The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-03

, AAoLiA &O VIC VI lit IISI marine 10 IDe
jaunty cap of the last sailor. All
seemed a little dazed at the prospect
before them, and no doubt many would
have preferred a programme involv-
ing a duplication of the Manila fight to
the ordeal they were to go through.
The officers of the fleet did not wear
their snowy uniforms, but were attired
in special undress A." as it is tech
nlcally known in the navy. There were
no gold epaulets, gold bound eaver
and gathering swords aboard This
was by the admiral's order and added
but another to the many evidences of
MS unique modesty. A brother and the
widow of Captain Gridley, who fought
the. Olympia in Manila bay, Colonel
Franklin Bartlett former representa-
tive in congress from New York and an
intimate personal friend of the admiral,
together with three newspaper men
were the only civilians aboard.
One of the naval guests was the en-
glneer of the Olympia when it led the
way past Corrigedor island. He was
giving three rousing cheers as he went
forward to see the men.
FARRAGUTS FLAG.
Immediately after Admira Dewey
returned from Sandy Hook, the wig
wager on the bridge signaled the fleet
gangways were hauled up and the
booms rugged. An old quartermaster
hurried a small dark roll of bunting to
the MAN, hand over fist. 1t hung
there while the bugle sounded the call
TO quarters and the marines were mus
tered aft. Then, just as the signal to
weigh was given, a pull on the halyards
opened the roll and spread the four
starred flag which Farragut flew as he
ran the fort at New Orleans. 1t was
the flag which was presented to Ad-
miral Dewey. AS it broke, sailors at
their stations and the marines on the
quarter deck greeted it with the hip
~hip-hurrah we got from our ancestors.
The flag foated proudly all throuph
the pageant today. 1t is the most pre-
cious possession of Farragut's pupil,
and When it is struck on Monday, it
will probably be forever, as it is alto
gether unlikely that Admiral Dewey
will ever m another fleet.
THE PROCESSION.
1t was exactly 1 o'clock when the
fleet, with anchors short-hove, began
to o The ships had swung to the
Hood tide and were pointing down
stream, but with their twin screws they
faced about as on pivots and headed
for the Hudson formed by the long line
of vessels in civic parade. When the
ships had Strengthened out for their
journey across the upper bay the spec
tacle they made will ever be treasured
in the memoir of those who saw. In
advance of the Olympia was a double
line of patrol and fire boats, q lilipu-
tan fleet to clear the way of unofficial
! trespassers. 1t did not require much
persuasion either, as the shippers had a
wholesome respect for the steel ram of
the mighty sea monster. On the port
beam of the Olympia was the escort
ing ship Sandy Hook, with the mayor
n other di%gnataries aboard, and in
how r-n lie n = irtopI,oJc Of d0a W. rIc
stretched out a mile long, were the
great towering warships, the armored
cruiser New York, the battleships In
diana and Massachusetts,, the cruiser
i, Brooklyn, second class battleshiD
, Texas, the old wooden frigate Lancas
!, ter, the gunboat Marietta, and the
Chicago, the flagship of the South At
= lantic squadron. Old Glory futtered
!, from each masthead, and taffrail. Or
each quarter of the New York were the
black low lined torpedo boats, three
on each flank.
DEWEY ON THE BRIDGE.
Admira Dewey went up on the after
. bridge as soon as the start was made
and remained there throughout the
parade, a heroic figure outlined against
:, the skies for the thousands af1Oat anC
J ashore With him on the bridge mos
t of the time was Colonel Bartlett, tt
j whom lie ldlheu With lie was HUI dc
. knowledging the Salutes or personally
{ directing the movements of his fleet
{ and the admiral gave close attention
{ throughout the journey to everything
I which transpired on board the vessel
e By his direction the ensign was cour
e tested to vessels which saluted, ant
several times he ordered the crew t
S stand by to cheer in answer to som,
y extraordinary demonstration.
II The runs of the Olympia spoke bu
s once until Grants tomb was reached
o That was when they barked in answe
e to the deep baving of the guns of OIL
Fort William, on Governors island
> Before the Battery was reached, hun
It dreds of tugs and excursion boats ha,
$. crowded in behind the patrol boats an
s stretched away rank upon rank 70
n either shore from the quarter Of IN
l. Olympia. Their whistles were gOin
o continuously throughout the journey
IL The untold thousands who thronged III
n wharves and piers. who leaned fror
al the windows and balconies and locke
w down from the dizzy heights of SIX
Il scrapers must have impressed the ad
l. miral greatly, but his modesty woul
~ not permit him to view it all as a pei
s. sonal ovation.
lie astonishing. astonishing" he re
or peated several times, to Colonel Bar
id lett, but he said nothing of himself.
p The waving Of the hundreds of thoI
sands along the shore could be distinc
a ly seen from the deck of the Olympic
a but only occasionally were the sount
in of cheers waited from the GROVE
I'd ashore. AS a rule perhaps they we
at too much interested in the spectac
IT, to venture vociferous applause; besid
they were too far away TO be heard /
the admiral or the men on the cruiser
TT even if the terrific din of the craft
ar the river had not been kept up almo
withou ntermission
Of The shrieking whistles were forev
going, and when the fleet swe
around the stake boat above Gran
In, tomb on Riverside drive and each sh
led had let go it's booming salute, the co
les cert that followed was soul-madde
EN- ing-a mad, fantastic. n~erve-destroyi
an, roar that continued for almost ten mi
till utes. So much steam was wasted tn
of the boats themselves were lost in tn,
own vapor.
md p The Darolo ~ fhfu rafnf hoOon