Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-11-02
THRILLING VOYAGE
Terrible Experience Of the Norfolk
Naval Reserves on the James.
Tie Gunbua, Siren Gors Ashore AT
Groves Bl"ir- Dragged Ircr An-
eh"r~ ana E"npra Head :n Mon-
day Nights storm.
I Siren :orS AAhorc a,

gives the following account OF the voy
| age of the Siren, with the Naval Re
serves on board. from this city to the
Capital City to participate in the cere-
monies attendant upon the launching
of the torpedo boat Shubrlck Tuesday:
The Virginia Naval Reserves braved
the worst storm experienced In Hamp-
ton Roads and OF the lower James i'll
years to come to Richmond to take par;
i'll the launching celebration, and
though they did not reach the wharf in
time to see the Shubrick take the
water, their vessel got in soon after the
ereEt-in time to fire Presidents sa-
lutte of twenty-onc guns.
The naval volunteers will be in the
parade to-day. They are eager to take
part i'll the demonstration. showing 10
the people they belong to the entire
State and nOt solely TO the seaside sec
ton of Virginia, as many seem TO be-
| lievc.
The jackies We're tired out when the
! Siren reached the Old Dominion wha RI
at $40 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
They had good cause TO be. The little
dispatch boat was the only vessel in
Norfolk harbor hardy enough the leave
Monday night in The face Of the warn
ing storm signals displayed by the
Weather Bureau. There is just Il sus-
picion that had Commander Cannon
known what n terrible experience was
before his crew and his vessel he would
hardly have ventured out An old sailor
aboard the Siren told a Dispatch writer
last night he had hardly ever exper-
fenced roughcr weather
THRILLING EXPERIENCE.
The experiences of the mon were not
short OF thrilling. The Siren made it 10
Il point opposite Groves Bluff without
m!shaps, though it was seen when she
entered the Roads from the Elizabeth
river that the weather was dangerously
foul When Groves Bluff WAS reached,
about fifteen miles above Newport
News. the officers decided that it was
dangerous to proceed further. owing TO
the intense darkness, more than 10 the
gale.
1T was so dark" said Lieutenant c.
j. Celrow 10 II Dispatch writer aboard
the Siren last night. that n lantern
could not be seen from the bridge to
in ckstaf 1t was darkness which
light would not picrce-a blackness
such as we never saw before"
Commander Cannon, therefore, order
ed the vessel 10 lay to and drop an
Choir. This was about 10 o'clock The
storm Increased in iierceness, and the
night In blackness. IL possible. Two an
| came 50 terrible that the anchors be-
gan to drag.
SHE STRUCK HARD.
AT 3 O'clock in ;iie morning, when the
tempest was ut it's height and the rail-;
was driving in binding torrents. the
Siren struck on a bar
she hit pretty hard" said one of the
officers last night. I'VE knew what had
happened OF course. but we did not
know how serious it was. We tried to
launch the whale-boat. but couldn't
The sea was rough beyond anything we
had seen in a long time. to saw the
least. The waves broke over the deck
every minute Everything was closed
dowr, of course. but we did not know
What might happen to the vessels bot
TOM But we wanted to get ashore.
chiefly To allow some of our men to get
TO telegraph station to wire to Rich
inond that we could nor get there in
time for the launching.
Put boat could not be gotten oyor
The water was rough beyond dcscrip-
ton or conception"
1t was 3 o'clock yesterday morning
before the Siren got off and resumed
ner voyage. There was no thought of
turning back. Commander Cannon had
-etaatetl h.s cnllrsn- for Richmnnd and 10
Richmond he was coming
PRESIDENTIAL SALUTE
At sos O'Clock yesterday afternoon
was fired the FIRST gun of her salute OF
twenty-onc as she steamed M to the
Old Dominion wharf. In n short time
she was made fast and then, rs quick
~ as possihla. Commander Cannon ana
several Of his officers came ashore ana
went tn the jefferson, where they were
presented to the President. The officers
who remained aboard and the mon go;
something 10 cat and then went to
their hunks, for they were so tired and
sleepy that they could scarcely stand
or Keep their eyes open. However. a
number Of the men came up town and
stayed until late. though everybody
aboard will ho MP and about carly in
the morning, rcauy TO take part in the
parade To-Day, and 10 receive later the
many visitors sure 10 go aboard their
pretty craft.
THE SIREN s OFFICERS.
There arc seventy three officers and
mcn aboard. representing the Norfolk
Divisions y, Il and u. The officer in
command is Commander Harry l.. Can
non Lieutenant Commander Il. T.
Adams is second officer The navi-
eating officer is Lieutenant Lawrence
Warning. The watch officers are Lieu
tenant u. S. Weaver and Lieutenant C.
j. Carlow: Lieutenant 0unior grade) ].
j. Eason. and EnsIgns ]. a. Anderson.
Jr., and ". r. Hickey.
1t is the first time in the history of
Richmond that any portion of the
naval volunteer force or the State has
visited this city, and the tars .attrac.
much attention and will be accorded
the hes; the city has to give.
rs CdlI.EsA GRIPPE IN TWO oars
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