Daily Kennebec journal., 1893-04-04
THE FLEET AZ FORT MONROE.
VISITORS coapars The Vessels = Officers sa
Admirais Stan-To Drill Outside.

| FoRr MONROE, April 3.-The latest ,ad
dition 10 the feet is the San Francisco, ant
/ in obedience to signals made from ths
Philadelphia, took her position in line witt
that vessel. and the Atlanta.
| In the middle of the forenoon the dag
ship moved up TO the berth left vacant fol
her. right of the hotel wharf. The littl,
Gushing steamed up to Norfolk, and tn,
yesuvius now has position nearer th'
landing and not in the line of vessels. NJ
particular effort has been made 10 have tht
vessels take exact distances and positions
that the Intervals look from the shore to b,
rather greater than " hat was given ont IL
the order as the standard, 00yards. Then
too. the line has rot the regularity that i
will have when all of the vessels have
reported and everything Is in readiness fol
the foreigners.
The Newark came out of the dry docl
and began coaling Saturday. Two or thre'
days will be necessary to fill her bnnker'
and then as many more to clean and pain
her up, so that it will probably be well OF
toward another week before Admiral Ben
ham Joins the other chieftains of the deel
and forms one of the phalanx that bends IL
graceful curve about the vessel of the com
mander in chief.
A survey is being held on the Bennington
which vessel now occupies the dry doci
made vacant BY the schoolship Constella
ton, whose late commanding officer Com
mander Goodrich, is said TO be slated fol
one of the modern vessels.
The assembling of so many different
types of vessels here affords rare oppor'
tunity 10 compare the merits of the various
ships built on this side of the continent and
at the Union Iron Works, California. Mr..
Irving Scott president of those works, ex-
pressed himself us being particularly desir-
Gus of comparing the San Francisco and
Charleston with the Philadelphia. Newark,
Baltimore and other vessels built by the
Messrs. Cramp.
There is every opportunity for criticism,
but 1t would be extremely difficult to select
any one vessel as being superior to all
others, unless the committee on selection
were all taken from one ship. The posi-
ton of the guns, the shape of the bows.
the lines of the stern, the number of masts
and ventilators, the way the boats are car
ried are all matters of comment, and as one
passes from one group OF officers on the
piazza to another he can hear almost any
kind of an opinion but the one he is in
search of, and that is something decisive
that will place one ship ahead of the rest,
There is no doubt about several of the
vessels present being magnificent speci-
mems of naval architecture, and there Is "A
great readiness expressed to compare them
with vessels Of similar type among the for
eign squadrons.
The following officers have been placed
upon the general staff of Admiral Gherardi
AS fleet officers Chief Engineer Louis j.
Allen of the Chicago, Medical Inspector
William X. Van Reypen, Pay Inspector w
Goldsborough, and Capt. William $. Muse,
marine corps The last three are aboard
the San Francisco.
The usual custom is to have all of the
fleet officers aboard the flagship of the
commander chief, but in this instance
the service is only temporary, TO last dur
ing the review, so there will be no transfer
from one vessel to the other.
The officers selected have been taken III
virtue of the fact of their being the seniors
present in tue different corps to which they
belong. The position is in reality but an
honorary one, ard the chief duty will be
to entertain the foreign guests.
Another very important officer of the gen
eral staff, and one who will have his hands
full and a great deal to contend with, is the
beachmaster. The officer selected for this
purpose is Lieut.. John c. Fremont, and
he has already entered vigorously and ac-
lively upon the duties of his position, the
most important of which is to superintend
the construction of the new landings whicf
are being built on either side of the steam
boat wharf He will have charge of all
matters connected with the loading, unload
ing and handling of the boats, and the Jol
promises to be no sinecure.
Should the present intention he carried
out it is very probable that the week will
see the fleet away from here and outside
the Capes for two or three days drill
which is essentially necessary from the fac
of there being so many vessels here to
gether for the first time and knowing so lit
lie about the manpuyring qualities of eaci
other.
The prevention of accidents, it nothin!
else. requires some tactical exercises, ant
then when the vessels return they can al
anchor in shipshape manner and present
more creditable appearance when next the.
are called upon to move.