With the Battle Fleet: Cruise of the Sixteen Battleships of the United States Atlantic Fleet from Hampton Roads to the Golden Gate, December, 1907-May, 1908Matthews, Franklin
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With the Battle Fleet: Cruise of the Sixteen Battleships of the United States Atlantic Fleet from Hampton Roads to the Golden Gate, December, 1907-May, 1908
Matthews, Franklin
United States. Navy. Atlantic Fleet -- Cruise, 1907-1909
Then the Chacabuco signalled that she intended to run into Talcahuano,
the Chilean naval port, and would send messages of our safe passage
through Magellan and also notify the Chilean authorities of the hour of
our arrival in Valparaiso. The two Admirals had agreed upon 2 o'clock on
the afternoon of Friday, February 14. The day after the Chacabuco left,
the air cleared. She agreed to meet us again at noon on February 13 at a
certain latitude and longitude and sure enough shortly after 8 o'clock
on the 13th, her smoke and that of three torpedo boats accompanying her
was made out. On they came and they were abeam at exactly noon. Behind
them was a large passenger steamer, loaded down with folks from
Concepcion, Chile. That ship ran close to the fleet and gave its
passengers a fine view. Then those in the fleet knew that Chile took
intense interest in the passage.
It was necessary to slow to nine, then to eight and then to seven knots
so as not to reach Valparaiso ahead of time. The sea calmed, the sun
came out and a more perfect afternoon was never witnessed on the ocean.
Daybreak on the morning of the 14th showed a lowering sky. Just before 9
o'clock the Chilean coast could be made out and then the fleet made one
or two turns and twists, apparently to kill a little time. Admiral
Simpson took his place at the head of the column which had been formed
and his three torpedo boats took up positions on our right flank, the
side nearest to the city in the harbor, so as to protect the line from
any intrusion. Just before 1 o'clock we could make out the people on
the high hills south of Angeles Point, fittingly named for a great
cemetery sloped up the hillside. The place was black with spectators.
Around the point we could see the puffs of a salute, given probably by
one of the forts or ships to note the arrival of President Montt. Then
we came close to Angeles Point. The beach was thronged. There were tents
where jimcracks were being sold and double decker tram cars were loaded
to the limit. It seemed as if all Valparaiso had come out to that place.
The glasses were turned upon Fort Valdivia, just beyond Point Angeles.
It is a naval station.
Suddenly a midshipman discovered that there was a sign in English on one
of its terraces. It said:
"Welcome!"
"That's mighty nice to whitewash a lot of stones in that way, isn't it?"
said an officer on the bridge.
Three minutes later the navigator sang out:
"Captain, that sign isn't made of stones. It's made of men!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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