Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-08-24
TIE FLEET WELCOMED.
New York Turns Out to Greet
Naval Heroes.
BRAVE LADS CHEERED.
Ships a Bit Batt1e-Scarred. but People
Say They Are All Right
Just the Same.

liven up with gaily-decked vesselsaof all
kinds from an ocean liner to small row.
ing craft. The navy yard tug Nina,
which put out to sea yesterday afternoon
to intercept the fleet, returned, passing
the Narrows at $40 o'clock.
The James w Wadsworth was put at
the disposal of the public and at a. m,
when the fleet was reported approaching
the Narrows, all who desired were taken
on board. The Cunard liner Campania
passed out and several smaller craft.
The fleet approached the NarrOws in the
following order, about cables length
apart:
New York-Armored cruiser, flagship of
Rear Admiral Sampson, commanding North
Atlantic squadron; Capt. f. f. Chadwick.
Battleship, Capt. Robley D: Evans.
B rooEyn1ArmoredP erRs r. flagship of
Rear-Admiral Schley; Capt. +. A. Cook.
massachusetts, Battleship, Capt. f. j.
Higginson.
Oregon-Battleship Capt. A. S. Barker
The New York was flying RearAdmiral
Simpsons blue flag with two white stars
and her decks were covered with her
white clad crew, who lined up silently OBJ
serving the animated scene. At 9:24
o'clock Fort Hamilton fired the opening
gun of the salute, Fort Wadsworth fol
lowing. The Iowa returned the salute.
The bluff shores of Staten Island were
crowded with people cheering and wav-
ing flags, bunting was flying from every
flagstaff and innumerable craft crowded
with eager passengers were cheering and
waving frantically. The soldiers crowd
ed the embankment of the forts, cheer
ing and shouting. Smoke from the forts
hung over the water, but was soon dis
PEELED by the light breeze. Yachts, tugs,
sailing craft and ocean steamers added
attraction to the marine picture.
The steam yacht Eleanor, covered with
flags from the tip OF her jib-boom over
the three masts to the taff-rail and from
each masthead on both sides the rails,
led the fleet. Health Officer DOty ran
alongside of the flagship New York and
after a brief conversation with the sur
geon, who reported All well throughout
the squadron" the fleet continued on
without abating their SLOW pace.
The Brooklyn in passing did not dis
play the flag of Rear-Admiral Schley.
Her center funnel was seen TO have
shot through the starboard side. The
Brooklyn was flying her battle ensigns,
which looked stained and frayed as if
they had seen plenty of service. AS the
squadron approached TOmpkinsville, the
New York saluted the battleship Texas,
which lay at anchor flying the flag of
Commodore Philip. The salute was re-
turned by the Texas. The feet slowly
assembled off Tompkinsville and then
proceeded up toward the North river in
the same order. with the Texas in the
rear, accompanied by an immense crowd
of river raft, leaving the st. Paul at
anchor at her station off 1ompkinsville.
While the fleet was passing III the Mar
rows, two explosions on the surface of
the water near Fort WadswOrth, presum-
ably Of loose guncOttOn or other eX-
plOSlvc, shot up immense columns of
water about 100 feet high, which added
to the novelty of the OCCASION
The parade was commenced at the
NarrOws at $50, and was continued at
TOmpkinsyille, and at 1870 the Texas,
the last of the seven war vessels, took
her place in line, the full length of which
extended from Governors island to
TOmpkinsville.
Wednesday afternoon the Indiana got
speed of nine knots and from that time
until Sandy Hook was sighted the men in
her engine rooms did splendid work The
trip was by no means a simple excursion
home. Besides the daily routine there
were fire and collision drills on all ships
and active work done in painting and re-
pairing. The weather was fine and round
ing Cape Hatteras, usually so stormy,
there was a calm, hot day. Thursday
and Friday were uneventful, but very
pleasant days. Saturday at Z a. M. run
ming by Scotland light, the navy-yard tug
brought out an order for the feet to pro-
coed up the North river to Grants tomb
fire salute and return to Tompkinsville
to anchorage.
How the Ships Look.
In no way did the big ships show the
hard usage to which they had been sub
jected. The Brooklyn's twenty -seven
holes, with the exception of those through
the smOkestack, had been patched and the
big ship reprinted and polished till she
shone. On the starboard side could be
seen great steel patch over the hole
where QUE of the Vizcaya's shots went
through and on the quarterback a wooden
patch where the deck had been torn. The
armOr belt still holds the print of large
shell and critical eye can see the dents
made by several more, even through the
gauze of new gray paint. The Iowa has
patch over her bow where she was hit
by a 6-inch shell, and the Indiana had
patched up the hole in her deck. All the
ships have been painted and their peace
trappings arranged, so that as reminders
of the greatest naval battle ever fought
they are rather disappointing.
The one word peace" written in let
tiers of diamonds and rubies at the mast
head of the Oregon in Guantanamo bay
was the signal for wild applause from the
ships on Friday night, August r. and
the applause became more enthusiastic
when the announcement was made by
Commodore Watson that the fighters of
the navy, the big warships, had been or
dered home and were ordered to sail for
New York as soon as possible. Admiral
Sampson on the New York was absent
when the news came, but the Brooklyn,
which for twenty-four hours had been
on mud bank, had been lowed off by
the Oregon and prepared for home Sat
urday morning Admiral Sampson re-
turned and after consulting the navy de-
partment by wire, ordered that the ships
prepare to so to sea at 10 o'clock Sunday
morning. So once more Sunday became
the navy day. The Brooklyn, it was
found, was uninjured by her mishap in
the mud The circumstances under
which she ran aground were very ex-
cusa BILE. The st. Paul had anchored
almost across the entrance to the bay
and the Brooklyn while passing her stern
on Thursday night had to suddenly veer
to avoid ramming a transport which,
without warning, had backed away from
alongside the big scout. The channel
buoy was not in a position and the
cruiser struck her nose lightly in the
mud. The efforts of the tug Wampatuck
to take her off at night failed, but on
Friday she was pulled off by the Oregon
fter the crew had removed some of her
heavy ammunition.
Promptly at 10 o'clock on Sunday
morning the New York signalled to go to