The Portland daily press., 1893-04-28
A Mighty Roar Which Made the Great
City Tremble.
ONE OF THE REMARKABLE NAVAL
PAGEANTS OF ALL TINE.

and Water Covered With Hundreds of
Thousands of Spectators.
New YORK, April 27.-The internation-
al rendezvous and review in honor of
Columbus, which has been in active
progress for nearly two weeks, culmi-
mated today in demonstration more
spectacular, more noisy and more re-
markable in many other respects than
anything of the kind recorded in modern
history. There have been naval reviews
of international character before, but
none so striking is this. There was one
at Genoa, Columbus's birthplace, last
year, at which vessels representing
thirteen nations-all those now partici-
pating, with the addition of Portugal,
Roumania, Greece and Mexico-partici-
pated, and in which Admiral Benham of
the Newark took part for the United
States, but there were only 27 vessels in
all in line on that occasion, and those
mostly second class. The ironclads of
Great Britain, France and Germany have
made imposing demonstrations of force
in the English channel and off Spithead.
and have been passed in review before
the crowned heads of England and Ger
many, and the powerful Russian fleet has
more than once 'focked by ITSELF in the
Baltic, in view of the Emperor of the
Russias, in manner to excite the appre-
hension OF other powers, but as peace
full demonstration the New York naval
rpuipxu of fndou oil
1t was peculiarly manifestation of
sentiment, not of force. Yet some of the
fleetest and most formidable naval YES
sells in the world were there. And the
quaintest part of the days proceedings
was that the post of honor at the head of
the reviewed columns was given to the
apparently unseaworthy reproductions
OF the Columbus Caravels, the Santa
Maria, Pinta and Nina, which, with inf
mite care, had been towed over from
Cadiz to Cuba by our own Admiral Ben
ham, and from Cuba escorted to Hamp-
ton Roads and New York by the Spanish
warships. These pigmy boats, high
popped and lateen-rigged, cut away amid
ships like Roman galley, were anchored
opposite Ninety-third street, and formed
practically the turning point of the re-
view. The
Contrast of Four Centuries
of nava development could not have
been more strongly and picturesquely
marked.
The line of vessels reviewed was over
three miles in length, stretching in two
columns from the foot of Twenty-third
street to about Ninety-ffth street, where
the reviewing ship, the Dolphin, an
chored.
The foreign vessels were most of them
stationed on the New York side of the
Hudson River. The American feet with
the German, Dutch and Argentine cruis-
ers, occupied the New Jersey side. The
ships were anchored 800 yards apart,
and space of 400 yards was left between
the two columns. Thousands of visitors
poured into the city to witness the sight.
By act of the legislature and proclama-
ton of the Governor. the day was made
public holiday. Business was gener-
ally suspended. Flags were displayed
from all the shipping, and from many
public and private buildings. Hundreds
of thousands of spectators lined the wa
ter's edge on both shores of the majestic
river, perched upon the roofs and upper
stories of the tall buildings, and climbed
the Palisades or the slopes of Riverside.
Every point of vantage from which a
view of the scene could be obtained was
occupied. The United States, by author
ity of the law. took full possession of the
waters of the harbor for this day. A
Gordon was tightly drawn round the re-
viewing vessels and the reviewed, and
until the actual ceremonies of the review
were over no unauthorized boat was al
lowed to pass the line. Notwithstanding
this temporary restriction nearly every
tug boat and excursion steamer in the
haTbor was engaged for the dav and
crowded with sightseers, awaiting their
chance to review the warships on their
own account.
The preparations began early. At s am
the vessels of Spain. France, Brazil and
Argentina dressed ship. All of the 9th
er foreign vessels hoisted colors, with
the Stars and Stripes at the main. The
American ships hoisted colors, but did
not dress the yards until 10 O'Clock, at
which, hour the British, Russian and
Italian ships also dressed yards. At 7.3O
all the steam launches of the
American Men-of-War
were dropped and manned, ready to 60
to the assistance of the patrol fleet
should any bold intruder seek to pass
through the lines. Their services were
not needed. The respect which the
American people never fail on great pub
lie occasions to pay to authority was
abundantly manifested, and would have
been had it not been enforced with such
overwhelming demonstrations of power.
The embarkation of the presidential
party on board of the reviewing boat
Dolphin was gorgeous affair. A hand
some special landing place had been
erected for the purpose at the foot of
Twenty-third street, the approach to
which was,carpeted and draped in bunt-
ing. The President was escorted by his
naval aides and accompanied by Mrs.
Cleveland and members of the Cabinet
with their wives. No representatives of
the press or of the general public were
permitted on board the presidential
yacht. Even the Duke OF Veragua
the nations specially invited guest
the lineal descendant of 90.
lumbus, was brought along in
separate vessel, the army boat General
Meigs. The Dolphin, John Roach's last
achievement for the government, long
n.o,.aoJ "a ste+r,1