New-York tribune., 1883-06-20
THE TEAM OFF FOR EUROPE.
A GREAT CROWD TO SEE THE DEPARTURE
ESCORTED DOWN THE BAY BY THE POLICE BOAT
PATRoI-IOsT IN A FoG-%8 900 RAISED.

IDe officers or the Alaska SAID that tney dlu nob
think that such largo crowd had ever as
| sembled before to see the steamer off as
| thronged the Guion Line pier yesterday
| afternoon from 8 o'clock till half past.
Loeomotion was no easy matter, and it seemed only
by perpetual miracle that the policemen and the
horses together managed to push a way through
the mob for the vehicles to pass. Round the foot
| of the gangway the block denser than ever,
and the companys agent had as hard job as COM
| pany's agent ever had to keep decent thorough
fare on board, and at the other end two stewards
got hoarse telling the people to keep moving.
"Where are these rifle fellows 7" was the ques-
ton which everybody was asking everybody
else, and when nobody knew, the stewards
were cross-questioned until they must have
been sick of telling strangers that they had never
| seen General Wingate, did not know Colonel
Howard by sight and had not the smallest idea
where the teams state-rooms were. The gangway
was nothing but mass of human beings aud it only
| needed some scOundrel TO shout Fire" to have
made terrible tragedy of the day. People
moved at foot's pace along the pas
| sages and crowded into the saloon, where the
| tables were fplled up with fowers-cut flowers in
| punches and rosettes and baskets. whole plants
growing in pots and laden with blossoms, and hugo
fanciful floral designs, each with card bearing in
| most cases the name of a member of the Rifle
| Team, and many with such notices as "
pleasant voyage and victory" "a triumphant
| return" and so on. worked in many
coored blossoms. BY far the greater number of
the visitors had come to see the rifemen and wish
them bon royage; and anybody who looked at all
like military eyed with awe. The real
Rife Team were much like ordinary mOrtas, and
for the most part passed through the crowd unob-
served.
THE FAREWELL SPEECHES.
At tho foot Of the pier was lying
tho police boat PATROL and at quarter
before the members of the team and small hand
ul of friends assembled for more select aud Sc
fcuded leaye-takng than was possible on the
crowded decks of the Alaska. But the crowd got
wind Of what was going on, and Police Commits
sioner Matthews, who was experimenting the
arrangements on the Patrol had no easy job
to keep the number of people board
down to fifty or sixty, which he had
fixed as the limit. even with two policemen and a
rope barrier to help him. On board the boat Colonel
Wingate was in great trspidation. General Grant
had promised to be there o little before TO wish
the team good luck, and 1t was already five minutes
TO the hour and no General General Grant was e1-
pected in town at II o'clock. but
he did not get in until 1.3O and
then found that he had so much work on hand that
he could not get away in time. SO at 3 o'clock
Colonel Howard summoned the team forward and
there to the team and half dozen spectators, Col
onel Wmeate bade them formal farewell After
explaining how 1t was thas General Grant was not
there to fill the office, he said
As far II in power, who have taken upon
ourselves the organizing OF the team and the perectg OF
sne S me- nave be f0es cendn1ce in Von bat
you will do all you can 10 grasp that success anu o up
mold honor OF America not only as Iihemen but In
tnose no less important social qualities which
necessary 10 make good understanding between
nations.
Colonel Howard then said in reply that he and
all the team felt and knew that every member of
tho whole organization had done all he could, and
they were heartily grateful for il. He added:
II rests with to make the final effort, and wo will
make H. II Il Is possible TO Tn we Tiii VIM We Hsye nave
oughy representative team, which Is team with no
head aud 10 tail aud dscordant parts We snail shoot
as team look only 10 the aggregate score OF tue
whole and do best TO make tnat aggregate higher
than that OF the British marEsnen.
Then followed a promiscuous healthdrinking
and hand shaking, cheers aud waving of handker-
chiefs, and the team scrambled of upon tho pier
and back TO the Alaska, while tho Patrol steamed
ont into the river with its little party of we'll
wishers where IL cruiscd up aud down till at last
the great steamers whistle was heard and she |
slowly moved out from tte docs Then the two
bOats-Uignity and lmpudence-steameds side By side |
down the ryer. through the crowds oil boats and |
out into the Narrows, the Palrol the whole way |
down keeping up continual salute OF gnns. On |
board the Alaska tho team had all discarded their
shore going clothes and stood grouped about the |
tahral by the fore-hatch, conspicuous IN brand
new white helmets. Then the idea occurred TO one |
OF them that ho would climb up the shrouds, aud |
up they all went and hung there above the heads of
the crowds on deck. waVng thoir hankerchefs |
and helmets and sending back cheer after cheer to
the party on tho little boat alongside.
TIE RIFLEMEN LOST TO SIGHT.
Atlength tho Alaska forged ahead, and those on
the lesser steamer thought the last farewell had
been said aud adjourned to lunch. But suddenly
gun was fred, aud rush was made on deck; sand
wches aud champagne were forgotten, and every
body was busy again waving and shouting to the
white helmets which were again alongside They were
so close that they could easily be distinguished from
each other-Colonel Howard standing ten
PAGES further forward than the rest, with helmet
IN one hand aud a handkerchief in the other;
then Quartermaster DenmaD, with mulberry
coloreu scarf flying from his hand, and then the
rest of the team clingng to the shrouds like flies
In web. All of sudden the sky cOuded, and
while the three cheers, and three more, which had
been begun while the faces OF tho departing team
were plainly visible. had hardly died away. and
while the gun of the Patrol was still shouting its
farewelsa fog swept up and the Alaska was hidden.
After she was out of sight the sound Of cheer came
from here she had been, and gun sent It's answer
into the mist and when the echoes OF the two had
gone there was not sound a glimpse of any boat
to show that the Alaska or the team OF American
riiemen vero anywhere within miles.
Among those on board the Patrol were Generals
Woodward and MacMahon, Judge Giderseeye, !
Colonel Hamilton, Colonel k. L. Ward Colonel John
w ara, LOiOnel tOU polbuNalb, iulho, Och-
eral Fowler. Corporation Counsel Andrews. Major
Farr, General Litchheld, Colonel j. &; Story, Cap
tain Costin Colonel Seabury, f. A. Kursheedt, T..
A. Back, Lieutenant Zallnsk, General Wingate.
The total amount eventually raised l., for the exs
are paid for" said Mr.. Kursheedt, the chairman os
the Finance Committee. Their ammunition If
paid for and all their organized expenses are paid for
Besides that Colonel Howard has SIS, 800 IN hand
10 cover their expenses there The other two MEM
bers Of the commlttee-the Colonels Ward : were
in high spirits and felt they had done their duty in
the way of collection.
AN INVITATION FROM SWITZERLAND.
Yesterday morning an invitation was received by