With the Battle Fleet Part 17

"And G.o.d said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters and let it divide the waters from the waters.

"And G.o.d made the firmament and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament, and it was so."

Any one who has sailed through the Strait of Magellan can easily believe it was there that G.o.d began to divide the waters from the waters. Any one also who has sailed through the strait into the heaving, tossing Pacific, wrongly named for that part of the world, could realize the full significance of what was in the heart of a sailor of the midwatch who sang softly to himself as you pa.s.sed him:

"Rocked in the cradle of the deep!"

CHAPTER IX

IN AND OUT OF VALPARAISO HARBOR

Courtesy That Means Cordial Relations for Many Years--Eight Hundred Guns Proclaim Peace--President Montt Reviews Ships and Congratulates by Wireless--Wonderful Sailing of the Battleships Amid Thick Fog on the Rolling Pacific--Formation Preserved in the Dark--Great Scene in the Sunlight as the Armada Swept In Near the Sh.o.r.e and Thundered Salutations to Vast Throng of Chileans--The Animated "Welcome" Sign--Meeting With the Chicago.

_On Board U. S. S. Louisiana, U. S. Battle Fleet_, AT SEA, Feb. 15.

An act of international courtesy, unprecedented in American naval annals at least, and probably unprecedented in the world's history, occurred yesterday in the harbor of Valparaiso, Chile, when Admiral Evans sailed in and out of the harbor, saluting the port and then the President of Chile in person. It was a demonstration which in not only its immediate but its far-reaching effects was worth probably more than a quarter of a century's exchange of diplomatic notes and expressions.

Moreover, for sundry reasons which the intelligent observer of more or less recent events can appreciate, there was no better place on the South American continent for such a remarkable performance. Especially gratifying to Admiral Evans were the cordial messages of thanks and esteem he received by wireless. The last time he sailed away from Valparaiso kind words did not follow him. Thus does time and a marked advance in naval power work wonders in international affairs.

The greatest honors that the fleet of any nation could pay to the head of another nation were paid to President Montt. They were precisely such as the fleet paid to President Roosevelt on the departure from Hampton Roads. They differed only in their setting. The flag of another republic was at the main. Three times as many people witnessed the spectacle in Valparaiso as observed it in Hampton Roads. The saluting was in a foreign port, girt about with lofty hills instead of the low lying and far distant sh.o.r.es of Chesapeake Bay. Elaborately dressed shipping, flying the flags of half a dozen nations, added color to the scheme.

A great city terraced up the mountain sides made a holiday to gaze, first in silence and then with cheers, at an armada which meant not conquest but a visible message of safety from conquest by European Powers, and an a.s.surance that not only Chile but every other Power in South or Central America could pursue the path of commercial and intellectual development secure from the envy and avarice of other parts of the world. Exhibiting that fleet to Chile was like showing her a paid-up, interminable insurance policy of peace, made out in the name of all American peoples. Judging from the responses it elicited Chile liked the way the policy read.

Few harbors in the world are better adapted for such a scene. There is no deep bay, no narrow channel to choke the entrance. The harbor is simply an open roadstead of the Pacific. All that Admiral Evans had to do was to turn to one side, sweep along the city front just outside the line of moored shipping and pa.s.s on. He was on the broad swells of the Pacific again within an hour from the time he had turned in sh.o.r.e. It was an hour of education for Chile, with a lesson in it that otherwise she could not learn in years, and at its conclusion there was such a genuine note of appreciation in the exchange of farewells that any student of the forces that work for good or evil in international affairs must have been glad that the courtesy call was made.

One also could understand somewhat the feelings of Admiral Evans, who, after it was all over, sent this characteristic Evans message to the fleet in words that every man on every ship understood thoroughly:

"The Commander-in-Chief thanks the officers and men of the fleet for the handsome way they did the trick to-day."

It was handsome and it was stirring. Of course the word trick was used by the Admiral only in a colloquial sense; there was no trick about it, for it was simply going a little out of the way to be nice and decent to a people who for many years had mistrusted us and had said things too.

But what is the use of being a big nation if you can't be big hearted with it and show that you don't hold resentments? A thousand to one that Chile's sincere friendship will be ours for many, many years to come.

Unusual as this cruise is, it is the unusual and unexpected that have come out from it as its salient features. The profound indifference of the people of Trinidad to the fleet was unusual and something of a b.u.mp.

The exuberant welcome and unrestrained hospitality of Brazil was unusual. The salutes to the flags exchanged between the fleets of Argentina and the United States on the high seas were unusual. The despatch of a cruiser on the part of Chile to its most remote port and carrying our Minister was unusual. The Vice-Admiral salutes given all along the line to Admiral Evans, whether by accident or design, were unusual. Having a warship escort the fleet through almost the entire length of its coast line, as Chile did, was unusual. Lastly the departure from an established programme to run into the greatest harbor of another nation to fire salutes to its flag and President was unusual.

From the moment that the fleet headed out into the Pacific from the Strait of Magellan, in company with the flagship Chacabuco carrying the flag of Admiral Simpson of the Chilean navy, there was much speculation as to the kind of reception it would receive in Valparaiso. The great cordiality shown by Admiral Simpson and the Chilean authorities in Punta Arenas bespoke the warmest kind of a welcome. But speculation still continued, and indeed there was little else to do, for a fog settled upon the waters, which, added to the turbulent condition of the Pacific, made the trip for several days one of comparative gloom. Occasionally the fog would lift and you could catch a glimpse of some of the other divisions of the fleet. Once after nearly twenty-four hours it vanished completely and there was a genuine ring of satisfaction over the sight it must have presented to the Chacabuco far off to the westward, for there was the entire American fleet exactly in position, sailing precisely as if there had been no fog to hide the ships from one another. But everybody knew that it would be so.

"That's going some; wonder what the Chilean Admiral thinks of that?" was heard on all sides.

Then the fog shut in again and for two days more the fleet ploughed on.

It was in a column of divisions formation, that is, the four ships of the first division were abreast of one another and 400 yards apart.

Twelve hundred yards astern the ships of the second division were in a similar formation. The third and fourth followed in the same way.

Sometimes the fog was so thick that on the Louisiana, which was on the left flank of the first line, we couldn't see our nearest neighbor, the Vermont. The Connecticut, off to the right, would toot her letter on the whistle, the Kansas would toot hers at once and then the Vermont would sound hers, followed by the Louisiana. The steering was done by compa.s.s almost entirely. Occasionally we would find the Vermont inching over to us and she would loom up out of the fog quite near, but her whistle would say:

"Give me a little more room, please; the Kansas is crowding me over.

When she goes back toward the flagship, or the flagship eases off a bit, I'll go back. Just a little room, please!"

Then the Louisiana would swing off and a fog bank would cut off sight of each other. Then there would be another lift and it would be found that one ship was a hundred yards or so ahead of the others, or perhaps that they were exactly in line. The searchlights on the ships were thrown abeam so that for most of the time it was comparatively easy to tell where your immediate neighbor was. Sometimes we could hear the ships of the other divisions whistling faintly and we wondered whether the fleet formation had been broken seriously by currents or faulty steering, but every time the fog lightened there the ships were, shifted now and then a little, but in the main exactly where they should be.

Then the Chacabuco signalled that she intended to run into Talcahuano, the Chilean naval port, and would send messages of our safe pa.s.sage 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 lat.i.tude 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 pa.s.senger steamer, loaded down with folks from Concepcion, Chile. That ship ran close to the fleet and gave its pa.s.sengers a fine view. Then those in the fleet knew that Chile took intense interest in the pa.s.sage.

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 gla.s.ses 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!"

A dozen gla.s.ses were focussed upon the sign at once. Sure enough, stretched upon the terrace there lay a human sign, made up of sailors or naval cadets in white. It took three mens' length to make the height of a single letter. Two men were required for the top and the bottom of the letter O. These men must not have been entirely comfortable for they lay there fully an hour, but the sign was as immobile as if it were made of stone. That compliment touched the kindly feeling of every one on the ships. It made a sensation. No one had ever seen anything like that.

There was no way of answering it in kind, as you can in saluting; you could only look at it in dumb amazement and feel grateful.

You were glad then that the compliment had been paid to Admiral Simpson of allowing him to lead the fleet in with his little cruiser--no Chilean naval officer ever had such a post of honor--and all the ships took keen notice of the signal from the flagship to fire a simultaneous salute of twenty-one guns when notice should be given. As the fleet turned in the gla.s.ses revealed a large collection of ships, some of them old whalers, lying in the harbor. Grand stands had been built on various eminences for the people and hundreds of white parasols showed that the fair s.e.x was alive to the great sea-show.

Half an hour before the fleet approached the harbor it was noticed that a great canopy of blue sky rested over it. Out where the fleet was it was still lowering. Abreast of Fort Valdivia the fleet emerged into the sunshine and stood clearly revealed. Every ship had a bright new American ensign at its gaff and foretruck. At every main there was a Chilean ensign. A fresh breeze started up and blew the ensigns out proudly. Nature helped dress the ships in their best.

Around Point Angeles the Connecticut swept slowly and majestically. She got well inside the harbor and was almost abeam of Duprat Point when a set of flags fluttered to the signal yards. They said:

"Prepare to salute!"

The flags hung there until all the answering pennants were shown and then they wavered an instant as they began to fall, and at once the sixteen battleships roared out a salvo such as no one in Chile had ever heard before. The effect of the thunder was electric. The wind fortunately blew the smoke away from the ships. People on the sh.o.r.e were seen to jump and run. All along the sh.o.r.e line below Fort Valdivia they began to race back toward the city and harbor by the thousands. It was literally a stampede. Great clouds of dust engulfed them and partly hid them from view. It made those on the ships laugh.

"The town has gone out too far and now has to run back," they said.

Not so; a glimpse along the waterfront showed that what Lieut. Gherardi, commanding the little Yankton, which had arrived the day before and was anch.o.r.ed in the harbor, all beautifully dressed, had sent by wireless early in the morning was true. Gherardi said there was intense interest in the fleet and all the stores and banks had closed for the day. A clear s.p.a.ce in front of the shipping was preserved. Hundreds of launches, sailboats and rowboats were out on the water. The hills were black. The highways running down to the waterfront were filled. Flags were everywhere. All Valparaiso was out to see the great parade, and for a time it seemed that she was looking on in awe. Then there came sounds of cheering from sh.o.r.e and occasionally the sound of "The Star Spangled Banner" was heard as some band played it.

In less than two minutes after the fleet had fired its salute Fort Valdivia responded with twenty-one guns. Then three or four miles across the harbor at the other entrance puffs of smoke could be seen, showing that an army fort was giving its greeting and saying:

"Glad to see you!"

Admiral Simpson sent a message to Admiral Evans that President Montt was on the training ship Gen. Baquedano, clear across the harbor, near Fort Callao, which had fired the army salute. The fleet went into the harbor, made a slight turn and then sailed for about half a mile in a straight line close to the shipping and about a mile from sh.o.r.e. Then it curved away again toward the harbor entrance, following the lead of the Chacabuco. It now closed the entire harbor. Silently it approached an anch.o.r.ed training ship, whose yards were manned. The ship was crowded with high governmental functionaries and their families and friends. In one corner of the bridge the President could be made out with gla.s.ses.

The Chilean ensign with a coat of arms on it, the President's standard, was at the main. When within 100 yards of the Baquedano the Chacabuco began its salute of twenty-one guns to the flag of its President. A slight interval of silence followed and then the Connecticut roared out its personal greeting to the head of another nation. As each American ship approached it fired twenty-one guns. The air was filled with smoke, but the strong breeze blew it away and set the sixteen ensigns of Chile and the thirty-two of the United States all vibrating and snapping out almost as plainly as if you could hear it:

"Hurrah!"