Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-10-15
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Five Boat Races in Which Hon
ors Are Divided.
Fnrqnhnr Succeeds TO
Command of north Atlantic squad.
ron for Time Gaia Tunes Re-
ncwed at Hia,oric ola Poins Com.
fort-crowd. Enioy tho sight. aud
Enlivcn she Hotels Bn,e.baii,

Rear Admiral N. H. Farquhar is now
commander Of the North Atlantic
squadron, of which the cruisers New
York (nagship) and the Brooklyn, the
battleships Indiana, and Massachusetts
and the gunboat Scorpion, were present
yesterday morning at s o'clock, when
the double-starred blue flag futtered to
the after peak of the New York, and
was saluted by the squadron and cheer
ed by the hundreds lining the wharf at
Old Point Comfort.
Rear Admiral Farquhar went aboard
the New York in his launch, and was
received with sides manned, trumpet
flourish and drum salute in the pre-
scribed form. He held formal and an
informal reception. the first attended by
officers of the fleet, the second, by his
admirers afloat and ashore. The cere-
mony was impressive, and lasted but a
few minutes. The impression seems TO
be thoroughly grounded among officers
OF the fleet that Rear Admiral Farqu-
hairs term OF Office anoat will be brief,
and that there is a likelihood of the
| tic becoming vastly more prominent in
the near future than any others.
Whether this is true remains to be seen.
THE PEOPLE GATHER.
| At an carly hour the people began to
gather, many having spelrt the night
| ut the Point and many more coming
down carly to witness the Induction
ceremonies of the new commander. Up
| TO noon every train and up to 4 y. nj.
| every boat to arrive brought it's addi-
| tional quota to the crowd that surged
| through the avenue. thronged the no.
tells. patronized everything in sight and
waited with eagerness the results of the
| boat races, the chef douvre of the day.
| The sky was one of cloud and sun
shine intermingled. principally cloudy,
| but pleasant. with an increasing wind
| from eastward that gradually made the
| long roll of the ocean swell appreciable.
THE BOAT RACES.
Owing to the fact that the Texas,
with her gallant commander, Captain
Sigsbae. Was down the coast taking
care of II couple of dangerous derelicts.
Lieutenant Berfnadou. of the Indiana,
the living hero of the Winslow in Car
denas harbor, was left in charge of the
! races. with Lieutenant Shoemaker, of
the Massachusetts. and Ensign Wad-
mans. of the New York, able assist
ants on the regatta committee. Besides
these were Lieutenant Gallup, u. S. A.,
OF the artillery. and Mr.. Tench. rep
resenting the Business Mems Associa
| ton. Cadet Vincent. of the Indiana,
acted also as one of the starters. The
Brooklyn was coaling for her trip to
Manila. from barges. off the Point, and
her officers and men were debarred
from participation in the events of the
day. The races were all set for two
miles and. tide serving. the starting
point was stake boat two miles to
eastward Of the wharf at the Point, the
finish being made on n line from the
western side of the pier across a stake
boat to the Prov of the beautiful ship
rugged steam yacht american" lying
! about a mile out.
THE FIRST.
The races started promptly at D..
M. the first being the marines race,
with starters from the Massachusetts,