Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-23
GORGEOUS AND Respondent.
Houors to Italy-Arrival Of Secretary
Herbort-Heavy Firing.
tBy telegraph to the Dispatch.

by telegraph % the Dtsp8tch.l
Forr Monroe Va. April 22.-"Bang,
bang, ti-bRng, bang. bang went the guns
uf the italian war-shlp Etna at < O'Clock
this morning. BOOM. boom, t-boom'
boom. BOOM echoed the heavy CannOn
of the fort as they barked through the
portfolios of the stone ramparts. Crack,
crack. ti-crack. crack. crack snapped the
wicked-loOking little 3 FOUNDERS on board
the Philadelphia, while the guns OF al
the ships IN the fleet tired 10 see which
could make the most nose. The bull OF
every vessel WAS wreathedl IN q halo OF whlte
smoke. The explosions came fast and
heavy, like tirc-cTaCkers q thousand times
intensified. The ar became thick with
the white and %gunpowdery vapOr. The
windows of the Hygeha Hotel shook
and ratified. and late sleepers awoke
with q start, believing that the end OF the
world had come aud that Gabrlel had
blown hIs bucie for the hnal salute. At
the came mOmen the ships began 10 bios
som ont IN VarIegated flags Hnui they were
a., brilliant as the rainbow. AT the main
mast OF every vessel the gaudy colors oithe
Italian flag caught the freeze II hoste1
side by side with the cOlOTs of the other
nations. From mast to mast and from
bowsprit TO stern stretched long ropes
CAV with snowy siGnal-iags. Thus were
the vessels enclrcled with a dazzling au-
reole Of bunting. Interesting and slgnlh-
cant as was the scene of yesterday, the one
TO-DAY was the most gorgeous and re-
splendeut yet presented III this memorable
gathering of the ships Of the world.
~HUMDERT's CONSTELLATION.
All this glory of the ships was in honor
Of King Humbert. IL was quite q happy
idea of the King of Italy 70 get married
twenty-five years ago to-day. so that when
sl, 80 vnl rpp6avv nr1. paTpQ 70 Ia hell IN
1873 1t afforded an opportunity to present
u spectacle such as it does not often fall
TO the lot of man to witness. OF course,
the Italian flagship was the centre of the
celebration. Even the musicians, who had
been running around the ship b~aretooted,
put on their shoes in honor OF tho
dav. Tho captains Of the foreign
men-of-war, and especially of the Ger
mans, came ashore this morning and
bought huge punches of roses and other
flowers for Admiral MagnaGhi, So that hl'
artistic little atate-rOOm was more per
fumed than ever. The captain OF the
Bausan buckled on his sword, arrayec
himself in his uniform and a cape such as
the bandits OF the stage Wear In their
deadly work, and went forth upon o for
NAL visit of ceremony to the Admiral
The sailors were gwen liberty and came
ashore for q good time, while the AdmIra
himself stepped into his launch and wa.
pulled TO the wharf for the purpose OF
writing with his " hand a cablegram OF
congratulation to his sovereign.
AT noon there was another Interchange
of salutes. the brisk cannonadlng again
Startling the crowd OF eXcursIOnlsts and
guests. At G o'clock the salute was re-
pested for the last time and the ships were
undressed.
BRITAIN IRE FASTEST.
There was a friendly rivalry at noon
tune between the Blake and the Kalserin
Augusta as TO which ship could fire
tweuty-one gun IN the shortest space OF
time. The Blake won by a few seconds
The other day when Admiral Gherardl
visited the Blake the salute of thirteen
guns IN his honor was fired IN thirteen
seconds. four guns being used. NO
other nation fires quite as fast as we do
said a midshipman upon the Blake, speak.
ing OF the incident TO your correspondent,
except the Germans. and no added
with a touch OF national pride, II really dc
not MN they do II quite US well as We
do"
THE DOLPHIN APPEARS.
Tho fantastic attire of the ships was not
the only thing 10 give piquancy to life a.
Fort Monroe to-day. Secretary Herbert
arrived his morning upon the Dolphin
IL was fully 10 o'clock when the white hui
Ol lAt ItS4UtNL y NAcHl WAS SlNutbu IHF u
the eastward. but with the knowledge tina
the Secretary was on board the gunners a.
the fort and on the ilagships were ordered
20 their places. Her graceful bow was
headed for the centre of the channel be
tween the American and tho British ships
and as soon as she was abreast of the east
ernmost vessels seventeen dull. rumbllne
sounds and clouds Of smoke came from th,
tort. Instantly the guns of the Dolphin
replied and then, a. the pretty vesse
passed down tbs line II was ~thunderousl,
greeted.
CONTINUOUS FIRE.
las each one of these salutes had 10 b,
answered gao Tor gun the Dolphin kept III
q continuous fire from the moment tina
she entered the feet until she had reached
the little French eln-boat Hussard, ut tn,
outefmOst end. From both sides she sen
forth flame and smoke until the petit
form of Mlss Herbert, who was STANDING
oped. Unused 10 the noisy barks OF heay'
guns Miss Herbert gave q start when th,
frst shot was fred and held her hands &
her ears for several moments. The Secro
tary. however, bad heard tho dog
OF wal break loose before, and he ont
smiled az he glanced around and smiled
the gunpowdery smoke that the fresi
braeze blew IA his face. He saw. rs IN
eye rested upon the magnificent squad
ron that displayed the Stars aud Stripes
the marines standing ~statue-like upon th'
after-deck, their polished rifles cleaning
in the bright sunshine. he saw. too. th'