The morning call., 1893-04-26
Arrival of the Squadron at
New York.
MADE AN IMPRESSIVE SIGHT.
Passage of the Great Ships of War Up
the Bay-Their Anchorage in
the Narrows.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

past Sandy Hook to-day. Most of them
were formidable specimens of those float
ing forIresses of iron and steel into which
modern science has transformed the navies
of the world. and when they all lay
anchored in the light gray of the afternoon
on the steeI-colOTed waters of the lower
bay, the huge sea castles lowered along the
waters, a spectacle of naval might and
power such as has never before been seen
on this side of the Atlantic.
Early in the morning the Russian flag
ship Diml,ri DOnsker arrived and anchored
in Gravesend Bay. The Dolphin, with the
Secretary Of the Navy on board, steamed in
about the same time.
The three Spanish ships, the Infanta Isa-
bel, the Nueva Espana and the Reiua
Regenta, towing the carayels Pinta, Nina
and Santa Maria. weighed anchor as
the Dolphin came in. The Spaniards and
the Dolphin passed up North River, a
ghostly procession, half seen in the mist
and rain. About o'clock it had cleared a
little, and the Spanish fleet. having an
chored their tows up the river, were seen to
steam down and anchor off StapletOn. Then
the low lying Miantonomoh came past, her
hull Invisible, SO deep in the water was
she and so mysteriously did her white color
melt into the white sea fog, which at that
time came yelling its billowy folds up
through the Narrows. 1t was only when she
reached the Spanish fleet and saluted that one
realized that one of the most formidable
vessels atioat was passing up the dim watery
pathway OF the bay. Then blackness hung
low about her in the heavy air. and in it
were red tongues of fame.
1t was after o'clock when the people on
the crowded yachts, tugs and steamers,
watching and waiting through dreary hours,
saw huge bulk shaping itself through the
mist down toward Sandy Hook.
1t was the Philadelphia. the leader Of the
feet, aud flying the blue flag of Rear
Admiral Gherardi. Close behind her
loumeG the Newark. from which fiuttered
the red flag of Rear Admiral Benham.
Rear Admiral Walker. flying the flag Of the
admiral of the white squadron. was some
where down the bay in obscurity with the
second American squadron.
1t lightened up a little and the PhiIadel-
phia appeared. and soon. dimly the whole
long line of warships, in perfect or
der, was seen sweeping in from
the sea by way of the main ship
channel. Speed balls and peunants in the
rigging regulated the progress, so that there
was no break in the stately procession. ex-
cept Intentional ones where squadron was
divided from squadron.
Ship after ship they came on, flags of
every maritime nation in the world stream
ing out from their sterns and making bright
patches Of color to relieve the somber
scene. The British squadron followed the
American aud behind the red ST. George
came the blue cross of Russia. waving over
= monster ship. 1t was dramatic, these
two rival flags, under which bristled great
guns, passing with their crosses of red aud
blue cut of the mist ami the sea up 10
anchor.
Now came a squadron of white hulls
again. and Admiral Walkers contingent
steamed up. The squadron Of France,
with the familiar form of the Are
thuse in the lead and the mighty
towering Jean Bart bringing up the rear,
was next. Then passed up the flags Of Hol-
land, Italy, Germany, Argentine and Brazil
waving languidlY in the heavy air over the
sQuadrons of these nations.
Before the last of the fleet had come in
by Sandy Hook the booming of guns began
up at the narrows, and all knew that the
Russian admiral anchored there was ex-
changing the compliments of the day with
the newcomer.
'=he panorama of passing ships, the flags
of the gathered nations, the long, oily swell
which rolled in from the ocean, and the
msts ont of which the ocean controllers
appeared and into which they dis
appeared again, made a picture full
Of force and power. but with weird
touch to it, such as could be given only by
such a day as to-day. Had the sun shone
and the waters daneed the scene would have
been brilliant and beautiful. AS it was.
with rain, squalls and fog, it was grimly
impressive.
1t aid not need patriotism to make one
see that the white squadrons which were
flying the stars and stripes were composed
of the most graceful and beautiful ships In
tie whole display.
As the big ships Of the feet moved along
they scarcely made wave in the water.
The passage Of cOasting steamer left
swash hich rolled Itself far out on the
shoals on each side Of the channel, but the
great masses of the iron and steel feet went
through the water, making barely enough
swell TO rock a row boat.
The great fleet when it was all at anchor
extended from the Narrows 10 a point below
Swinb0une Island in lower bay. The
American ships formed the outer and west
An NhSN "a h4C 4ABhAllds llt SHIPS Oh GtleT
nations being anchored back of them 10 the
westward.
1t was getting toward sunset when the
last of the men-of-war had dropped her an
ch0r. The mists had cleared ana clouds
were pierced here and there in the
western heavens with struggling shafts
of light. just before sunset a rift
d the clouds allowed burst of light to fall
Iron the dying day across the Staten Island
hills and strike full upon the anchored
fleet. The sunset clouds became fringed
with gold, and crimson banners came
fuiterng down on the various vessels.
Anchor lights went up and nine
national airs went sounding over the
waters, the band Of each flagship playing as
its ensign tiuttered down. 1t was tumult
OF music that echoed back from the high
green bluffs of Fort Wadsworth, and was
heard far down the deserted sands Of Long
Island.
This morning the feet will move to its
anchorage for review up the North River.
Outlined against wall of mist and haze,
and with the purple hills of Staten Island
and the low-lying shores OF Jersey as a
background. the Spanish caraves this
morning moved up the river to their
anchorage off Ninety-sxth street With a
mincing gait the ships moved slowly
and proudly along as if they felt that they
were the cynosure of all eyes Oddly
painted and streaked. quantity fashioned
and grotesquely rigged. they looked as if
they were being drawn along as prop.
eriy pieces in some marine spectacle. but
they moved with the hating, uncertain
motion which ships in the realistic melo-
drama affect when the propertyman has
neglected to oil the machinery.
The granite seawalI of the Battery was
lined by thousands of people who had come
to see the caravels on their voyage from
Fort WadswOrth to Harlem.
The models of the fee, of the Admiral OF
the Indies began their voyage at an early hour
In the morning In tow of stout men-of-war.
The people who wanted to witness t lie
discovery ot Staten Island. New Jersey
nj