The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-24

| Meet on account of our war paint The
| Baltimore was put into dry dock, clean
ed up and got her fighting color on and
| coaled and took her place with the rest
OF our ships. All of our little fleet was
| together now. All we wanted was the
word to go to Manila Our ships were
| always ready to move at an hours no.
| tice. Finally on Saturday, April 90, the
| commodore got notice from the English
| governor of Hong Kong that we would
| have to leave the port inside of As hours.
| So the next day, Sunday, April "a, part
| of our fleet left Hong Kong for Mrs
bay, which is about 20 miles from Hong
| Kong. The Boston headed the column,
followed by the Concord, Petrol, McCul-
| loch Nanshan and Zafiro. AS our ships
started to move our boys ran up in the
yard arms and masts of our ships and
cheer after cheer went up and the band
| played the Star Spangled Banner and
the war songs of the boys in blue our
English cousins did not forget, for as
the ships passed the Englishmen
cheered them and our boys returned
the salute with as hearty a cheer as
was ever heard. The next day. Mon
day, April %, the Olympia, Baltimore
and Raleigh left Hong Kong at 10
o'clock a. m. the Olympia taking the
lead. The officers wives and the Amer
lean consul were in launch flying the
American flag. All had American flags
and were waving them to the ships as
they passed and wishing US good luck.
Our band was playing the double eagle
and as we passed the English ships
we were cheered by them and then we
cheered back. There We're handkerchiefs
waving and caps in the air and every
thing people could lay hands on. 1T
did not seem as if we were going to war
at all-it seemed as if we We're going to
a picnic instead. We got to Mrs bay
that afternoon about 2 o'clock and
came to anchor there with the rest of
our ships which left the day before.
Then we got down to business and COM
menced to throw the tables and ditty
boxes and benches and all that was
movable overheard. This was clearing
ship for action for fair. In time of
peace when we would have the drill,
clear ship for action, the tables and
benches would be slowed away and
canvas wrapped about them, but it was
no drill this time. 1t was for blood.
Everybody worked good and hard until
supper, which was at $50. 1t was queer
to see everybody sitting on deck eating
his supper with his plate between mis-
legs and his bowl at his side. but a
person don't mind these things in time
of war. After it got dark enough to
use the night signals this ship made
signals to the rest of the feet that war
had been declared. Then there was a
yell forward and everybody went wild
There was singing and dancing and d
high old time until O'Clock. when ev-
erybody had 10 turn n for the night
except the quarter watch. which had 10
remain on deck till midnight
Tuesday, April &c We were clearing
ship for action and getting ammunition
from the Baltimore dc she brought
some from the states to us New
York Herald and London Times CORE
spUn6ent came on board and made
some Interesting sketches during the
day. About 8 o'clock p. III. poor IN
fortunate came alongside from Hong
Kong and created quite a sensation.
His launch could not make d landing
on account Of the stiff breeze and could
rot maFe himself understood 10 the
officer of the deck All HANDS were
turned out 10 receive the supposed
enemy. Men went to their stations and