Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-04-12
At HAMPTON ROADS.


| Fogr MoSRoE, April 1.-THE Russian
officers of the General Admiral haye been
the hons nf the day both socially and Off
eialiy. Besides being the first foreigners
| 10 whom American hospitality has been ex-
| tended, they now have prior claim to the
right of line, and their arrival just at this
time has solved the problem as to which
nation would lead the great review in New
York harbor.
The navy department looked upon this as
a delicate question, for Spain. Italy and
England each seemed TO have a Just claim
for this distiuction-one, because the Span
ish flag was the first upon the soil of the
New World; another, because Columbus
was a native of Italy and the third because
her admiral was the ranking officer of the
fleet. The department cut the Gortian
knot, however, by deciding that the nation
first upon the scene would be given the van
OF the fleet.
For several DAYS it has been said Vice
Admiral Hopkins was lying to east of the
cape. awaiting the other vessels of his Eng
iish squadron determined that he would be
the first foreign vessel to join the nag of
Admiral Gherardi. Nothing has yet been
seen of the Blake or the Cross of st.
George.
Sunday imiral Gherardi and his staff
donned official dress and went over to pay
respects to Captain Besobrasoff, command
log the cruiser General Admiral. As this
distinguished party was leaving the Rus
sian mau-of-war, Admiral Gherardi turned
10 his host and begged that he would dis
pense with the customary salute. ~ in
sist upon it," courteously replied Captain
n. Iatarp,,paI that oil hnpnys
should b. extended the American admiral
For time it looked as though the salute
would he fired anyway until Admiral Cher
arii Informed the Russian commander that
he had decided to wave all personal salutes
during the review. Later in the day, Ad
miral Gherardi stated that there would
have been a continual cannOnading all day,
had he not decided to wave his formal
courtesy during official visits.
To the surprise of all at Fort Monroe,
however, the guns of the flagship Philadel-
phia doomed across the dazzling waters of
the roads at ) o'clock. As the naval regu-
latiops do not admit of any salutes being
fired from an American war vessel on Sun
day, except when to refrain from this
courtesy might give offense to foreign
nation, it was thought that this salute was
10 captain DesODTasOH Wutu ile TttuTHeu
Admiral Gheradi's visit. 1t proved to be
an honor to Secretary of Agriculture Nor
ton, who, in company with Ex-Governor
Francis of Missouri, visited the Philadel-
phia, and As he intended leaving tonight for
Washington, Admiral Gherardi saluted him
with II guns.
Today the entire fleet, with the exception
of the flagship Philadelphia, will go to sea
to remain until Friday. The vessels of
the squadron will standardize their screws
and ascertain the evolutionary powers of
each vessel. The Philadelphia would have
gone also, but she will remain to the Rus
sian cruiser company, it being deemed bad
form to leave the foreign visitor alone in
the harhor.
The General Admiral has been inspected
by crowds of visitors. In appearance she
is smaller than the Philadelphia, though
she is rated as an armored cruiser of 4G04
tons displacement. She is bark rugged and
has the following dimensions Length, 2s5
feet :, inches; beam ~ feet, inches;
draught, 22 feet, | inches; horse power,
4472: speed, l2 knots. The General Ad
miral is an iron vessel copper sheathed, and
protected by partial belt of six inches.
She has no turret or battery armor and car
ries six s-inch guns. two of six inches,
seven machine guns, one with two firing
tubes for fish tOrpedoes.