Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-07-20

Morning mess was called and disposed
of, men lounged about seeking some cool
spot, officers walked nervously about, but
nothing indicated that a change to the
monotony of the vigil was imminent. Over
on the Oregon the jackies assembled in
general quarters for Sunday morning in
spection. On the other ships in rapid
succession the same preparations for the
same ceremony were noticeable except
: ing the New York. Day station had been
taken, the commander had made his OBJ
servations and was about to leave his
post for time.
| While the men were still on deck under
going a rigid inspection by their officers
the signal bridge of the feet flagship
broke out in many-colored bunting On
each signal bridge of each vessel in the
mighty armament the officer ON duty bent
his glasses to read the signal. 1t was
nearly 8 o'clock, sitting hot and eyes
were straining across the brazen water in
| idle wonder when the stern guard would
be broken. Disregard the motions of the
commander in chief read the signal dis
played by the big flagship. Then the
| beautiful cruiser steamed away toward
| Siboney.
On the deck of the Brooklyn, shaded BY
| a big awning, sat Commodore Schley.
| Near by him was Captain Cook. The
| inspection was over, the men had been
! released and all was as monotonous as
1t had been for forty days. Just at this
juncture the navigating officer on the for.
ward bridge bent his glasses on the har-
Dor entrance. His attention had been at
tracted to smoke which was coming
therefrom. He quietly turned to Mr.
Hodgson, executive officer, and said
THAT smoke is moving, SIR"
"Give me the glasses" said Mr.. Hodg.
| son, and he trained them on the object
now increasing in size. THE enemy is
escaping, SIR" he bawled out to the
squadron chief, dropping the glasses in
his excitement.
"Signal the feet to clear ship" said
| the commander.
1--WE have done so, sir"
From the signal bridges Of half the yes
sells in the feet came the signal that al
Hast Cervera had dared the wrath of the
blockaders. In swift reply came the or
der from the Brooklyn to close in and
engage, but by the time the bunting flap
ned from the ropes the entire fleet haG
| broken ground and was following ont the
general order to fight on sight. AS they
swung to port to meet the enemy the for
ward turrets of the Teresa blazed with 9
noisy defiance and the shot were turned
loose among the vessels bearing dowr
swiftly upon them.
Then the most remarkable naval bat
tie of all time was under way. The biz
Brooklyn, the largest ship i'm the feet
swooped down under half steam, belchin:
flame and smoke from all her port bat
| terry. Then, with a mighty sweep of he
| bows, she sheered up to starboard and
| swinging around in a circle, passed clos,
by the Texas, reopening with her star
board battery. Swiftly she flew. gaining
speed and power with each revolution o
her screws. Chased rs inferior to an.
one of the four gigantic cruisers Opposed
to her, she successfully engaged then
all.
The Texas, the Oregon, the Indiana
all swooped down, turning to meet tn
westward course of Cervera's ships
Their heavy guns threw tons of har,
metal against the sides of the doome,
Il ships, but only one had the steam an,
speed to follow the escaping leaders. Wit
an experience gained in a race of II 100
) miles, the stokers and engineers Of tn
J mighty Oregon had learned a lessor
which stood them in good stead. Wit
!. speed greater even than that of tn
Brooklyn, this leviathan passed to star
board of the Iowa and Texas and hum
on the trail Of the speedy Brooklyn, gain
ing rapidly on the flagship, hurting heav
shot and shell upon the enemy.
|, From out the entrance of the harbor
! last of all, lying fiat in the water with
limited exposure 10 hostile fire, came tn
most dreaded of all the ships which float
ed the flag Of CASTLE that morning. Wit
; double the speed of the Americans. wit
deadly torpedoes aboard and with instrut
/ tons to send in their deadly missiles o
: any ship daring enough to await their al
: tack, slipped out the Juror and Plutor
{ During all the long watch off that harbo
these two had caused the blockaders tn
greatest anxiety. Yet the result tends