The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-09-30

tsnce. Their recklassneas was amazing.
They ran across eaoh others hows, they
rubbed against one another, they pushed
bow on stern, until further movement
seemed paralyzed BY the insxtricabie con-
fusion. II was with great difficulty that
the poles boats could clear passage
from the admirai's launch when he went
OF to return the official visit of the
Mayor at noon, and when he did step
into his launch the patriotic shippers
afloat grabbed their whistle cords and
made the hills echo.
And that was simply the prelude to
what reigned throughout the day, an al
most continuous roar Of steam whistles.
Meantime the vessels to take part in the
parade were massing over near the Long
Island shore until that side Of the harbsr
became tangls Of stacks and Gags and
framework as far as the sye could roam.
The grassy slopes Of wadsworth and Fort
Hamilton and the wharves and shores Of
Staten Island were covered with sight
sssrs Watching the flsst below. The ships
lay spic and span. ready for the start,
their Furnished metal flaming In the sun,
their sides white as snow. Between them
and the shore lay the low, long, lean,
wicked looking torpedo boats and still in
side OF them the graceful fiotilia OF reve.
nue. cutters. A board the Olympia, the
marines and sailors had been seriously In
spected from the toe of the first marine to
the jaunty cap OF the last sailor. All
seemed little dazed at the prospect bc-
fore them and no doubt many would have
preferred programme involving dupli-
cation OF the Manila fight to the ordeal
they were TO go through. The officers Of
the fleet did not wear their showy uni
forms, but were attired in Especial un-
dress as 1t is technically known In the
navy. There were no gold epaulsts gold
bound beavers and Gathering swords
aboard. This WAS by the Admiral's order
and added but another to the many evil
dences Of his unique modesty. A brother
and the widow OF Captain Griiiey. who
fought en- the Olympia in Manila bay,
Col. Franklin BARTLETT, former Rspresen-
tative In Congress from New York and
an intimate friend Of the Admiral and
three newspaper men were the only civ IL
ians aboard. One of the naval guests was
the engineer of the Olympia when she led
the way past Corregidor island. He was
given three rousing cheers as he went
forward on the spar deck TO see the men.
Immediately after Admiral Dewey re-
tarned from the Sandy Hook, the Wig
wager on the bridge signalled the fleet TO
prepare to get under way. The gangways
were hauled up and the boomn rugged in.s
An old quartsrmaster hurried smaIl
dark roll of bunting to ths main, hand
over DIST 1t hung there white the buGle
sounded the call TO quartars and the ma
rines were mustered AT. Thee Just a. the
signal to weigh was given a pull on the
haIyards opened the roll and spread out
the four starred flag which Farragut dew
as he ran the forts at New Orleans and
which has been presented to Admiral
Dewey. AS 1t broke sailors at their sta
tions and the marines on the quarter deck
greeted 1t with cheers. The flag fioated
proudly all through the pageant today.
1t ID the most precious possession of Far
ragut's pupil, and when it is struck on
Monday, 1t will probably bs forever, as
1t Is altogether unlikely that Admiral
Dewey will ever command another fiset
1t was exactly one O'Clock, the hour
liked for the start. when the fleet, with
anchors short-hove, began to move The
ships had swung to the food tide and
were pointing down stream, but with
their twin screws they faced about as on
pivots and headed for the Hudson, fol-
lowed by the long line of vessels In the
civic parade. When the ships had
Strengthened out for their journey aoross
ths upper bay, the spectacle they made
will ever be treasured In the memory of
those who saw 1t. In advance of the
Olympia was double line of patrol aud
ire boats which cleared the way of un-
official trespassers. On the port beam of
the Olympia was the sscorting ship Sandy
Hook with the Mayor and other digni-
taries aboard and In her wake at intervals
of four hundred yards and stretched out
for mile were the armored cruiser New
York, the hattlesnips Indianas and
Massachusetts,, the cruiser Brooklyn, sec
ond class battleship Texas. the old wood
en- frigate Lancaster, the gunboat Marietta
and the Chicago, the flagship Of the South
Atlantic squadron. Old Glory fiuttered
from eac h mast head and taffrail. On
each quarter Of the New York vera the
black, low-lined torpedo boats, three on
each flank. The rest OF the procession
tailed out for miles. Slowly and majestic
caliy the procession moved across the
shining waters. Admiral Dewey went
upon the after bridge as soon as the start
and remained there throughout the
parade heroic figure outlined against
the sky. for the thousands afioat and
ashore. With him ON the bridge most of
the time was Col. Bartlett to whom he
talked pleasantly when he was not
acknowledging the salvos OF salutss or
personally directing the movements OF
his immediate fleet and the Admiral gave
Continued on Second Page.