New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-19
SCENES IN THE ROADSTEAD.
MUCH VISITING BETWEEN THE OFFICERS OF
THE s~lIPs-NINE THOUSAND MEN


MUCH VISITING BETWEEN THE OFFICERS OF
THE s-lIPs-NINE THOUSAND MEN
ABOARD THE FLEET.
Fort Monroe, Va, April 1s-A strange thing hap
pened to-day. Admiral Gherardi visited seven
teen ships and not gun fired. Arrayed
In his best Sunday uniform, with the brass
buttons freshly polished, with London in
the regulation trousers, and with the splketal
buttoned. the Admiral this morning boarded a steam
launch and went of to pay Official calls upon the
vessels Of the nrst American squadron. the five Eng
lishmen and the Dutchman Ordinarily such round
Of visits would have been the occasion for filling
this beautiful atmosphere with sulphurous smoke,
but when he left his ships the Admiral ordered
that no sautes be fired, and OF the foreigners he
made request that the noisy honor be omitted.
This afternoon he went 10 the six other American
ships but he carried around with silence that
was more impressive than the sSlutes, because OF Its
very novelty.
AS usual thing water carriages Of the Admirals
and higher officers OF ship find their propelling
power In the muscular and tattooed arms Of dozen
able seamen Even In these practical days Of steam
engines and naphtha launches a boat pulled by oars
is the proper caper on all occasions OF ceremonial
visits. This morning, however, the Admiral had
allowed his private barge to be used by the crack
crew Of his vessel for the with the crew Of the
Chicago. With all the visits that he had to pay
there was no time to waste in ceremony and SO he
ordered out the steam launch and went scuTying
across the water in doubleQuck time with the spray
dashng all over his god-embroidered cape
These official visits by the way, have become SO
numerous that they tax to the utmost not only the
already busy moments Of Admiral Gherardi, but the
hardly less leisure moments Of the officers who are
lower In rank. From early morning until late AT
night the dainty and snowy launches OF the Ameri-
cans, the neat little cutters OF the Engishmen and the
numbering barges Of the other foreigners swing like
pendulums from ship Ito the other. The admirals
oau Ofh no
all day long, apd the officers of lower rank keep up
brisk pace with their wardroom calls. With twenty
seven ships in the harbor, 1t easily be imagined
that there is little time for other duties 10 say moth
ing Of pleasures.
Admiral Gherardi paused a moment. as he stood
upon the deck Of the Philadelphia this afternoon when
q correspondent asked ham how many million dollars
would be represented upon the water when all the
ships were assembled. "Ten fifteen, twenty, twenty
Hve,. he said, making mental calculation. "ies
fully a23, 100000. And do you know he ADDED
show many men there will be on board the ships 2
MOI Well, there will be 5000 men, There are 3,OOO
men upon my own ships"
"And how are they all to be fed
The Admiral laughed. "With Baltimore under our
ieen he said, unconsciously dropping into nautical
expression, sand with New-York and Chicago
not very distant do not think any OF us Will want
for anything to eat
"If there is one thing which this rendezvous and
review Is accomplishing than another, 1t is the
bringing together OF the Navy and the great mass OF
the people," Admiral Gherardl remarked He
pressed keen appreciation Of the publicity which IS
being given to every detail, and every night as he
leaves shore carries with him copy OF every news
paper which he can obtain, and glonces through the
naval stories in all before he lies down and sails
into the port OF old King Morpheus. But what
interests me-" he said in his pleasant way. as the
point Of view from which you look al us. You
ask questions Gbout things that do not con-
~ all-- aftars IN
give q moments thought. For instance 1t was re-
ported 10 me this morning that salute was Delng
fired on board OF the Blake, but really did not take
the trouble TO find out what 1t meant. since then
have been asked dozen times by newspaper men to
explain the reason Of the salute. Then you ask me
how my men are to get enough TO eat and how they
wash their clothes whether set Of officers eat
With another set Of officers and the next thing
suppose you will want 10 know how much money
waste In firing salutes."
"Most assuredly," the reply.
The Admiral threw all his dignity to the four winds
and actually chuckled. SWELL" he said. "as mat
ter Of fact all the powder use has been condemned
and 1t really Is not good for anything else"
The crowd here continues to increase. 1t has
long since filed zip every building as Old Point and
now is spling over Into the boarding houses and
country hotels Of the vicinity. Prices high In
proportion II Is a harvest time for the watermen,
the hack drivers and the hotel keepers. II costs IS
hour to 60 out to the nearest ship, and the rate
Increases In double the ratio OF the distance. The
drive to Hampton, which usually costs quarter and
with the supply Of vehicles away ahead OF the de-
mand, Is now dollar and a man Is lucky II he can
make . bargain at that price. Dingy, dirty rooms,
With no conveniences, in the suburbs rent at 90 a
night and In brisk demand. This does not in
clude board. 1t costs 80 cents to get shaved and
only the wealthy are able to afford a haircut.
Every excursion steamer fiom Baltimore and
neshboring ports has been gathered int service.
The fourdecked Columbia, with capacity Of 1000
people. leaves Norfolk three times day, AMI Is 50
heavily crowded that she careened heavily to-day
she sailed around the feet. Tugs and yachts lie
six ana eight abreast Of cnch other ut the wharf.
and the passengers Of the boat that comes I'm last
have to chamber over the decks and gunwales until
they rsseh the shore These little tugs and excursion
annoyance Every little craft and every ss' big craft
TOO that sss IN and around the feet considers 1t
generally ds and smoke bs n s Nag hat
iowssd' but the foreigners generally order sailor
minutes there must be good deal Of swearing in
foreign languages.
With mail is S Saaa' he tSa%e
hs callers y bis little cottage were gs Amer
being hurled at him throus, his window. when il
and French ana Dutch he is in sad pliSht. NI'f III;
Sd snd SSer away Ct 81. him .s and h. looks them
nothing but good old United states coin A soss into
tnce SANS casl,.box. AZ for scent stamps for
fofe1en letters. he has sold enough plaster the
Great Faster! inside and out Yesterday the Blake
sent ashore no less than seven sacks OF mail.
THE DETROIT SPEEDS THROUGH THE HARBoR.
The new o,o00ton cruiser Detroit, the first OF the
thrce vessels Of that class to be completed and which
made the remarkable average speed Of about eighteen
and halt knots her four hours steam trial on
Long Inland Sound, near New-London. Monday,
passed through this harbor yesterday morning. her
way to Baltimore. where she was built by the
Columbian Iron Works. ofhcers at the Navy Yard saw
A coming down the East River about II O'Clock. and
4. ASSN