Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-09-06
THe NAVAL REVIEW.
Preparations Being Made for tho Grcat
Gathering Mt Hampton Roads.
IN. W. In Washington starl

ming to prepare for the great naval re-
view that is TO inaugurate the ceie-
brations in honor of the Columbian year.
next April.
The small appropriation made by Con-
gress, $50 600, will not cover the expenses
OF mobilizing the fleet, let alone the OK:
penses OF maintaining IL for several
months on cur coast. so Secretary Tracy
will have TO draw literally from the regu-
lar naval appropriation for the run
ming expenses OF the navy. On the
lst of September Rear-Admiral Che
mand of tho North Atlantic squadron
and ordered TO San Francisco. where
he will hoist his flag on the Baltimore and
take command of the Pacific squadron,
composed OF the Charleston, Baltimore,
San Francisco, Boston. and Yorktown.
and bring them around the horn to the
east coast Invitations have been pre-
pared for all the countries Of the world to
be represented at the International review,
and the invitations 10 the South American
countries will be delivered by Admiral
Gberardi on his voyage around the horn.
II ia expected that all the maritime powers
of the southern continent will accept
BRAZIL WILL LEAD.
OF course Brazil will be the leader. for
the Brazilians look upon the United States
with q warm affection. as we were the first
country 10 recognize their new republic
when Dom Pedro was forced from the
throne, and the Stars and Stripes are al
WAYS honored in the ports of the great
southern republic Brazil has very good
navy and could send some battle-shlps TO
the review that would outrank any our
own navy has in commission now. The
Arpentines are also very friendly to-
ward the United States. and during
the recent visit of the white squadron
70 tho Plata river many attentions were
shown its officers. President Pelllgrinez
visited the ships of the squadron, recep-
ton was given on board the Almlrante
Brown, and all the officers of the United
States squadron were invited to the Ar
gentine torpedo-statiOn at Ilgre and
shown through the station, after which
banquet was served, where all the
speeches tended to show the good feel
ing between the two countries. Thus
it is probable that Argentine will send
up two vessels TO fly the white and
blue flag in the grand review. IL is IN
fortunate that the long distance will pre-
vent them from sending one of their fine
torpedo fleets, az they have thrty-slx hne
toroedo-boats, fitted with the Whitehead
torpedo. Of the other countries on the
Plata Uruguay IL the only one that pos
sesses q navy, and it Is hardly probable
that she would risk sending one OF her
500-ton gun-boats up. even II the bank
rupt government could buy coal enough
for the journey.
oRILE's SQUADRON OF EVOLUTION.
Chile, as We all know, has navy, and II
she acts the part of q reconclled sister Will
send her squadron of evolution up to
Hampton Roads. just to give us chance
to see the ships our white cruisers would
have destroyed had Chile not seen the
error of her ways. This Just about dis
poses of our sister republics on American
soil for the Central American States have
never been out OF areyolutlon long enough
10 have a ship built and Mexco's navy
is - tor, revenue only" while ,haytls
one little gun-boat would get lost on
the voyage if she did not employ
pilot. "Over ON the other side the ma
tions will watch each other. OF course
Russia and Germany will send fleet out
OF good feeling towards the United states.
and if Italy probably honors the memory
of her son Columbus she will send some
of her l0,0O0-ton battle-shlps. Inc Eng
lish navy, large "a II 10, is very well divided
over the world so 1t is not probable that
she will send very large fleet; and upon
her action in the matter depends largely
the action of France. IL is understood
that Japan is to send a cruiser, OF which
she has some fine ones, across the Paclhc
aud around the horn TO take part IN ne
first international review held In the
country that first visited Japan to secure
mercantile treaty, and that Turkey VIII
unbend from her religious rigor enough to
send over one of her fine warshlps. inns
vessel wall have q distinguishing feature
that may be new to many Americans. AS
an article of the Mohammedan religion
makes the bell sacred 1t cannot be used on
board Turkish ships, as 1t is upon others.
for striking the hours and sounding fog
signals, and by a special suspension OF the
navigating rules drum Is used instead.
OUR OWN wAR-sHIPs.
OF our own war-ships all the new steel
ships will be III the review except the little
Petrol, which is out in China, probably to
spend the rest of her life there. Several
of the ships now under construction will
be IN commission by that time, but II Is
doubtful If the big cruiser New York will
be finished in time 20 participate: In case
the Cramps do get her completed by March
she will probably be Admiral Gherardrs
fagship during the review. The Mont
gomery, Detroit, and Machias VIII
be in commission by that time.
The other ships taking part will be
the Baltimore. Philadelphia, Charleston,
Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Miantonomoh,
Concord, Yorktown, Bennington, Nesu-
wins, and Kearsarge. If the regulation
feet formation Is conformed with the SIX
teen vessels will form feet, with Admiral
Gherardi as commAnder-ln-chief; then
there will be division of the feet
into two squedrons. with commodore or
rear admiral in command of each; the
subdivisions of the squadrons go under
the techinal name of divisions and are
composed OF four vessels. then the division
is again divided into two sections.
When all the ships anchor In Hampton
Roads next April 1t will be a grand array,
,r.va 4 4 s.Navz
the balls, parties, and receptions VIII be
something for officers TO remember and
tell of for years, while the din when all
the ships salute some newcomer Will dwarf
a large-slzed bombardment. And an
officer of the deck" on any one of the
ships will have to keep his eyes open for
commanding officers pennants, signals,
and all the routine of 0 warship If he
does not wish TO receive the angry bene-
diction of his captain.
THE LARGEST ARRAY.
II is probable that the United States
squadron will have the largest array of
ships of any country, as the great foreign
powers will not send the grand squadrons
that they could easily mobilize IN time Of
need. This fact may prove a delusion and
a snare to the great American republic,
with their usual habit of jumping ut
conclusions" for when they see the diff
ferent fleets aud note that our own is the
largest they NAV forget that while we
have every available ship present, England
and France have half O dozen larger
squadrons at home. which will be the
silent factors in the parade. and Jump at
the conclusion that our navy Is the
largest in the world.
After the mobilization of the fleets at
Hampton Roads they will proceed III com
pany to New York harbor. In column at
cruising distance, 400 yards, fifty ships;
which number seems quite probable, Will
make parade twelve miles long, and by
the time the last one has passed the leader