The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-27

was. and expressed surprise AZ her appear
anco. for they expected TO see q much more
powerful boat. They did not take into &C.
count the fact that they were looking down
upon her from . height. and that it was
only when she was boarded that her great
strength could be seen. As soon as the sg-
mails were hoisted on the Philadelphia two
OF the patrol boats took MP their position
roE, ready for the start. Steam was mp on
all the warships. and Admiral Ghersrdi
was assured of prompt start when the
orders were given.
At e:l5 o'clock all anchors were hove
short. and only the signal to move was
needed for the procession to the anchorage
for the great review tomorrow. The route
up the bay was entirely clear of boats. and
only the tug boats were dsrting about
clearing belated vessel out of its position.
Looking down the bay the war ships could
be seen in squadron formation. and hehs
smoke was coming out of their smoke
STACKS as they moved slowly into line. One
gun sounded from the Philadelphia. and
her signals came down on the run. Her
screw began TO churn up the waters of the
bay: and she slowly forged ahead
against q strong tide which was
racing down through the narrow gateway
to the upper bay. The Blake was not quite
in line with the Philadelphia, SO the latter
waited for her TO come abreast of her be-
fore she went on her way. Soon they were
In their proper positions, and with three
patrol ste eamers In the van they won't up
through tho Narrows under one bell. In
the meantime the vessels which had been
anchored moro than the regular squadron
distance apart, and were in some cases out
of line, pointed their prows towards the
channel and closed in for the parade.
Another gun from the PhiladelphIs was
answered from the Chicago at $50 o'clock.
IL told that the Blake was abeam of the
flag ship, and the actual start was made
then. The patrol boats leading the feet
pushed ahead, and the Philadelphia. with
the tremendous black -hulled and powerful
looking Blake abreast, swung into the
Narrows at o speed of about eight knots an
hour. Once more the guns of Forts Hamil-
ton and Wadsworth boomed streak OF
red hashes out from the Long Island bluff.
the water An immense cloud of white
smoke drifted seaward. sent there by she
wind. Almost instantly after the Fors
Hamilton discharge Captain HubbePs men
ct Fort Wadsworth. who had been watch
Tor their Deighbors across the water 70
start the work. followed by q laundering
discharge from half dozen guns good
only for saluting. Then the forts followed
one another. A fash aud boom from Fort
from Fort Wadsworth. and for ten minutes
at regular intervals the guns spurted
flashes of tire aud banks of white smoke
were blown out OF the csnnons mouths.
THE PHILADELPHIA AND THE BLAKE.
The Philadelphia and Blake dipped their
colors in answering salute and came up the
bay. proud of the positions they held at the
head of the fleet Their straight mp and
down prows glIded through the waters
without so much as the suspicion of q bone
In the teeth of either one. although it was
blowing hard. Had the wind been from any
other quarter it would have been extreme
lv Rafw ha nd
antine the Philadelphia and Blake seemed
to be of the same size. They were In strik-
ing contrast-one painted white. the other
black, However, IL was when they got
abreast of quarantine, and one could
look over their quarters. that the
English vessel loomed up her proudest.
A to ''Apsa Ds Conscious 0Sa Of ss Sss
strength. The two leaders IN the process
sion flow their national flags. The Phila-
deiphia carried q "blue peter" at her fore
and flew an immense American flag at her
stern. The cross of st. George was rip
ping from the Englishmsn's fore and an
admirafs flag was over the stern. The
other vessels in the feet came along In the
same sty lie substantially.
All OF the American vessels flew blue
peters" and American flags. The strangers
flew the flags of their nations. and when
an admiral was aboard the fact could be
learned from o flag used TO designate
rank. Inc leaueT6 k6pt tUo
distances assigned them with remarkable
precision. A cable and q half length three
hundred yardsl separated each ship from
the other. and this distance was main
tanned with absolut precision. Very
slowly they proceeded at first bus one
hundred yards above the forts they had
nearly reached their full squadron speed.
AS the leaders passed up the forts began
salutng. and instead of the quiet stealing
away of the squadron. as was seen at
X n af
Hamilton and Fort Tompkins. firing alter
nately. sent it on its way to the Hudson
river anchorage. Standing on the high
Long Island shore. midway between
the view was beautiful one.
The feet was then proceeding at about
eight knots an hour, aud was In perfect
formation. The war ships were directly
brought them aide by side. the six hundred
yards interval between the columns being
an abandoned necessity. The interval of
three hundred yards between the vessels
was maintained, and they steamed along
In company. Every point of view along
the y-ridg ge road was packed with spec-
tators, who cheered the ships as they
passed, and good naturedly tried to make
room for the late sfrivals who were COM
inR to the shore by all of the roads. but
could scarcely find room 70 stand. HUI.
dreds could be seen on their way to Fort
Hamilton after the feet had passed up.
THE SHIPS COMPARED.
For the first time since the feet came to-
gether O comparison of the boats. foreign
and American, could be made. Side by side
the Blake and Philadelphia steamed along,
and the former was. by far. the more pow
erful looking, while the latter was the
more graceful In appearance. The white
sides of the Philadelphia loomed up against
the green banks of the Staten island shore.
white as snow. and the big black hull OF
the Blake looked like the tower of strength
that she il. The American Admiral
Gherardi and the British Admiral Hopkins
stood on their respective bridges. proudly
leading the greatest feet of war ships
ever gathered together in this CONN.,
try. Next in order came the British
Australia. in the starboard column: and
the Newark. Tying Rear Admiral Benham's
pennant as flag ship of the first division of
the American squadron. The English ship
was even more dan ngerous looking than the
Blake and the Newark's white sides gilst-
ened in the bright sun light q picture OF
grace. In fact the paint had much TO do
with the apparent strength of the ships. for
while the white hulls looked very graceful
they seemed to lose in strength because OF
It. Following came the Atlanta and the
Magicienne. There was apparently much
more power in the American boat than IN
the trim English gunbcat, and her low
free board made her more war-lIke In ap-
pcarance than her companion. Then came
and the last of the British boats, the Tar
tar. the former looming up like house
against the small gunboat.
The gunboat Bancroft with her three