The Boys of '98 Part 48

The signal, having been prepared, is hoisted and left flying until the vessel to which the message has been sent signifies that it is understood by hoisting what is called the answering pennant. If the number hoisted by the flag-s.h.i.+p is a preparatory order for a fleet movement, it is left flying until all the vessels of the fleet have answered, and then is pulled down, the act of pulling the signal down being understood as the command for the execution of the movement just communicated.

It is often necessary for a man-of-war to communicate with a merchant vessel, or with some other war-s.h.i.+p belonging to a foreign country. For this purpose the international code is also carried in the signal-chest.

These signals are those in general use by all the merchant navies of the world for communication by day at sea. There are eighteen flags and a code pennant, corresponding to the consonants of the alphabet, omitting x and z. The code pennant is also used with these signals.

If a message is to be sent at night, the Ardois system of night signals, with which all our vessels carrying an electric plant are fitted, is employed. These signals consist essentially of five groups of double lamps, the two lamps in each group containing incandescent electric lamps, and showing white and red respectively. By the combination of these lights letters can be formed, and so, letter by letter, a word, and hence an order, can be spelled out for the guidance of the s.h.i.+ps of the squadron.

These lamps are suspended on a stay in the rigging, and are worked by a keyboard from the upper bridge.

On the smaller s.h.i.+ps of the service, those which are not fitted with electric lighting, Very's night signals are used. This set includes the implements for firing and recharging the signals.

The latter show green and red stars on being projected from pistols made for them. The combination in various ways is used to express the numbers from one to nine and cipher, so that the numbers, to four digits, contained in the signal-book, may be displayed. The Myer wigwag system is employed either by day or by night. Flags and torches are employed. The official flag is a red field with a small white square in the centre; the unofficial flag is the same with the colours reversed. The operator, having attracted the attention of the s.h.i.+p which is to be signalled by waving the flag or torch from right to left, transmits his message by motions right, left, and front, each motion the element of a letter of the alphabet, the letter being made up of from one to four motions.

When circ.u.mstances permit, the heliograph is sometimes used. The rays of the sun are thrown by a system of mirrors to the point with which it is desired to communicate, and then interrupted by means of a shutter, making dots and dashes as used in the Morse telegraph code. This system is used only when operations ash.o.r.e are going on, as the rolling of the s.h.i.+p would prevent the concentration of the sun's rays.

The present systems of flag signalling are products of experience in the past, and are the natural growth of the cruder flag system in use during the War of 1812, and in the Civil War. There have been some changes in the construction of flags, and the scope of communication has been enlarged, but otherwise our forefathers talked at sea in much the same way as we do now. Of course the Ardois light signal is something very modern. In old times they communicated at night either with coloured lights or by torches, and, as there was no alphabetical code in those days, the process was by means of flashes (representing numbers in the signal book), and it was long and tedious.

APPENDIX C.

SANTIAGO DE CUBA.

Santiago is the most easterly city on the southern coast of Cuba, second only to Havana in its strategic and political importance, and is the capital of the eastern department, as well as its most flouris.h.i.+ng seaport.

The harbour, now become famous as a theatre of action where American heroism was displayed, is thus described by Mr. Samuel Hazard, in his entertaining work on Cuba:

"Some one now remarks that we are near to Cuba; but, looking landward, nothing is seen but the same continuous mountains which we have had for the last twelve hours, except where, low down on the sh.o.r.e, there seems to be a slight opening in the rocky coast, above which stands, apparently, some dwelling-house. However, time tells, and in a half hour more we discover the small opening to be the entrance to a valley, and the dwelling-house to be the fort of the Cabanas. Still, no town and no harbour; and yet ahead we see, high upon a rocky cliff, a queer-looking old castle, with guns frowning from its embrasures, and its variegated walls looking as if they were ready to fall into the waves das.h.i.+ng at their base. That is the Morro Castle, which, with the battery of Aguadores, the battery of the Estrella, and the above named Cabanas, commands the approaches to the harbour and town of Cuba.

"The rocky sh.o.r.e above and below the castle has scattered along it the remains of several vessels, whose captains, in trying to escape from the dangers of the storm, have vainly sought to enter the difficult harbour, and the bleaching timbers are sad warnings to the mariner not to enter there except in the proper kind of weather. And now we are up to the castle, and a sharp turn to the left takes us into a narrow channel and past the Morro and the battery adjoining, whose sentry, with a trumpet as big as himself, hails our vessel as she goes by; and soon we find ourselves in a gradually enlarging bay, around which the mountains are seen in every direction. As yet we have seen no town, and no place where there will likely be one; but now a turn to the right, and there, rising from the water's side almost to the top of the mountains, is seen Santiago de Cuba, with its red roofs, tall cathedral towers, and the green trees of its pretty Paseo, lighted up by the evening sun, forming a brilliant foreground to the hazy blue mountains that lie behind the city....

"Rising gradually from the bay, upon the mountainside, to the high plain called the Campo del Marte, the city of Santiago reaches in its highest point 160 feet above the level of the sea, and commands from almost any portion superb views of the bay at its feet and of the majestic ranges of mountains that surround it. With a population of about fifty thousand inhabitants, it has regularly laid out streets and well-built houses of stone in most portions of the city; though being built as it is on the side of a hill, many of the streets are very steep in their ascent, and from the constant was.h.i.+ng of the rains, and the absence of side-walks, are anything but an agreeable promenade.

"The town was founded in 1515, by Diego Velasquez, considered the conqueror of the island, who landed here in that year on his first voyage; and it was from here that Juan de Grijalva, in 1518, started on his expedition for the conquest of Yucatan, being followed by Hernando Cortes, who, however, was compelled to stop at Havana (as it was called then), now Batabano. In 1522 the distinctions of 'City' and 'Bishopric' were bestowed upon the town, having been taken from the older town of Baracoa, where they had been bestowed in honour of that place being the first European settlement; and in 1527 Fr. Miguel Ramirez de Salamanca, first bishop of the island, arrived and established here his headquarters.

"In 1528 Panfilo de Narvaez set sail from here on his expedition for the conquest of Florida, where he met his fate and found a tomb.

"In 1528 Hernando de Soto arrived here with nearly one thousand men, having been authorised, in addition to the command of his Florida expedition, to a.s.sume that of the whole island of Cuba.

"In 1553 the city was captured by four hundred French arquebusiers, who took possession of it until a ransom of $80,000 was paid, the invaders remaining nearly a month in the city, and as late as 1592, so frequent were the attacks of pirates on this town, that it is related the place was almost depopulated by the inhabitants taking refuge at Bayamo, some distance in the interior.

"In 1608, the cathedral having been ruined by an earthquake, the Bishop Lalcedo removed his residence to Havana, and almost all the diocesans, as well as the ecclesiastical chapter, did the same, which action created great excitement, the superior governor and chief of the island opposing it.

"The Parroquial Church of Havana was about to be made into a cathedral, through the efforts of the prelate, Armen Dariz, but these were opposed by the captain-general, Pereda. The bishop then excommunicated said chief and all in his vicinity, all the clergy even going in procession to curse and stone his house.

"In 1662 there was a serious attack made upon the place by a squadron of fifteen vessels under Lord Winsor, whose people landed at the place now known as the 'Aguadores,' and to the number of eight hundred men marched without opposition on the city, of which they took possession, after repulsing a small force sent out to meet them. The invaders, it appears, partook freely of the church-bells, carried off the guns from the forts, took charge of the slaves, and not finding the valuables they antic.i.p.ated, which had been carried off by the retreating inhabitants, they, in their disappointment, blew up the Morro Castle, and destroyed the cathedral, remaining nearly a month in possession of the city.

"It was not until 1663, therefore, that the castle now known as the Morro was rebuilt, by order of Philip I., and at the same time the fortresses of Santa Catalina, La Punta, and La Estrella.

"In July and August, 1766, a large portion of the city was ruined by earthquakes, more than one hundred persons being killed.

"The town has the honour of having for its first mayor, or 'alcalde,'

Hernando Cortes; and it is said that the remains of Diego Velasquez, the first explorer and conqueror, were buried there in the old cathedral. It is related in corroboration of this fact, that on the 26th of November, 1810, on digging in the cemetery of the new cathedral, the broken slab of his tomb was found, seven and a half feet under ground, the inscription upon which is illegible, with the exception of a few Latin words giving name and date."

APPENDIX D.

PORTO RICO.

Porto Rico was discovered by Columbus in November, 1493. In 1510 Ponce de Leon founded the town of Caparra, soon after abandoned, and now known as Pureto Viejo, and in 1511, with more success, the city of San Juan Bautista, or better known simply as San Juan. The native inhabitants were soon subdued and swept away. In 1595 the capital was sacked by Drake, and in 1598 by the Earl of c.u.mberland. In 1615 Baldwin Heinrich, a Dutchman, lost his life in an attack on the Castello del Morro. The attempt of the English, in 1678, was equally unsuccessful, and Abercrombie, in 1797, had to retire after a three days' strife. In 1820 a movement was made toward the declaration of independence on the part of the Porto Ricans, but Spanish supremacy was completely reestablished by 1823. The last traces of slavery were abolished in 1873.

San Juan is the ideal city and spot of the whole island, saving that it is well fortified, for it is the coolest, the healthiest port, with thirty-eight feet of water in the harbour, and twenty-eight feet of water alongside the coal wharves. It is the only port on the island with fortifications. There are barracks in a few of the larger towns, but outside of the eight thousand or ten thousand troops there are very few fighting men on the island.

The volunteers are not looked upon as a great factor in fighting by those who know them, and are almost all Spaniards. The Guardia Civil is made up of the best of the Spanish army, and commands great respect. The Porto Rican civilians do not have to enter the army service unless they please, and very few of them please.

The defences of San Juan are good. San Felippe del Morro fortress is at the entrance of the harbour. It is the princ.i.p.al defence from the sea, and has three rows of batteries. It is separated by a strong wall from the city, which lies at the back of it, but communication between the city and fort is had by a tunnel.

The roads of Porto Rico are, for the most part, bad. There are some notable exceptions. There is a splendid road built by the Spanish government from Ponce to San Juan. It is about eighty-five miles long, and a young Porto Rican told the writer that he frequently went over it on his bicycle, and it was splendid all the way. Another road from Guayama, meeting the Ponce road at Cayey, has been recently finished. The scenery is the most beautiful in the West Indies, for tropical wild flowers are all over the island, and large tree ferns and magnificent plants everywhere abound. There are no venomous snakes nor wild animals of any kind in Porto Rico. Oranges and other tropical fruits thrive in Porto Rico, but they are not specially cultivated.

Some years ago a railway around the island was projected, but only three sections have been built. There is one to the north from San Juan to Camuy, one on the west from Aguadilla to Mayaguez, and one on the south from Yauco to Ponce. Any one wis.h.i.+ng to travel around the coast from San Juan to Ponce would be obliged to continue their journey by stage-coaches, one from Camuy to Aguadilla, and one from Mayaguez to Yauco.

San Juan has about forty thousand inhabitants, and Ponce has almost thirty thousand. There are many towns of between twelve thousand and thirty thousand people. The buildings are low and are of wood. There are a few three-story buildings in Ponce, and these are the latest examples of modern construction.

APPENDIX E.

THE BAY OF GUANTANAMO.

On the extreme southeastern coast of Cuba, some distance east of Santiago, is Guantanamo, or c.u.mberland Bay. It is an exceedingly beautiful sheet of water, with a narrow entrance, guarded by high hills. It extends twelve miles inland, with a level coast-line to the westward, and high hills on the north and east.

Five miles from the entrance is the little town of Caimanera, from which runs a railroad to the town of Guantanamo, twelve miles distant, with its terminus at the town of Jamaica. There are two and one-half square miles of anchorage, with a depth of forty feet, so far inside as to be fully protected from the wind. For vessels drawing twenty-four feet or less there are about two more square miles of harbourage.