Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-04-10
A RUSSIAN CRUISER
Was the First Foreign Vessel to Ar.
rive at Hampton Roads.
Net Expected But Rsesissd warn Wsleeass
Ersm tAs Fleet.


ternoon the first of the visiting war vessels
entered the roads and dropped anchor be-
side the white squadron. She 10 \ Russian
| cruiser. and her name, when translated ii,-
to English, is "The General Admiral"
Her arrival was entirely unexpected.
One of the admirals had just been saying
to reporter tina, no foreigners would
reach Hampton Roads for nine days. and
preparations were under way for another
seiies of fleet drills at sea with all the new
ships that are to be in the review at New
York. Suddenly there appeared in the
| oiting the heavy long spsrs and the trim
outlines of black painted man of war.
Intense excitement followed this discov-
cry. The wharf was soon crowded, and
the walls Of the great fortress were fringed
with excited men and women. Every body
was delighted, but the delight was diluted
with the fear that the stranger might not
prove to be warship. Slowly the big
black ship made her way nearer, and pres
entity the flag was seen to be the Russian
banner.
She was next seen to be vessel of about
the size and shape of our Chicago, Atlanta
and Newark. which are three of our new
ships that carry regular mast and spar aud
are able TO spread helpful canvass. But
the stranger was painted black and had two
white smokestacks. The Russian jack that
she flung to the breeze was big white flag
with blue cross on it, in the form of u
sawbuck.
She shut of her steam and iioated along
la,ily, while Admiral Gherardi from the
flag ship Philadelphia kept sending up pen
nant signals, and all our ships assembled
their marines to their forecastles and bade
them stand at the saluting position. The
Russians saw great sight, and got new
idea of our country's strength and enter
prise. oNe thing they noticed about our
II great white floating castles was a thing
not often seen in naval assemblies, and es-
peeially seen in ours, that is the presence
of three admirals and the proud display of
all the admiralty flags. The blue, the red
and the white.
Here was the Philadelphia showing the
blue flag with two stars that denoted the
presence of the first of American sailors,
gallant Admiral Gherardi. Next behind
her was the Newark with the red two
starred flag of Admiral Benham, and the
next ahead of the Philadelphia was the Chi
cago flying Acting Rear Admiral Walkers
white flag with two stars.
That combination flying over II steel
cruisers, all as pretty as ever ships were,
made glorious sight for every American
who witnessed it.
The black visitor, the General Admiral
crept along past Admiral Gherardi's boat,
and then dropped her big left bower anchor
with a mighty splash. Then she sent lot
of tars aloft and they looked like spiders
running all over web. The General Al
miral ran up the Yankee colors on the
mainmast, but they stuck there in bag,
and men had to be sent up to free them.
Once they were free, the General Admiral
began TO bech fire and smoke, first on one
side and then on the other. She made a
mighty noise AS she fired 2l guns To do
honor to our flag.
The commandant of Fort Monroe replied
with his guns, and then the flagship Phila-
delphia took her turn. She made all the
glass at Fort Monroe rattle and jingle.
Then began the serious preliminary to our
great Columbian review, and on top of it
came the rumor that another Russian war
ship, the Rynda, was just n few miles out
at sea. and would arrive in the roads to-
morrow.
The first fiuttcr of the day was caused by
the arrival of Rear Admiral Benham in the
cruiser Newark.
Rear Admiral Bennam put on his cooked
hat, with great gold band all around it,
donued his best coat, hung his sword about
his waist and ordered his pull boat with I2
Oarsmen, in order to pay his respects to the
| commander-in- chief.
| Admiral Gherardi, feeling his health still
more improved, and ready for whatever
may turn up, ordered his marines on the
after gun deck, assembled his brass band
and waited for his visitor. The two of.
fcers spent an hour together.
| Later Admiral Gherardi returned Rear
Admiral Benham's call, and also paid a
visit to Admiral Walker. When Admiral
Gherardi returned to his ship he found il
captured by women.
During visit to Admiral Gherardi later
in the day, the commander-in-chief said
that he intended to take out IL vessels on a
cruise on Tuesday, and to keep them out
five days for further exercise in feet dril
ling. In addition to the eight that entered
upon the last drill there would be the Phil
ahelpbia and Newark, which has Just ar
rived, the bennington, now in Norfolk, an,
the Bancroft, now on her way from New
York.
1t is possible that there may be chang
of programme now that the General Ad
miral from Russia hus come in so unex
bectedly. 1t is thought that our ships ma,
not go away and leave a guest of the natiol
here unattended. The general opinion i
that if the fleet goes out at all for practic
evolutions it will not stay out more than {
day or two.