New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-30


reels. the officers looking down from their
chairs on the Cigarette deck" the dark
seas racing alongside and the Big Dipper
and the North Star swinging back and
forth overhead.
Meanwhile the air was full OF wireless
rumors and orders and news, some OF
which was intended for us, some or Which
We intercepted as II waved by. Huerta
would salute, but the United states must
answer; Huerta would not salute; Huerta
had until o'clock Sunday night 10 yield
and all the time the big DreadnouSht
was Keeling off her thirteen knots and no
body knowing what she was going 70 DO
when she got there.
Skirmish drills began TO enliven the
quarterback and forecastle, field KITS were
rolled up and unrolled, and In general the
routine OF shore service in foreign lana
gone through with as well as tho limits
Of the ship allowed. Between decks
squads Of new men drilled with the auto
mates. took them 10 pieces and packed
them up and the brisk young captain or
marines, who had seen service In the
Philippines and China, as we'll as In
Caribbean waters. began to dose his men
with liquid quinine.
Sunday morning. I'm a day of dazzling
sunlight that turned the warm sea water
20 turquoise and ultramarine we swept
past the Florida Keys. and toward
night out into the Gulf. The air was so
full Of wireless calls that the regular
news bulletin which tricked in each night
TO be put on the wardroom bulletin
board next morning couldn't oreaN
through. Torpedo boats had been ordered
10 Vera Cruz ayiators were TO JOIN the
Mississippi-the cruise began more ana
more TO look like business
The next morning ra pid-hre automatics
began to pound like steam-riveters,
SQUADS OF sailormen, in their whites
now, were practising rifle fire at the
empty skyline and ''Double-quick.
Cease firing" Charge" and other
skirmish order commands sounded con-
stantly along the hold decks. officers be-
gan TO pore over the rules OF war-what
I YOU may and what YOU may not do In
soizing city particularly when YOU
must do so without hurting anybody.
and under the awnings there were classes
In sanitation and on taking care OF ones
self in the field.
on Monday evening came the real news.
Captain Niblack was dining tho CORE
spondents in his cabin when an orderly
entered. saluted and handed the captain
a wireless message. Captain Niblack gave
something very like glad yell. The mes
sage was an order directing the Michigan
to change her course and proceed TO Vera
Cruz Instead Of Tampico. If 1t meant
nothing else it meant getting away from
an inconvenient and unhealthy port TO a
comparatively sanitary city, on the main
line of future DEVELOPMENTS, whatever
they were To be. But it meant much
besides. These possibilities were just be-
ing discussed and word had scarcely come
down from the bridge that the course
had been changed when more news ar
rived.
Wireless Operator Cronin. feeling about
in air cracking with messages and orders
OF all kinds mad coutrived to pick up a
synopsis OF the Presidents message all
the way from Sayylle, Long Island, !, 20J
miles away. This came up to the ward
room country on a typewriter slip. Just
as the young officers. lounging about on
b corridor TO get breeze. were lighting the
war over again before turning in to bed
Just what they meant back there ,n
Washington none OF them could quite
make out: just how you could night
Huerta without lighting Mexico wasn't
altogether clear. but. at any rate. the
President had asked for 100000 for the
country's defence" and something was
going 10 be done.
The next morning word came across the
hot Gulf waters that Admiral Fletcher
had been ordered TO seize Vera Cruz and
vicinity
Vt the same time the Michigan WAS
directed to increase her speed. The thir-
teen knots she had been making hitherto
was promptly hit up 10 fifteen and half.
Vt o'clock that afternoon word came
from the commander In chief-on the
Arkansas. some eight hours ahead OF us
that all private and press radio dispatches
would be discontinued until further or
ders
Emergency field rations. consisting OF
corned beef. bareback -and an ingeniously
made canister containing coffee. sugar
and salt and pepper enough for two days.
were packed. Tents and tent pegs were
got ready. and by nlghtfall the three hun
drcd men that the Michigan expected to
land out OF her total OF eight hundred.
one company Of marines and four other
companies OF blueiacksts. with four rapid
fire automatics and n field gun. were
ready TO 20 ashore
As the big ship went booming westward
that evening through the hot Gulf. with
the band playing again on tho quarter /
deck. tho young officers, lettering about