins the crew of the New York
Immediately on arriving at Tomp-
Knsville. n. Y. the Indiana will so
in the big dry dock at the Brooklyn
navy yard. The ships We're ordered
north for their semi-annual overhaul
ing. When Secretary Long announced
that the North Atlantic Squadron
would go to Hampton Roads without
the Olympia. the committees which
went to Washington In the interest of
the squadron movement thought that
they had not been favored to any great
extent. as 1t was time then for the an
uua1 fall manouvres of the ships. 1t
v>as generally commented on that the
Navy Department had simply ordered
the ships here q week or SO earlier
than they would have come an way and
the opinion was general that after all
the cities near Hampton Roads had
not been favored to any great extent
after all
However. this was all a mistake, as
is now evident. A naval officer at Old
Point stated yesterday that the Navy
Department had sent the ships to
Hampton Roads at time which was
very inconvenient This is the time ne
said for the regular semi-annual over
Z hauling and 1t would have been much
cheaper to have detained the ships at
sSew York until after they We're over
+: 11anied at the Brooklyn navy yard. In
& Difference to the wishes OF the people
IN this section the overhauling of the
ships was postponed and the squadron
was ordered here when the visiting
committees requested. Now that the
festivities at Old Point are over the
= 1Snr0IrOn returns to New York n bava