The Portland daily press., 1899-04-17
First of Dewey's Fleet
to Return.
Parade to Grant Monument and
Return.


attending the return of the United States
cruiser Raleigh from Manila, which had
to be postponed yesterday, owing to the
warship's late arrival last night, occurred
today. The Raleigh. accompanied by
two small vessels captured from the Span
iards last summer, and u fleet of about
25 excursion steaners and tug boats. pa
raded from Tompkinsyille to Grants
tomb and from there back to anchorage
in the North river off 3ith street Ii
would have been difficult to have select
cd more inolement or disagreeable wealth
er than that which prevailed at the time
that the Raleigh was passing in review
before the thousands of enthusiastic peo.
pie Sho lined the river banks and gave
her their hearty cheers Of welcome home.
: The cruiser did not leave her anchorage
of Tompkinsville until shortly before
noon and an. hour before. that time driz
cling rain commenced to fall and this
soon turned into steady downpour
which continued the remainder of the
day. The air was raw and the officers and
men o. the Raleigh stood upon the decks
three hours drenched to the skin and
shivering with cold. There were very few
people along the river from In the lower
pars OF the city owing partly to the weath.
or and partly to the fact that the entrano-
es TO the piers are generally closed On
Sundays. But great crowds assembled in
Riverside Park overlooking the Hudson,
and men, women and children stood there
for hours under umbrellas watching the
vessels on their way up the river and on
their return. by far the greatest gather
aw,.s Il 10. -. Nha al r.f
Grants tomb, which was the turning
point Of the parade. national salute
was fred there by the Raleigh and also by
the Two captured Spanish prizes and q
hundred steam whistles from excursion
boats and locomoti tives shrieked and thou
sands of people on shore cheered. The
Raleigh lay at anchor until the citizens
reception COMMITTEES had notified Capt.
Coghlan of the plan tor the parade. Pre-
vious to this, Mrs. Coghlan had gone
aboard and the crew of the Raleigh had
given the hull of the craft fresh coat of
paint. Before the hour set for the parade
the rain began TO fall and 1t continued
throughout the ceremonies. AS the morn
ing hours pas sed the Raleigh began tn be
surrounded by excursion steamers and
small craft and the scene atioat was
lively one. Shortly before noon all hands
on the cruiser were called to quarters and
Mayor Van Wyck and the otner commit
teemen were received with naval formali.
ty. Capt Coghan escorted the visitors
To his cabin, where brief ceremonies were
held. The Mayor welcomed the Raleigh
to NewYork; extended the freedom OF the
city to the officers and men, apologized
for the disagreeable weather and assured
Capt. Coghiansof u hearty welcome. Capt.
Cogh!an replied briefly, thanking the
Mayor for the expression of New York's
ostitality and declaring the satisfaction
nf hi I'M self "a "A hqF nf1rprs and the
of the Raleigh in having been able to
serve their country in Manila and their
happiness in the return to their native
land. The COMMITTEES did not stop aboard
"a moment after the formalities of the
welcome were over, and as Mayor Van
Wyck left the. side of the Raleigh he re-
ceived from her salute of 3 guns
Preparations were made then to get un-
dsr way for the parade The Raleigh was
headed down the stream at the time and
when she raised her anchor and swung
around, the whistles ON all the craft near
her shrie6ed IA salute.
A reception committee steamer led the
procession of vessels and the Raleigh fol-
lowed just astern of her. The Alvarado
and Sandoval took position of either bow
of the cruiser and police boats, tugs and
excursion boats followed in II double col
umn. Notwithstanding the heavy rain,
the weather was not thick and the Liber-
W hlAsue was ii plsh wow ltoih bnc
point of departure. There was no special
demonstration until Governors island
was passed when a national salute was
fired. Here the coast survey steamer
Pathfinder, with Assistant Secretary of
the Navy Allen aboard, joined the process
sion following gust in the wake of the
Raleigh. From the time the Raleigh loft
the battery until she reached Grants
tomb. her whistle and fog siren were
blowing constantly in rsSponSe To SAlutes
from vessels lying at their docks or NOV
ing mp and down the river.
The ferry boats were crowded with
people and several OF them ran alongside
the Raleigh for u short distance. Captain
Coghlan was on the bridge nearly ali the
way up the river. The captain was
obliged to bare his head to the rain
great deal of the lime in answer to the
sslutes. Justgtefors arriving off Grants
tomb the cruiser slowed preparatory to
turning. and while the cheering and