The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-14

command OF the second squadron; and
Commodore RENEY commanded the naval
base at Key West, a duty Of vast import
ance and infinite labor, without trace OF
| glory except In the consciousness Of duty
| done. Commodore HOWELL succeeded
| WATSON in command Of the first squadron,
when the latter took command Of the East
| ern squadron, organized to attack the
Spanish coast, but rendered unnecessary
by the destruction Of CERvERA's feet and
the recall to Spain Of CAMARA.
On May % Commodore ScHLEY began
the blockade OF Santiago; on June 1 the
Commander-in-Chief arrived OFF the hsrbor
and took command, and thereafter the
blockade continued, daily getting more
strict, until after month the Spaniards
could stand it no longer, and broke out to
their destruction. A week after his arrival
Admiral SAMPSON issued an order regarding
the use Of the searchlight in the blockade,
which will mark an epoch in such work. 1t
deserves to be quoted:
During the dark hours OF the night sesrchlights
will be used As follows-The Iowa, Oregon and the
Massachusetts will take turns Of two hours eaoh-ie.
from dark to 8 p. NJ. from & p. NJ. to 10 p. Min
keeping one sssrehlight directly on the harbor
entrance. maintaining carefully during that time
their blockadinR positions. The vessel on each
HanK. the Brooklyn and the Texas on the western
side. the New York and New Orleans on the eastern
aide will take two-hour turns in using one search
light from time to time the coast line avoid
ing the illumination OF the hankng yidettes the
inside line"
The night stations were fixed at not
more than two miles from the entrance
to the harbor, and commanding officers
were directed to reduce this distance in
heavy weather. 1t was about this time
that a characteristic act OF the Commander
in-Chief occurred. The ships were on sta
tiorf the searohliRhts in use as ordered.
when from far inside the line the Ardois
and disappear They signalled Come in
closer not simply go in Closer The
Admiral had not liked the way the lights
were managed and had gone in to see for
himself what the trouble was.
So the blockade continued. By day the
ships lay six miles out, and then only four
miles out; by night, as the darkness came
on, the line closed in, and the pitiless
searohlights began their unwinking glare.
SO the work dragged on. On June %,
while the Fifth Corps under Gen. SKATER
was making its landing at Daiquiri, part
OF SIMPSONS fleet was aiding 1t by simu-
lated attack at Cabanas Aguadores, Ensen-
ada de los Altares and Daiqulri. Finally,
browning the work Of nearly two months
on Sunday, July 3, the Spaniards made
their desperate attempt to break the line,
and failed, 80 that within six hours after
the attempt began their fleet was as II it
had never been. and the hope Of Spain in
America fell. DEWEY began the war; SA Mp
son practically ended it.
Then came the cessation OF hostilities
and the return to home ports and on
Aug. 20 this city greeted the warshps
again Months Of work were needed
to restore them to their peace condition;
then began the break up Of SAMPsoNs great
fleet. The Oregon and the Iowa were hur-
red to the Pacific, whence the former had
fastened to join the Atlantic fleet; and
other vessels were put out Of commission
or sold or returned to the owners who
had lent them to the Navy. The chief
vessels, however, the Indiana, the Massa-
chusetts, tho Texas, tho New York. the
Brooklyn, and the torpedo boats that
had taken part in many actions around
the Cuban coast, made their last voyage in
fleet formation to this port only two weeks
ago, to welcome DEWEY. That over, they
departed, and to-day in Hampton Roads, a
harbor famous in our naval history, the
flag that was hoisted eighteen months ago
in Key West comes down, and the Com
mander-n-Chief OF the North Atlantic Fleet
OF the Spanish War turns over his command
to his successor, Admiral FARoUHAR.
AS sure as DEWEY is Admiral, SAMPSON
should be Vice-Admiral