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28 At Sea.

Started for Manila at 5 p.m., having subcalibre practice each day at sea.

Feb. 3. Manila, Isle de Luzon, Philippine Islands.

Anchored off Cavite at about 10 a.m. in company with the following squadron under Rear Ad-

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miral Kempff:- Newark, flagship; Isla de Cuba, Manila, Princeton, Nashville, Vicksburg, Wilmington, Culgoa, Glacier, Iris, Zafiro and Arethusa. I was not able to go to Manila because I was on watch nearly all the time, but I visited the Cavite Navy Yard several times on duty and found it interesting and bustling with activity.

8. Steamed to center of the bay and held record target practice from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. I was in a steam launch anchored fifteen hundred yards from target to observe fall of shots.

9. At Sea.

At 4:30 p.m. started for Hong Kong, passing Corrigedor Island at about eight o’clock.

10-11. Steaming against the heavy N.E. Monsoon which piled large seas against our bows. The breeze lighting upon the 11th, the speed increased exactly one knot, from 10 to 11 with 72 turns.

12. Victoria, Hong Kong I. Province of Kwang Tung, China.

Anchored in Hong Kong harbor at 8 a.m. Saluted the port with 21 guns, the English and German Vice Admirals with 15 guns each, and the American Rear Admiral Remey with 13 guns.

The following ships were in the harbor:-American, Brooklyn, Albany, Bennington and Isla de Luzon. Fifteen British ships, H.M.S. Centurion flagship. Two German ships, flagship H.I.M.S. Hansa. French ship Descart[e]s. Portuguese ship Daire. I took to the Albany the whaleboat that we had brought across the ocean for her.

15. The Austrian torpedo boat Jenta came in. H.M.S. Undaunted started for home, passing through the fleet and being cheered by all the British.

18. The island of Hong Kong is a single mountain situated at the mouth of the Hong Kong or Chu Kiang or Canton River [i] , as the river is variously called. There is about a quarter of a mile of flat land around the edge of the island, the mountain is

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eighteen hundred feet high and the island about 30 miles in circumference. The harbor is almost perfectly landlocked by the peninsula of Kowloon opposite the island, and other projections from the mainland, the province of Kwang Tung.

The city is so well built up with English stone houses that the Chinese quarter is not noticed from the harbor. The view of the mountain from the bay, with the houses on its sides and tops; and the view of the bay from the mountain with high land all around it, making it look very small, and the numerous warships and countless junks and sampans, are two of the prettiest sights in the world.

19. Roads have been constructed running steeply up the mountain in several places. These are built of hard cement, walled and provided with waterways, and roughened to give a firm foothold. Other roads slope up the mountain gradually, running for miles along its

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sides. A road encircles the mountain at its base, except where the precipices prevent. Another runs along the crest, while the best of all is a smooth road along the top of the viaduct which brings water to the city from the far southeastern end of the mountain.

[iii] The water supply comes from several mountain streams which run into a valley which a simple dam converts into a perfect reservoir which holds five hundred million gallons. The viaduct leads the water to a smaller artificial reservoir just above the city, whence it is distributed to the houses. Though the water comes from a mountain stream, it is necessary to boil or distil it before using on account of substances absorbed from the ground.

22. At noon today — Washington’s Birthday — all the English ships in the harbor saluted with the American ships, making fourteen ships saluting at the same time. The French and German ships dressed with flags in our honor but did not salute. The Oregon came in during the morning, and the French gunboat Comète left. The Concord anchored at 1:30 p.m.

23. A minstrel performance was given by the crew of the Kentucky at the City Hall auditorium. The object of the crew was to show that they could do better than the Brooklyn, whose crew gave a similar entertainment last week. Invitations were sent to all the foreign ships in port, and the hall was filled to standing room. The program was good and sometimes the English saw the jokes. A German warship came in.

25. The Brooklyn, with Rear Admiral Remey on board, left for Manila at 9 a.m., leaving the Kentucky flagship with Captain Chester as Senior Officer Present.

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1901 Hong Kong.

Feb. 26. A General Court Martial met on board at 1000 a.m. for the trial of cases belonging to various ships of the squadron.

Feb. 28. The General Court Martial convened at 10 a.m. for the trial of Sergeant Hodgson U.S.M.C. for sleeping while on duty. The Captain and several Ward Room Officers attended a Race Meeting at Happy Valley on the invitation of H.M.S. Goliath.

March 1 Went bicycle riding with three others, along the Conduit road, which is as flat as a table for about six miles, and curves and twists around the mountain side in such a way as to afford an excellent view, but also making it very easy to run off the road and tumble down the mountain while taking in the scenery. At the end of the level portion of the road, a steep hill has to be climbed and coasted down before reaching the Reservoir, above which on a hill is a tea house. While trying to go down this hill without a brake on his wheel, Naile’s bicycle got away from him and he was thrown off, but without serious damage.

3 At General Muster today (Sunday), letters of commendation from the Navy Department were delivered to two of the men who jumped overboard to save lives in Algiers. The Steamer China from San Francisco brought Captain C.H. Stoc[k]ton who is to relieve Captain Chester in Command of the Kentucky. Captain Stockton came aboard the Kentucky at 8 a.m.

5 The Newark, flagship of Rear Admiral Kempff entered the harbor early in the morning. I boarded her to present the offers of service from the former Senior Officer Present; the Newark had a rough passage but was in good trim. We had battalion drill in the morning and arm and away boats for distant service in the afternoon, the two captains inspecting. The Ward Room entertained some English Officers in the evening.

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1901 Hong Kong.

March 6. Collision drill in the morning was followed by abandon ship. I was sent away in a running boat just before the collision drill and returned to find all the boats down and provided. My boat came alongside to take me in.

7. Cleared ship for action and went to General Quarters. The ship was cleared in very quick time, the Fourth Division being ready in less time than it had ever before. Two accidents happened during the gun drill. A thirteen inch shell mashed a man’s foot in the forward handling room, and a dummy cartridge fell from the after eight inch ammunition car which was hoisted before being reported ready.

10. The Buffalo came in.

9. With Ensign Palmer, I started at half past eight in the morning intending to walk around the island. We walked to the eastwards, around Quarry Bay and the large sugar refinery, and past the straits between Hong Kong and the mainland to a little settlement on the end of Hong Kong where the hillsides are cut into flat steps for cultivation; and irrigation is carried on, with fresh water from a spring, by Chinamen carrying two watering pots on a bamboo pole on their shoulders. Not finding a road from here leading on our proper course, we left the sea-side and climbed a mountain peak, from which point we decided that we should have gone through a high gap on another mountain near by. In trying to reach this gap, Palmer went down the one mountain and climbed up the other, while I struggled through the jungles that filled the intervening space, trying not to lose the height I had gained. After reaching the gap we were no better off than before, and trying to find our way we climbed and descended two more mountains averageing [sic] twelve hundred feet high and very steep. We then gave up

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[Photograph of Hongkong “Cargo Boats and native crafts with their inhabitants thereon who life an amphibious life.”

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the idea of walking around the island, and being thoroughly exhausted we made our way to the tea-house by the Reservoir, arriving there at about three oclock. The Reservoir is supplied with water, during the rainy season, by what drains into it from the surrounding hillsides, and by what is caught by two catch-waters — cement lined troughs extending for miles around the mountain sides. We walked along one of these catchwaters from its beginning to where it let into the Reservoir, sloping imperceptibly, and the same size throughout.

11. The crew was assembled and Captain Chester and Captain Stockton read their orders, the former giving up, and the latter taking command of the Kentucky. Both captains said a few words to the crew. Captain Stockton summed up the requirements of a perfect vessel in saying that he wanted this “to be a clean, efficient and happy ship.”

12. Drilled at boats under sails. We have had a great deal of sailing practice the last week, the running boats being frequently sent in under sail. This is the most pleasant as well as interesting and instructive drill for both officers and men that we have. Naval Cadet Landram detached and left for the U.S.S. Yorktown.

14. After collision and pistol drill in the morning I was sent ashore to see the U.S.Consul on business of the Captain’s. Coming out to the ship in the running boat under sail the tide was so strong that almost nothing could be made to windward in the direction of the ship, and oars had to be gotten out.

During the afternoon, the steam launch of the U.S.S. Isla de Luzon was seen to be enveloped in escaping steam and drifting helplessly some distance from the Kentucky.

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[Photograph “No. 404--JOSS HOUSE.

This Temple is called by the Chinese “Tin How,” and is situated in the East Portion of the town of Victoria.

It is Cool retreat for Beggars and itinerant pie men; a fortune teller has also taken up his quarters beneath the entrance porch and seated as he is behind a table on the look-out for the credulous, there will be no difficulty to distinguish him from the others figures.

These fortune tellers associate themselves so closely with the manners and customs of the natives that they seem to have the divine attribute of being every-where. Further information respecting them is given in No. 86 of our series.”]

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The Coxswain of the 1st Steamer, which was at the boom, was away from his boat, and I was in it inspecting. I shoved off and brought the Luzon’s launch alongside; she was afterwards towed to her own ship. A broken gauge glass was the cause of her being disabled.

The Commanding Officer called officially on the Governor of Hong Kong, on H.I.J.M. S. Tabeo, on H.M.S. Ocean, and on U.S.S. Buffalo. The French Gunboat Avalanche left the harbor.

15. The Major General of the Island and the private secretary of the Governor returned the calls made yesterday by the Comd’g Officer. H.M.S. Centurion and Lizard came in and anchored.

16 At 1:20 this afternoon the Belgian steamer Colonies, lying about one mile to the northward of the Kentucky, hoisted the international signal NM, “I am on fire.” Smoke was seen pouring from her after hatches. Ensign Palmer was sent in charge of the 1st Steamer with men and buckets and towing a whale-boat; I, also, went in the steamer. Later a cutter was sent with a handy-billy pump [v] and a length of hose. Our first boat, having no pump and hose could do nothing except aid at the pumps in the boats from English men-of-war. The pump from the second boat was taken on deck of the burning ship and accomplished some good, but great difficulty was experienced in starting it on account of the long suction hose. The English fleet sent numerous boats properly equipped and deserve all the credit for putting out the fire. A regular harbor fire boat and land fire engines on barges were also used. The fire was hard to put out, both coal and petroleum fuel were burning,

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and an enormous quantity of water was pumped into the ship before it stopped burning.

The excellent discipline and readyness of the English ships was very instructive. With our pumps and hose, at least two lengths of hose are needed and only a short suction hose; the pump should remain in the boat.

The U.S.S. Newark entered dry dock at the Kowloon Navy Yard, and Rear Admiral Kempff came aboard the Kentucky, unofficially, to spend a day.

17. Walked up Victoria Peak, 1800 ft high in 42 minutes, having claimed that I could do it in an hour.

18. The apprentice crew of this ship raced and was beaten by the crew of the Oregon in ten oared cutters. The race was a closely contested one of three miles, won by half a boat’s length, and four and one half seconds of time.

20 Coaled ship from the U.S.S. Naushau, Ensign Ridgely, Commanding. The Naushau came along our port side. The coal had to be hoisted from the hold of the collier, and this was a rather slow process. Three hundred tons were taken aboard.

With the Executive Officers permission we began rowing in the dinghy--the five cadets--the one on watch having permission to comeoff.

21 General Quarters; instructed crew of after 8” turret in simultaneous firing.

H.M.S. Sandpiper left, and the two first class Russian battleships Sevastopol and Potava came in.

At 3 o’clock p.m. with Pay Clerk Cato I started from the clock tower to walk to the Signal Station on the mountain. I got up there in 38 minutes and 40 seconds. After a short rest I walked fast, and part of the way, ran, down the hill, came off to the ship and went rowing--rowing hard. This exercise was a little too severe.

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March 22 The Newark being ordered home, Admiral Kempff has begun moving aboard this ship. The staff officers have crowded the cadets out of there [sic] individual rooms and we go back to the places we lived in originally.

23. The Rear Admiral, Senior Squadron Commander, hoisted his flag on this ship. The Marine Guard and Band were paraded, but no salute was fired.

24. The Gun Room Officers of H.M.S. Blenheim called on our Steerage. The Blenheim is the nearest British ship to us.

25. At General Quarters today practised with the different appliances for getting out shell. The regular differential tackles are better for taking shell out of the cribs, but if the shell are on the handling room floor, the hand shell hooks can manipulate them in half as much time as the others. While rowing we took a close look at the Russian battleships. They do not look as formidable when close to them as from a distance.

An American ship, wrecked on Prayas [vii] shoals a week ago, sent a boat which today arrived to ask for help. The small open boat came 180 miles in four days. Admiral Kempff sent the collier Jafiro, commanded by Ensign Cotten to rescue the crew of the ship.

28. The U.S. Minister to China, Mr. Conger, with his wife, daughter & niece came aboard the Kentucky during the morning, and were received with the customary honors and salutes. They were taken to the Japanese steamer Nippon Maru in which the Minister is taking passage for the United States. The British battleship Ocean sent three officers to call on our junior officer’s mess.

29. We returned the official visit of the Gun Room officers of H.M.S. Ocean. (cont’d on p. 84)

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The Kowloon Ship Yard & Dry Dock Company

This Company builds only small and rather cheap ships; but it is capable of making repairs of any kind whatever , to the largest of ships.

Their large dock will receive a ship five hundred feet long, drawing twenty six feet of water. The dock is pumped by two centrifugal pumps capable of emptying the dock in 4 hours. This is seldom done, however, as work is usually performed as the water goes down. The dock was built by blasting away a hill of rock, and it is lined with granite. All the facilities for blocking up and shoreing in the ships are excellent, but though the methods of hauling into dock are correct, the coolies do not work with as much precision and quickness as the force at the New York Navy Yard. The Kentucky came very near touching the side of the dock on entering. It isn’t probable that any damage would have been done if she had. [viii]

The largest crane will lift 25 tons. The most difficult forging on a ship is a main crank, while the piece requiring the largest lathe is the thrust bearing. I was informed by an official of the yard that these pieces could be made for a ship of the size of the Kentucky. A large new machine shop is being constructed, with a heavy overhead railway crane. When this is completed, large pieces can be handled with more ease and cheaper.

A large space in the yard is occupied by pitted and damaged propeller blades. From the very large number of them, it would seem that nearly all the merchant ships repairing in this port have cheap cast iron or steel propellers, and that pitting, like fouling, is rapid in these waters. Some of the blades are pitted quite through at the tips. These are very strongly repaired by a brass sleeve, which at the same time prevents further electrical action.

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His Excellency Governor Gascoigne [ix] called on the admiral and was saluted with fifteen guns at his departure.

30 The sailing boats of the English fleet raced around a triangular course in the harbor. A boat belonging to H.M.S. Ocean won. The Ocean fired a gun to announce the victory, and illuminated ship at night.

31 Naval Cadet Wright reported for duty.

April 1st. Kowloon

At one o’clock got underway and steamed to Kowloon Dry Dock, passing and exchanging honors with British, German and Russian men-of-war. We were warped into dock by lines to capstans ashore and stern lines to buoys. The water was slowly pumped out, while coolies scraped the ship’s bottom. The bottom was in excellent condition as regards rust and pitting, but was very foul with a species of living worms, which clung on with one end of their body and grabbed the water with the other.

Naval Cadet S.B.Thomas reported for duty.

2 Had company drill ashore in both morning and afternoon. Walked through the Ship Yard and city of Kowloon, the new city. Monday, April 8, is a festival called Sing Song Day. An annex to the local Joss House [x] is being constructed of bamboo as a place for some of the ceremonies, while an immense independent structure of bamboo, tied with bamboo strips, the sides of mats and the top of thatch of the same material, is erected as an auditorium, and will hold several thousands of people. The seats are bamboo poles, the decorations consist of bamboo mats with colored weaving or with paintin[g]s, and of innumerable relief figures, about 6 inches high, arranged in blocks which are moveable. I ran upon a British camp where a battalion of Sepoys [xi] were drilling. The drill was executed with great precision. Two British Navy chief-gunner’s mates, firing at a 12’x8’ target with a 3 foot bulls eye at 800 yards range with a Mannlicher rifle, hit the bulls eye nearly everytime.

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1901 Hong Kong, China. Kowloon Ship Yard, in Dock.

April 3 Company drill shore. Inspected Machine shops of Shipyard, and pumps of dry dock. Walked to Old Kowloon, passing through the new city where a procession connected with Sing Song Day (next Mond[a]y) was passing. The procession consisted of a parade of Joss House altars, of brilliant flags embroidered with dragons, and palanquins bearing neatly dressed children. The parade was half a mile long. The flags and clothes were all of newest silk and the numerous four pillared figures covered with laquer images, tiny, and decorated with tinsel and feathers, were not even gaudy, but an unfortunate feature was that these were carried by dirty coolies, which spoiled the impression to some extent. The Peninsula of Kowloon is covered with small ranges of hills. Lying in each little valley is a village, with its rice fields, gardens, animals and Joss House.

The Old City of Kowloon contains a very large population huddled together in an ill-smelling place, dead to the world. The streets are narrow; the shops are numerous and full, but the life of the city is stagnant. The Cemetery of this place is covered with rows of earthenware pots, in each of which is a skull and some bones.

4. Walked through shipyard.

5. At 8:15 a.m. left the dock and moored to buoy No. 2, to the eastward of our former position. I went ahead in the last Steamer, towing the 6th Cutter with which I helped to moor ship, taking on the hawser and hook rope.

6. Cleaned ship after coaling. Made all preparations for leaving Hong Kong by 6 p.m. but postponed getting underway in order to take some officers as passengers to Manila.