The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-04-07
BOOM-CRASH-DANG.
Forty War Ships Blazing Away at the
Same Time.
MIANTONOMOH'S ROAR WILL MAKE
GOTHAM TREMPLE.

The Great Naval Review on the Hudson
The English Cruiser Blake lowering
off the Coast-Her Commander Anx-
ious to Be the First Arrival
NEW YORK, April 6.--The Old Domin-
ion steamship Richmond arrived in this
port yesterday from Norfolk, and reports
having spoken piloi boat to the eastward
of the Virginia capes, and from this pilot
boat received the information that the
British war ship Blake was lying-to some
fifty miles due east of Cape Henry. The
pilots further reported chat they had OBJ
served the smoke of the Blake sor the
past three days, but that they had not
been able to make out the character of
the big steamer until late on !, onday.
The same pilots state that the British
cruiser was flying the pennant of an
admiral or some officer of high rank.
The pennant observed. it was said last
night, was undoubtedly that belonging
to Vice Admiral Sir J. Q, Hopkins, K.
G. B., the Commander ih Chief of the
waters,
Officers who were spoken to on the
subject last evening ventured the asser-
ton that Vice Admiral Hopkins was
determined that no act of his should fail
to gain for the British flag the prestige
which Admiral Gherardi has decided
shall belong to the foreign flag officer
who is the first to arrive at Hampton
Roads.
Final Orders from Admiral Gherardi,
just issued, direct that on April 81, the
day of the great Columbian naval review,
there shall be fired in national salutes
alone no less than 1880 guns.
Jas many of the cannon which will be
brought into play are of heavy calibre,
there is promised an uproar and concus-
sion the like of which New York city has
probably never witnessed.
The President, according to the orders,
will pass through the lines, formed by
forty war ships. He will be on board the
dispatch vessel Dolphin. When the Dol
phin on the morning of the 9th obtains
word that the fleet is ready to receive the
President, she will Immediately trip her
anchor. The moment her anchor has
left the bottom and the vessel forges
ahead she will fire a signal gun. For fully
twenty minutes before the solitary gun
of the Dolphin is fired an officer with
his hand on an electric bulb connection
will be standing in turret of the big
double turreted Miantonomoh At the
moment that this officer sees the flash Of
the Dolphin's gun his hand will crush
the bulb. Those who are then watching
the Miantonomoh will see at that instant
A Column of Flame
hurl itself full 100 feet out into space,
followed instantaneously by roar which
will threaten to shake down every build.
ing along the city's water front.
That overpowering column of fame
which will be seen to leap from the Mian-
tOnomoh's turret will come from one of
the vessels monster ten-inch guns. 1t
will be caused by charge Of powder
weighing, roughly, $50 pounds. For the
tonomoh will fire one of her huge main
battery guns. ITS roar will bethe signal
to every vessel in the Columbian fleet
that the President is approaching,
It is not often that occasion arises for
forty war ships to be assembled at one
time with all their crews at quarters,
but on this occasion when the President
! . ses up between the lines the crews Of
every man-of-war in port will be either
at the guns or aloft and standing upon
the yards. As each ship will fire twenty
one guns, there will be discharged at the
outset $40 guns.
Inasmuch as the total number of guns
will not be engaged at the same instant
in firing the frs discharge, the specta-
tors must wal. for the disembarking of
the President ueIore
Looking Forward to the Uproar
which $40 guns fred in unison will Gre
ate.
AS the President steps into the barge
the Dolphin will give the signal, and for
second time the yards and rails of !.
every war ship in port will be manned.
tbs at this lattcr moment that the
grand cannonadin. f the day will be
heard. Each shil, vii commence and
continue until end -, lie national salute.
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