Gloucester County Democrat., 1899-09-28

ed gave her vapofous salute, ana as
the shipping increased the noisy dem
onstration became almost continuous.
Ship after ship took its turn in doing
honor to the admiral as the Olympia
swept grandly up the line of floating
fortresses and the flood of sentiment
welIed up within their hearts. Admiral
Dewey, from the bridge, acknowledged
each salute with a wave of his cap.
He alone. of all the officers of the
fleet, was in fatigue uniform. AS the
Olympia swept by the New York, the
last ship of the column, the full ma
rine band aboard the Olympia played
Sousas '.El Captain" march, and the
spectators en- the excursion fleet cheer
ed. Tie shippers turned loose their
whistles and sirens. Everything that
could make a noise joined.
In few moments the Olympia came
to anchor, and then came the admirals
and captains from all the ships troop
ing in their swift water carriages to
pay their respects to the nations hero.
AS they came aboard they were given
the honors due their rank. Admiral
Dewey was still in fatigue uniform
when he received his old classmates
at the gangway The official visits to
the Olympia lasted for over an hour.
Meantime scores of rowboats, tugs,
launches and yachts formed about her
many with relatives, sweethearts or
friends aboard Almost the first to
make the gangway was the Narkeeta,
with Admiral Dewey's relatives. The
party was given a warm greeting and
taken to the cabin. One officer was so
overjoyed at the sight of the wife he
had not seen for % months that he
rushed down the gangway and kissed
her in the presence of 10000 people.
Some of the visitors had flowers for
the admiral and more good things for
the crew. One man presented the crew
with rowboat of watermelons. AS
soon as Admiral Dewey could detach
himself from those who were so eager
to see him he returned the ott1ciai
visits, which the etiquette of the occa-
sion required He first called upon Rear
Admiral Sampson, whose ship lay next
to his, and then upon Rear Admiral
Howison, at the other end of the line.
For this ceremony the Admiral him
self donned the full uniform of his
rank. There was pretty ceremony as
he went aboard the New York and the
Chicago, and as the little launch in
which he passed each ship of the
squadron the sides were manned, the
drums were rolled, the bugles blown
and the officers at the waist saluted.
Viewed from the shore skirting
either Staten Island or Bay Ridge, the
Narrows took on the appearance last
night of a big water fete, a Venetian
feI4 fof
for a great canal was formed by reve-
nue. cutters and warships, beginning
with the Olympia at st. George and
ending with the Onondaga. lying off
Quarantine. Between this line of
beautifully lighted warships and the
Staten Island shore darted brilliantly
Illuminated launches carrying prettily
gowned women and occasionally a
party of naval officers resplendent in
gold braided dress uniforms. The
searehlights of the ships chased many
of these elusive water greyhounds as
they scurried hither and thitheT.
The most unique illumination along
the shores of the harbor was the eff
fective display at the quarantine board
ing station above the Narrows. 1t
consisted of the words Welcome
Home" in white electric lights, with a
border Of red white and blue lights
and an immense American flag, IA by
25 feet, set in an Illuminated frame of
hundreds of white electric bulbs This
display was visible all over the bay.
Tomorrow night the general illumina-
tion of the coast will take place.
Five Grand Army posts yesterday
made application to General o. O..
Howard for place in the land parade.
They were assured a prominent place
in the line.