Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-24
FOSTER OFF TO SEA
On an Extended Trip to Europe to
Recover His Lost Health.
BEAUTIFUL FLORAL TRIBUTES
From the White House Accompany Him on
His Ocean Voyage.
PARTING SALUTEs FIRED FROM FORTS
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DrspArcH.1

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATCH.1
NEW YORK, Feb 23-With all her flags
flying the North German Lloyd steamship
Spree left her pier at Hoboken, this after
noon, at o'clock, and pointed her nose to-
ward the Narrows. She carried with her
Charles Foster, Secretary of the Treasury,
who makes the voyage in the hope of re-
covering his health. Mr.. Foster was feeling
better this morning than for several weeks,
and his friends who gathered around him at
the Fifth Avenue Hotel predicted that he
would return a well man. DR.. J. B. Ham,
ilton and w. F. McLennan accompanied
him on his voyage.
Mr.. Foster was not inclined to talk
business, but before he left the hotel he
said, in. answer to the question whether he
felt any uneasiness on account of the gold
shipment: 'T feel no uneasiness whatever,
as 1 think the country can afford to let some
of its gold go to Europe without injuring its
business interests Whatever gold goes
abroad will, of course. have to be paid
for
Parting Gifts of Flowers Were Sent.
The revenue cutter Chandler, in holiday
| dress, met Secretary Foster and his party at
the foot of West Twenty-third street and
| carried them to the Spree's pier. Secre-
| tary of War Elkins bade MIR. Foster good
| by at the Fifth Avenue Hotel Mr.. Foster
| found in his cabin basket of flowers from
| the White House and another from the
Treasury Department. Colonel W. w.
Dudley, ex-senator Platt, J. W. Vrooman
and dozen other conspicuous Republicans
were there to wish him success on his voy-
age.
Some of the members of the party said
| that Mr.. Foster was the first Cabinet officer
| to leave the country during his term of
service since the Grant Administration. AT
| any rate the II gun salutes that greeted the
| Spree as she passed down the bay were
| novelty, and the steamships decks were
| crowded with her passengers until Forts
| Hamilton and Wadsworth had doomed their
| salutes The revenue cutter led the Spree
| for short distance down the bay. On board
| of her were Collector Hendricks, Ellis II,
Roberts, Assistant Treasurer; Surveyor
| Lyon; President Henry W. Cannon, of the
| Chase National Bank; M. j Fenton, Cen
| eral Macauley, James r. Daviest Frank
Sperry and Stephen B. Elkins, Jr. Al
| though the Chandler had ten minutes start,
she was quickly overtaken by the Spree.
A Parting Salute Was Fired.
Just as the Spree got opposite Governor 8
| Island there was a puff of smoke and a
| flash from portfolio in old Castle William
| The smoke shot out in a white ball and
| then began to unroll when the report
| reached the Spree. Another puff of smoke
and flash came from the next portfolio and
again followed the report. Before the
| Spree had left the island far behind the gray
| walls of the old fort were wreathed in white,
yaporv smoke. Secretary Foster stood on
the deck and the steamship dropped her
colors.
Down the bay the revenue cutter Grant
was anchored off Bay Ridge. Her two
portfolios on either side of her bow were
open. When the Spree reached her, the
starboard and port guns alternated in Civ.
ing the cabinet officers 17-gun salute.
Ther, the Grant raised her anchor and at
tempted to follow the Spree. But it was .
losing race.
Forts Hamilton and Wadsworth also had
some powder to burn. The first part of
Fort Hamilton's salute was dovetailed into
the last few guns from Fort Wadsworth,
and it suggested sham battle between the
two forts.
The Chandler was left behind, here, after
saluting with her whistle. Secretary
Foster waved his hat to his friends on the
cutter, and the Chandler turned back. Mr..
Foster expects to return on the next trip of
the Spree.