The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-04-17

attending the return of the United States
cruiser Raleigh from Manila. which had
TO be postponed Saturday. owing to the
warships late arrival Saturday night.
occurred yesterday.
The Raleigh h,/accompanied by two
small war vessels captured from the
Spanards last summer. and a fleet Of
absut 25 excursion steamers and tug
boats, paraded from Tompkinsvile to
Grants tomb. and from there back to
anchorage i'm the North river, off Thirty
fourth street. Ii would have been diff
ficun TO have selected more inclement
or disagreeable weather than that which
prevailed all the time that the Raleigh
was passing i'm review before the thous-
ands OF enthusiastic people who lined
tfe-r+rer- banks. and gave her their
hearty cheer OF welcome home.
The cruiser did not leave her anchora ge
off Tompkinsville for the parade up the
bay and the Hudson river until shortly
before noon, and an hour before that
time drizzling rain commenced TO fall,
and this soon turned into a steady down
pour. which continued the remainder
of the day. The air was raw. and the
officers and men OF the Raleigh stood
upon the decks three hours. drenched to
the skin and shivering with the cold.
There were very few people along the
river front i'm the lower part OF the city,
owing partly To the weather and partly
TO The fact that the entrances TO the
piers are generally closed on Sundays.
But great crowds assembled in River
side park, overlooking the Hudson. and
men, women and children stood there for
hours under umbrellas watching the ves-
sells on their way up the river and on
their return.
The ferry boats were crowded with
people. and several of them ran along
side the Raleigh for a short distance.
Captain Coghlan was on the bridge near
ly all the way up the river. The captain
was Obliged TO bare his head to the rain
a great deal of the time in answer to
the salutes.
Just before arriving off Grants tomb
the cruiser slowed down preparatory TO
turning and while the cheering and
whistle blowing were at their height two
6-pounders on the Raleigh commenced
their salute OF II guns. The last shot
had hardly died away when the Alvarado
end Sandoval opened with the national
salute. and a battery on the shore Joined
in the tribute to the dead president.
When the saiutes were concluded the
Raleigh turned slowly and headed down
the river.
The run back to anchorage off Thirty
fourth street. was made slowly, and amid
the same enthusiasm displayed as on the
run up the river.
Whap he y a leffrh finally anchared eh
was surrounded Immediately by a fleet
OF excursion boats and as fast as these
could reach her gangway the people
aboard them climbed on the cruiser and
extended personal welcome to the officers
and crew. Many relatives and personal
friends of the officers and men went
aboard, and the days celebration con-
cluded with general and individual re-
cepttUus.
The career OF the Raleigh from the
time she left this port nearly two years
e o until her return home has been a
remarkable one The accounts OF her
participation in the fight at Manila are
intensely interesting. The following
sketch of the firing of the first shot in
that battle Is told by an officer on the
Raleigh, the time dating from the hour
when the cruiser was stripped for action:
About p. m. Saturday, April 30 the
commanding officers Of the fleet repaired
on board the Olympia for final consulta-
tion with the commodore. Captain
Coghlan returned with a typewriter
document and ordered "All hands called
to muster" on the quarter deck. Amid
dead silence he mounted one Of the poop
ladders and said u want TO read the
proclamation of the governor general of
Manila to let you see what he thinks OF
you"
Consul General Williams had brought
a translation Of this remarkable docu-
ment which had been published in all
the papers apd placarded over the town
on the 23rd-the day ne left Manila.)
The captain then read IT. In amaze
ment We listened TO its language. I'VE
were composed of all the social ex-
crescences of the world. A squadron
manned by foreigners possessing neither
instruction nor discipline was coming
to their archipelago to try to rob them of
life, honor and liberty" We were Ito
enslave the natives. pillage the holy
Catholic churches and crafty our lust
full passions at the expense OF their
wives and daughters honor.
VAIN designs. ridiculous boastings.
The struggle would be short and de-
cisive: the, God of victories would give
them one as complete as the righteous
Tess OF their cause demanded" etc. etc.
Towards the close, mutterngs among
the men could be heard and faces were
resn to draw and assume a look OF iron
ical amusement ana gross determna-
tion. As he finished the captain said:
1--WE run the forts tonight and attack the
feet tomorrow morning. Then show