The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-16

they may take part in the celebration,
ana the procurement Of coal, equipments
and stores, have al been carefully worked
out and provisions made. Rear Ad-
mlral Bancroft Gherardi, now in command
OF the Pacific squadron, was ordered
20 exercise the supreme command
OF the combined fleets in the review, while
Rear Admiral Benham. commander Of the
South Atlantic squadron, and Rear Ad-
mlral Walker OF the North Atlantic are re-
quired to report to him with the ships Of
their respective commands, at such points
as he may designate,
Almost everything has been done thus far
that can be done TO perfect the necessary
arrangements. The responsibility for the
success OF the demonstration will naturally
rest with ex-Secretary Tracy but
inasmuch as the present secretary
VIII be called upon to supervise the exc
cution of the plans formed the finish
! ing touches and minor details were lefs
to him. Considering the short interval,
| however, between the change of admins
tratio2s and the celebration of the review
comparatively little more can be done by
the new secretary than the completion Of
the smaller details aud general direction
afterward, and the country will, doubtless,
have the pleasure of observing how
smoothly under the republican system ar
rangemsnts made by one administration
oAS CaIEiou Oub D( us successor.
WHEY ADMIRAL GHERARDI ARRIVES.
Meanwhile the completion of the concrete
plans for the maueuvers at the rendezvous,
and at the review await only the arrival of
Admiral GherardL OF the United States
vessels that will take part IN the great
pageant, all are in American waters and
close at hand.
AS soon as Admiral Gherardi reaches
Hampton Roads be will map out the pro-
gramme for the rendezvous and the trip to
New York. In few days, no
doubt, the respective foreign governments
will have officially communicated to our
navy department the precise number and
names OF the vessels they will send. With
this data at hand Admiral Gherardi, vested
as he Is with plenAry authority, can
speedily fix and determine the position of
each squadron in the fleet and of each YES
sci IN Its particular squadron.
TO BE WELCOMED BY DOLPHIN.
Most of our own vessels will be in the
roads early In April, and among them will
be the dispatch boat Dolphin, bearing either
the President or his official and personal
| representative to receive and welcome with
due formalities the foreign squadrons arriv-
ing from abroad. While the foreign ships
are assembling there the officers will be en-
tertained by our officers at Fort Monroe
not extravagantly or prodigally to be sure
but generously and with such measure of
cordial hospitality as we'll become the host
nation and maintain the high position occu-
pied by onr government among the nations
of the world.
THE MONITOR AND MERRIMAC.
One of the brilliant features of the rem
devious will be a sham attic between iron
clads OF the types Of the old Merrimac and
Monitor, to take place near the Identical
spot where occurred the novel fight Of
March 9. 1862, which revolutionized naval
warfare and largely determined the fate of
the confederacy. There will be fanfares
and salutes galore and other demonstrations
OF honor as the new arrivals drop into
the roads from day to day, and the great
muster-the greatest ever known-will af-
ford ample edltication and amusement to
the half million spectators drawn to the
scene.
THE PROCESSION OF wARsHIPs
up the Atlantic coast from the roads to New
York will be a triumphal pageant unprece-
dented in naval annals. In the feet and in
che separate squsdrons the foreign vessels
will be assigned positions in ACCORDANCE with
the relative rank Of their commanding adj
mirals Great Britain has a grade known
as admiral OF the fleet" which is higher
than any other grade in any other navy,
corresponding on land to the military rank
Of field marshal of the army. 1t is, there
fore. probable, aside from other reasons,
that the British admiral will be the senior
among the guests, unless other foreign
nations decide also to send admirals ia COM
mand. In that case such edmirsls would
be junior in rank only to our own GherardI.
Seniority is the basis OF precedence in the
navy. and unquestionably this will be the
guiding principle in the present instance.
THE ORDER OF PROCESSION
has not yet been determined, but 10 all
likelihood, according to information from
the navy department, the great feet will
move northward in three grand divisions OF
approximately equal size, each division en-
Tracing from twenty one to thirty-four ves-
sells If arranged otherwise, in a single
squadron, with three columns twenty YES
sells deep, and with the regulation distance
of two cables length from mainmast to
mainmast. the procession would be over
half mile wide and nearly six miles
long-too long, in fact, to be easily
controlled. Hence IL is almost GER
tain that Admiral Gherardi will de-
eide to conduct the feet to New York in
three sQuadrons or divisions. With this
method the distance between the head and
sternmost vessels of each squadron would
be but little over two miles, which is within
ready signaling distance. So far as is
known no procession OF this kind has ever
been conducted before.
THE CODE OF SIGNALS.
Another important task devolving upon
Admiral Gherardi when he arrives will be
the selection of a code of signal to be used
in common by the entire aggregated feet.
1t is thought by naval officers and officials
that the modified Myer code-a flag signal
system-recently issued by the naval bureau
of navigation for recommendation and
trial, will be chosen, inasmuch as il is found
to'fulfill all the requirements Of a general
code, being at once simple and comprehen-
sive. In addition the flag hoists now in use
in our navy will probably be so arranged
as to supply supplementary code, cover
ing all the conditions that may arise at sea
and In port
IN NEW YORK HARBOR.
Still another point of moment to the sue
cess of the affair will be the proper policing
of New York harbor and bav, in order that
the movements of the feet may not be i'm
peded by swGrms Of spectator craft and
camp followers" The problem is receiv-