New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-21
..STCH 4 WAR MAD SJCH 4 CLOSE.

1
The seal is. set. The most brilliant campaign
of the age is crowned with the most brilliant
celebration of victory that mind OF hvlnS man
recalls Never have the historic waters oil Mah-
haitian seen quite 50 proud pageant aS that OF
Yesterday. Never have old oceans waters. III
any time region. seeIi one more impressive.
The stupendous gathering Of the fleets at spit
head in Her Majesty's Jubilee was incomparaDly
greater in point of numbers. But It's members
were untried warriors boastiDg only In putting
their arnor on. The stern warriors OF yesterday
had come straight from fhe scene OF battle SUN
Scared and smoke -bcgrimed tried i'll war
awful balances and not found wanting. The
single Oregon or Brooklyn meant more. not only
10 a rejoicing Nation but to the interest Of the
watching world than all the experimental anu
unscathed armadas that plough the seas or rock
at ease in sheltered ports. They are the ncrccs.
these the experts: they the raw recruits. these
the seasoned and victorious veterans. The world
vet stands at gaze with wonder M the Oregons
performance making a forced cruise of thir-
teen thousand miles and reporting M the end
ready for instant battle Here were she and her
six consorts coming straight from tremendous
battle not shattered and disabled. bu; in per
feet trim for holiday parade. with only scars
and not wound.
II was n brilliant celebration Not in the
trappngS and the pomp of circumstance. II was
severely plain and simple There were no special
edifices or vessels of adOrnment. There were no
decorations but the Stars and Stripes There were
no intricate evolutions or drills OF ships. There
was merely the steaming in single file OF the
seven ships up the bay and river. to fire salute
at The tomb OF the man who conquered on land
as they at sea. and then To steam maicstically
back again Even that in sny event would have
beer impressive Augmented splendor came
from the settings OF tne act the imperial city.
the myriads of cheering spectators. the crystal
air and the sunlit dome % blue. But the SUI
preme hrilliance was from within from the
knowledge of what these grim. gray ships had
done and what they meant 10 this land ana 10
the world For this was an epochmaking fleet.
that had given the world new revelation in
war AZ sea. 1t was a feet that had in one ire
mcndous stroke shown 10 the world the exist
ence Of new Power that must henccforth be
reckoncd with as mastcrfu and dominant. From
its achievements will hcnccforth be rcckoned
dates in the worlds new naval history.
Even the elements and the Incidental yiciSSi-
tudes Of the time contributed 10 the days sue
cess Tho day before came storm and gloom.
presagng failure for the pageant. Thus thou
sands were turned away from hocking to the
scene Til late at night. and TO an early morn
ing hour. the squadron was not sighted. and
doubt prevailed as to its getting here in time.
But the morning dawned in that perfect Splen-
dor which now and again marks this climate as
the loveliest on earth Land and sea and sky
combined TO show forth natures charms I'm most
superb profusion. The ships arrived GER
II.
day morning off Santiago IIarbor. The people
were here. too. reckoned not by hundreds or by
thousands. but by hundreds Of thousands The
arrangements We're perfect in their liberty and
simplicity. There were no fenced and barred
stands exactlng sorld pence from eager pa
triotism but all the grassy and wooded slopes
OF Riverside were open TO whatsoever would.
without fee and without. we may De proud 10
say. abuse Of the high privilege There was
universal satisfaction rs there was universal
rejoicing and acclaim.
/ such war had such close Al the gates
/ Of the metropolis Of the Nation for which they
fought and trumphcd, under the million eyes
/ Of those who put their trust In them and not In
vain bearing no blos on their eScutcheonS but
the gloried scars that showed AT once their peril
and their lnvulnerable strength. the vlctors IN
our latest war moved on their gladly solemn
pilgrimage 10 where, In the heart Of the great
city he loved so well and In the proudest shrine
Of the great land he saved from dissolu' ON. re-
poses the dust Of the Great Commander. There
they saluted the silent ear Of death with the
thunderOus music that had so often Weakened at
his call And there. as the last echoes wnned
and swcllcd and wancd again into reluctant
Stiffness they received In accents audible to the
souls sense alone his answering salute. the final
bcnedic,ion Of triumphant war. LET us have
peace"