The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 26, 1898, Page 1

Call OLUME LX SAN FRANCISCO, THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1898. PRICE FIVE CENTS @mid Noisy Demonstrations of Farewell the Three Troopships Passed Out Through the Golden BY HENRY JAMES. T last our soldiers are away on c. They went ple who loved ken oath t as guns were booming, adieu, flags waving weeping. ers of the peopl ings. Their 1 cisco showed tt on the roofs ¢ against the sent the; those who or to find graves Joy sorrow min How ing be de: portray of it, and the after noon. A rumor had flashed across the city that th ps which had been swinging in th eam were to sall. The people had watched the soldiers go aboard. d crowdec about the sons of ifornia and Ore- gon and the faithful regulars to say & final word as they passed through the streets, to give a handclasp, perhaps a They had withheld no tribute of tear nor benediction. But now the boys were g the Golden G dreary days and miles, and the e people were touched anew. nged to the water front by and by tho Th ey With car- one leir boys a t and laughter. What of th War w youth and buoy good blood of the nation going to up- hold the ly and g misty the came all unbidden end were hastily brushed aw Did a lump come Into the throat the sob was hout, and from the laden e a shout in answer, a changed to a ships would c very jubilation Out in the & were the City of Pe- king, the d the City of Bydney. mast waved the fiag. Into the rigging and upon the yard arms swarmed the soldiers. They leaned over the railing, hafled their ith gi who laughed e was no slgn of re- indeed, towara their fac 1 instant friends, jested and cried. Th gret. Bome, the hills of the grew wistful, but only for They would come back; of course they would come again there would be music and the flutter of flags. They would come back did not seem to know th as heroes, and that the hour, the tumult was for them as much as for the cause for which the arms. The undercurr was hid deep. Never in recent years l been s0 anim About ships there us s the the craft, full, all dressed as for a There were which pls triotic s, one Annic Laurie.” As the old sweet melody struck across the d ay me doon and dee,” it touched a chord so tender and subtile that for a space si- Brave, bonny lads. T lence fell. Gate. | too, would “lay them doon and dee.” | And to such as may hap to give the lives they offer so freely may there come to br ten the bitter hour a thought of the afternoon when San 2 good-by and sem rich in an affection which came near received order “Blow -your e whistle blew. Then . crowded deck and the rigging clung would come a serfes [ to which spontaneous re- I in, and the clamor hardly K pause. There were ches for the Governor and the ate officials g alongside in the show of gold Th were cheers f e th boat aflc 3 white a if t if only it di; blue, and just as the n-going anest as r .r moving with slow dignity up down. There were w hall boats One cont ed a f the crudest type. 1d two girls. They had some flags “Blow your whistle,” de- waved £ the blossoms aboard Peki “They'd have blowed a whist they’ had 1 “Three ¢ one a jolly you wi At the vhich was the em- arch drew near. Then the sol- hout the that emblem to the f gallants » mothe: t could they > deck of the Monarch saluted the women on <isses as pure as bestowed aying farewell to those their own blood. And the salute would have been returned. the lips arch came to the side of the Peking and | was r fast. the forward deck stood 2 woman who had been active in 1d she wore a pin of sh soldier spled it. “I would like to have She took it from her a handkerchief t that had been scramble who had niled back his riumph. Per the token some ¢ the o He tipr - SR the tok ked for it gra ps he will It may carry his mind bac a comfort. to a knowledge that he has a place in the common affection. Keep well the pin, young soldier. She who gave it is one of many whose prayers will follow you wherever fate may call etimes for several minutes the would be so deafening that the s seemed to be playing in panto- mime. Whistle vied with whistle, and from every throat there would issue all the sound of which it was ca le. One could be conscious that he himself was cheering, but his neighbors’ cheers he would have to take on faith Then there would be a lull, and into it would break the faint boom of a cannon. All the while the men were laughing as blithely as if they were bound for a pleasing excursion, and through all the noise there proceeded the work of put- ting supplies on board. The Cty of Sydney was ready, as those versed in signal lore afirmed they could read. The Mon- | | The Australia seemed impatient at the galling anchor chain, and the last barge load at the side of the City of Peking was rapidly disappearing within. The tugs alongside were ordered to cast off There were a few blasts from the steamer’s whistle, a rattle of steel, and the great ship began to mov Then began a spec- tacle magnificent, profoundly touching, stirring to their depths the emotions of e and sorrow and pride. st the ship moved so slowly that scarce a ripple shimmered at her prow; then faster and faster, until, “with a bone in her teeth,” she sped in the golden pathway made by the sinking sun, out toward the gate which guards the Pacific, and away, away, farther and more far from the tugs and launches which hurried after. Smoke poured in great volumes from her stacks; her towering spars grew dim in the distance. Then the Australia straightened herself out and came in the wake of the Peking, and a little behind was the City of Sydney. No procession more stately ever plowed the Western seas than that which passed into history when our boys began their long journey. As it went the redouts of Alcatraz thundered and Black Point and Fort Point ac- knowledged the event with their brav- st guns. The three ships drew close to each other and so vanished. Over the decks of the tugs dashed a storm of spray, but it could drive none to seek shelter. Every eye was upon the trio ips, and yet it was isfaction look ashore and hills with people and the catch a A g began to roll in, a cloud lowered. It swallowed up the masts and then not even the smoke could be seen. to see alive mpse of flags and waving white. Our boys had gone. The tugs turned back. The wind died down. The flags drooped. Voic were no longer ralsed. The ships fading into the twilight horizon seemed almost a tragedy. There was a sense of deso- lation and chill. California has been From here went the first soldiers to fight a battle during the present war. From here have gone the first regiments which in all the years the country has sent to other lands to uphold its flag. They We glory in them. May honor be theirs and victory. were our friends. THE GOVERNOR AND STAFF SAY FAREWELL. A Salute of Twenty-One Guns Fired From the State Flagship and the Transports Pass Out to Sea. Word was passed around the inner circles of National Guard field and staff officers that the fleet for th> Philippines would sail at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. With little delay Adjutant General Bar- rett, General Dickinson. General War- field and others boarded the Harbor Commissioners’ boat, the Governor Markham, and put off to the Manila fleet in the stream. The tug was be tifully dressed for the event the Stars and u- and with Stripes displayed the Governor’'s flag. The band that has been on duty f several days escorting regiments from the depot along Market street was aboard the boat and dis- coursed patriotic airs to the delight of distinguished. | the cheering soldiers on the big ships. The first visit was paid to the City | of Peking. The tug ran close along- | side the mammoth : -=mship and the men of the First California crowded to catch the news and talk to their visi- tors from the shore. Caeers were given | for Colonel Smith, Lieutenant Colonel | Duboce and the n jors of the respective | battalions. The next call m:ade was on the steam- ship Australia, where men of the Four- | teenth U.ited States Infantry and Ore- | gon Volunteers responded to the greet- ings of the officers on board the Mark- [ham. Lieutenant Cloman, U. S. A., commigsary of subsistence, was singled out for an ovation. He ca: e to the rail and received three cheers from his fel- low soldiers on the tug. Cheers were likewise given for tke Uregon boys, for the regulars and Captain Geary. The tug then steamed alongside the City of Sydney and cheered the brave men aboard of that ship. The band played the “Star Spangled Banner,” “Ameri- | ca,” “Auld Lang Syne” White and Blue.” Meanwhile the fleet of visiting tugs and steamers was constantly increa ing in number until the ships preparing and “Red, to sail for the Orient were surrounded by saluting craft. The music of count- less bands, the noise of numerous whistles, the shouting and cheering, to- gether with the responsive voices from the ships, made such a volume of sound that individual greetings could not be distinguished from the chorus of salu- tation. The man at the wheel on the Mark- ham had his eve on the anchor of the Peking and ex holding the wl le cord: “When you see the ring of the an- chor blow the whistle for all that's out.” Presently some one remarked, “There goes the blue peter,” and short- ly the anchor ring came above the water. This was the signal for turn- ing loose all the whistles on the waters of the bay and the land of the penin- sula. Instantly tug: de haste to get in line for the start toward the Golden Gate. The Peking, released from her moorings, drifted half ip's length, and then the stately 1 set her course for the sea and soon acquired speedy headway. The superb steamship Australia gave the flagship chance to get a fa start before giving an exhibition of her own speed. The'style and go displayed by the Australia before the salutes of Alcatraz had been counted convinced the spectators that she could easily lead the fleet to Manila. The City of dney came along in good form, but did not give an exhibition of fast run- ning for the pleasure of onlookers. | The State tug Governor Merkham in- tended to sail close té the flazship and | fire a salute in honor of the flag at | elose quarters, but the excursion steam- er Ukiah cut in, and the salute had to be fired at adjutant-general had estimated ve: a The volunteers aboard the Peking respond- | ed to the salute with prolonged cheers. Hardly had the smoke the Mark- | ham's guns vanished when Alcatraz paid a booming compliment of eleven guns to the outgoing fleet. acknowledged the compliment from the picturesque island batte When Fort Point scorting tugs and steamers, | the pace of the fleet too fast for small | eraft, came about and sailed for the | nearest home port. And so, as the sun was declining on a | | beautiful day in May, the first colamn of American soldiers for war in the | Orient sailed through the Golden Gate. HUGH M. BURKE. S CHEERED THE TROOPS FROM THE SHORE | Crowds Gathered on the Wharves and Hilltops and Waved a Fare- well to the Soldlers. All day long people waited on the docks to see the three big transports | start on their voyage to the Orient. By 1imed to his companion | Cheer after | cheer from the men aboard the Peking | was reached the | finding | noon the wharves commanding a view of Mission Bay, where the ships were men, women and children, each armed with abundance of enthusfasm. Rumors were freely circulated that | the troop ships would not sail until this | morning, but still the crowds waited, | their numbers being steadil | ed. At length the news time of departure had been definitely fixed for 3 oclock and there was a rush from all parts of the city. The docks at the north end of the front were soon filled and the entire length of the sea- wall was lined with spectators. | Out in the bay gaily bedecked craft | of every description, from the bobbing | Whitehall to launches, tugs and steam- were circling about the three big each crowded to its utmost ca- pacity with nofsy passengers. | A few minutes after 3 o'clock the ‘blue peter” was hoisted on the Aus- tralia, General Anderson’s ship, and when the seafaring men explained to the land-lubbers that it was the signal to get under way a shout went up, roll- ing along the entire front like a great | billow. The Sydney est up the bay, was the first to get her anchor up, the Peking following less than a minute later, while the Australia did not begin to move until the others were well under way. The Pek | swept along well in to the dc her decks swarming with the boys of the gallant First taking their final leave of heme, while in the bow was gathered | the detachment of seventy-five sailors | going out to join Dewey’s fleet. The | cheers of the men could | caused by the whistles of shops, mills and factories on nd every steam craft on the bay, all of which opened up the minute the ships began to mave. Further out the Australia skimmed along, the Oregon boys vieing with the parting shouts of the multitudes on shore. riding at anchor, were crowded with | an American flag and a super- | 1 | augment- | spread that the | | b which was lying furth- | ing first | | ney, P l Invasion. Hardly a mile behind came the Syd- ssengers also answering cheer with cheer. All three ships were under full headway long before they got to Alcatraz, and they rushed through the gate at a clip that will land the slowest of them in Honolulu well within seven days. The opinion was freely expressed along the front that the -Australia would arrive Honolulu at least ten hours ahead of the others., They will all make the run at top speed and should be in sight of each other for the next four days. Grant. They were anchored off Folsom street, clad in their war paint, and trim and light as ducks. When the trans- ports began to move the fore three cutters swarmed sea- men, each one waving a huge Amer- ican flag. The whistles of the little warships joined in the grand chorus, the salute being returned by each of the transpo: Not til the Sydney was well out of sight did the people abandon their coigns of advantage on the wharves and return to- their homes. e THE NAVAL RESERVE CALLED TO DUTY Man the Mosquito Fleet and Fill Up the Mohican’s Crew. The call has come to the naval mi- litia at last, and the men of the re- Wwill erve will have a chance to see ser- | vice. At half past 11 yesterday morn- ing Adjutant-General Barrett was plainly | T | heard even through the frightful din asked furnish to the Government men and of " Vigilant and Active, and three and fifty men for the sloop-of- war Mohican. By half past 2 o'clock General Barrett was able to answer that he had the men and officers ready and that they would be mustered for duty in the time it took to bring them to the city. The call was for fifteen to quc offic Perhaps the prettiest scene on the | v, as viewed from shore, were the venue cutters Corwin, Rush and to man the tugs Iro- | SAILED TO MEET THE SPANISH FOE. The California Regiment the First of American Troops to Leave the Home Shores on a Foreign officers and 135 men, and within three hours they had been selected and had reported ready. The order for men came from Ad- miral John A. M commander of the Pacific station. In his letter to the ad- jutant-general he stated that the offi- cers required would be asked to pass only the physical xamination and would have to se a leave of ab- sence from the nor for one year before they would be accepted. Slight disabilities would be waived, he wrote, but would have to be noted on the ap- pointment, and under no circumstances would a commission be granted of a higher grade than that of a lieutenant. In the request for men and in the service which they are to be assigned to the California Naval Militia has been paid a compliment not accorded that of any other State. The three tugs will be manned and officered from alow to aloft by naval reserves; they will man the decks, the guns, the firerooms and the bunkers, and there will not be a regular man or officer on board. So far the Government has contented it- | self with putting the reserves on board | vessels partly manned by regular sea- men, or at least with the higher offi- cers drawn from the regulars, but the patrol fleet of this coast will have the unique distinction of being a militia fleet, so far as the three tugs, so well known in this bay, are concerned. They | will be attached to Admiral Miller's | fleet. The draft of officers for the various vessels s as follows: l For the Iroquois— H. Turner for captain, rank lieutenant; T. A. Nerney for lieutenant, junior grade; A. H. Elliott for ensign; H. P. for passed assistant ensign, relative rank | lieutenant For the Vigilant. rank lieutenant; 2 Junior grade; G. R. Ka Ellis for assistant eng = n for captain, For the Mohican—William ke, lteu- | tenant: J. J. Delaney, ensign; W. G. Morrison, | ensign L. H. Turner, assigned to the TIro- quois, is the commander of the naval (lhn(r California comrades in answering longer distance than the | THE TROOPSHIPS, OFF ALCATRAZ, HEADING FOR THE SEA.