The Springfield herald., 1898-08-26
OVATION TO THE NAVY.
Sampson's Big Ships Given "A Warm Greet
Ing by New Workers.


| New York Aug. 21.-Hundreds of
thousands of people along the banks
of the Hudson, and thousands on all
styles of river crafts, yesterday blend
ed their shouts i'll royal welcome TO
the returned North Atlantic squadron
under command of Rear Admiral
Sampson, and rs fine an August day
as could be desired was natures trib-
ute to the return of the victors.
For almost three solid hours steam
whistles of all Oizes, steam sirens and
small guns along the shore shrieked
and doomed from the effort to display
the heartiest enthusiasm for the home
coming of the naval heroes with their
battle-scarred ships.
Early in the morning the seven big
shils-the New York, Iowa, Indiana.
Brooklyn, Massachusetts, Oregon and
TeXas-lay in New York bay, just off
Tompkinsvillc, :. l.. There was no idea
with Admiral Sampson that New York
city was prepared for y rousing reccp-
tion but the news was brought shortly
by n tug from the navy yard and all
the ships of the squadron were imme-
diately put under preparations for
dress review.
1t was some time before the ships
could get into review formation, but
by the time the New York's PROV
came in line with Governors island
the other ships had formed in n rcgu-
lar line.
The start was made. accompanied
by tremendous cheering. screech-
ing voices and booming cannon.
From Castle William came the first
salute. 1t was merely Il flash of bright
red, which was Immediately smoth-
cred in sheet of smoke before the de-
notation was heard. Then came the
roar across the waters. and the ships
headed right in the river on the way
to General Grants tomb.
All along the line, on piers, on sheds,
houses and every possible point of
vantage, people We're packed. The river
craft, crowding the warships close,
We're jammed with passengers, sinking
the sides of the vessels almost TO their
guard rails on one side, giving the i'm
preston that even the ships them
selves bowed in unconscious salute to
the returning naval heroes. The width
of the Hudson river was struggling
huttering, darting mass of color and
confusion and cheers. AS the vessels
moved further up the river, the water,
which had been calm at the Battery,
was churned by the action of the hun
dreds of steamers and waves dashed
over the small boats and sheets of
spray dampened the passengers on the
lower decks of the larger steamers.
AS the grim looking battleships
moved up the river the crowds became
denser and the enthusiasm was more
marked. At Riverside Drive, with its
steep, grassy slope, the scene was like
an amphtheater. Tens of thousands of
persons covered the green slope, and
MS the battlcships approached, n
mighty cheer arose that reverberated
back and forth across the Hudson.
| From the bottom of the slope an OBJ
servation train crawled lazily along,
keeping even with the ships, above
| this the vast sea of humanity crowded
General Grants tomb, which was TO
| mark the beginning of the return OF
the squadron, where II national salute
of twenty-one guns was fired. Ihe
tomb, standing high, white and sol
emn, was far above the waters of the
river, looked to be built upon foun'
dation of faces.
The salute ended, the return of the
squadron along the line of review was
begun. 1t was II repetition of the en-
thusastic scenes on the way up the
river. Every whistle that could be
brought into use played its part; ev'
cry bell, every band Joined in honorins
the fleet and above all We're the re
sounding echoes of the shouts from OF
water and on land.
The parade of the ships, from the
time it passed the Battery on its way
up the river, TO the time it repassed or
its way to anchorage off Tompkins
vile, S. L., occupied just two hours
and thirty-fivc minutes.