The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1893-05-11

THE GREAT NAVAL REVIEW |

The foreign and American warships
constituting the columbian feet sail.
ed from Fortress Monroe for New York
harbor last Wednesday, and the great
review took place ON Thursday. It is
thus described: The original intention
was to begin the review at 1890 o'clock,
but a steady fall of rain in the morning
caused a postponement until the after
noon. The postponement was ordered
by Secretary Herbert at the suggestion
of President Cleveland. The invited
| guests had already assembled on the
steamers set apart for their use. Vast
crowds had assembled at all points from
They could not, of course, be notified of
the change of plans, but all supposed
that some hitch had occurred, and sett-
led themselves as comfortably as possible
to await Developments.
The rain caused great disappointment
on squadrons anchored below the Palis>
| AIDES. The crack ships had been put in
| readiness for their part of the celebra-
ton. Their hulls had been painted,
their decks holystoned, their brasswork
| polished until it shone, and their guns
had been cleared for far different work
than their makers intended-the cement
ing of peaceful relations instead of havoc
of war. 1t drenched the decks and rig
ging and hung in pearly drops from the
brasswork. Dress uniforms were aban-
doned for storm coats and the Jack tars
instead of being in holiday rig were in
everyday attire.
At a. m. the vessels of Spain, France,
Brazil and Argentina dressed ship. All
of the other foreign vessels hoisted col
ors, but did not dress yards until 10
o'clock, at which hour the British,
Russian and italian ships also dressed
yards. About o'clock the rain ceased
to fall, although the clouds continued to
hover about in a threatening manner.
President Cleveland, accompanied by
Mrs. Cleveland and Lieutenant Wood,
left the Victoria Hotel at LOS p. m.
at the foot of West Twenty-third street,
where a thousand men and women, who
had stood in the rain for four hours
cheered him enthusiastically. Mrs. Cleve-
land, enveloped in a tweed cape, Mack
intosh, black felt hat and black veil, was
the first to alight, and her appearance
| was the signal for the cheering to begin.
The President followed her, removing
his silk hat and paused for a moment,
bowling all around to the people. The
party was Immediately escorted to the
launch of the Dolphin, which satrted
away as the company was on board.
The launch steamed rapidly out to the
Dolphin, and from the shore the Presi-
Dental party could be seen climbing up
the gangway of the dispatch~boat, Mrs.
Cleveland in advance. AS soon as the
President reached the deck one of the
Dolphins gun announced the fact and the
Presidents flag was unfurled at her mast
head. 1t was about o'clock when the
signal was given to start. The blowing
of a hundred whistles and the booming
of guns at lis o'clock announced that
the President had embarked, and al
most instantly crews of the men, of-war
all along the line went to positions fac
ing.the rail at the mastheads and tops. At
100 the first boom of the 10 inch gun on
the Maintonomoh announced that the
Dolphin, with the President on board
was passing up between the two col
umns of war vessels. The roar of the
Maintonomoh's 81 guns was followed by
salute from the Brazilian ships Repub-
lica and Tirandentes. The Dolphin re-
piled to the Brazillians and cloud of
smoke rose over the lower end of the
line of war-ships. The Brizillians man
ned yards just before firing, and the
long lines of blue jackets stood out
against white back ground of smoke
The Dolphin moved at slow and state
ly gait and the salute of each ship was
distinct and sharp. The Aquidaban. flag
ship of the Brazilian fleet, finished sa-
luting at lao and the Neuva Espana
took it's turn. The Dolphin was follow
ed at distance of about 500 feet by the
Blake and she in turn by the Maintono-
mob. At LA the Seealder, of the Ger
man fleet fired her first gum She was
followed moment later by the Reina
Regente, of the star-board column. and
the two ships, one on each side of the
Dolphin, made the welkin ring. The
Kaizerin Augusta joined the chorus and
the echoes rolled up the Palisades and
down again, until one seemed to hear a
line of artillery reaching for miles on
the Jersey shore. The bands on the ships
played the national air, but it was only
at intervals between the roar of guns
that the music could be heard. The
Van Seyk and the Infanta Isabel salutes
ran into each other. Then there was a
pause for a minute and Argentina's
cruiser belched forth flash that was re-
sponded to by big gun on the Giovain-
nj Pauen. 1t was 1853 when the Con-
cord spoke, she spoke so rapidly that
her salute was done in two minutes.
The Etna paid her respects next. Then
after a short pause, a light blue puff
arose above the dynamite tubes on the
Vesuvius, and few seconds later there
was din overhead, as though the sky
was made of sheet-iron and bomb had
struck. The crowd at the of Fifty ninth
street had not recovered from their as
constituent when sharp tongue of fire
shot out from the side of the Jean Bart
and there was report that made wo-
men scream and windows rattle along
the river front. At 2 O'Clock the York
town and the Arethuse saluted together