Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-10-06


The vast gathering Of water craft
maintained an average speed of eight
knots. but so magnificent was its area
that the impression was one of exceed
ingly slow and stately movement. The
picture was continually changing, but it
melted steadily and in such measured
rhythm from form to form that the sense
of motion was largely lost. 1t started
under brilliant sky, passed at the
mouth of the Hudson through the threat
of an ugly storm and emerged through a
rainbow arch that stretched from shore
to shore into Il clear and brilliant sunset
off the Grant tomb.
The night had been a busy one in the
fleet of warships off Tompkinsvilc. The
last details of the coming days ceremony
were hardly settled before the day itself
broke on a scene of greater activity than
the classic anchorage had ever witnessed
before.
In the forenoon Admiral Dewey was
formally extended the freedom of the
city of New York. and so was every man
jack aboard his flagship. Not that this
ceremony was necessary at all-the citi-
zens would have seen to all that-but it
is customary for the mayor of munich
pality to do that sort of thing, and Mayor
Van Wyck did it very gracefully.
To the strains of music and the sound
of bugle calls the little mayor, attended
by Il brilliant rctinuc, Clambercd over the
, sides of the Olympia. There at the head
of the gangway he found the admiral, at
tended by Captain Lamberton and Flag
Lieutenant Brumby, awaiting him.
Off to one side was a file of marines,
and long line of able seamcn and lands
men farther away. There was the rattle
of the drums. and then the admiral step
ped forward and extended his hand to the
mayor, who lifted his silk hat and bent
low over the white gloved hand of the
city's guest.
I Upon reaching the quarter deck the ad-
miral and his officers stood facing one
way, while the mayor, his secretary. the
reception committee of seven and the gov
errors of II states grouped themselves
before him. whercupon the mayor add
vanccd a trihe and said
"A dmiral. it is the most conspicuous
honor of my life that am privileged. in
my capacity of chief executive of the city
of New York. to welcome you in the name
of the 3,5O000O citizens who reside here.
1t is their delight to honor you in every
way within their power. They bid me
tell you that the city for the next few
days belongs to you, your officers and
men. The freedom of no city was ever
extended more cordially to any man than
it is to YOU
The mayor then stepped back a pace,
while the admiral somewhat flushed. re-
piled:
"Mr. Mayor, | am deeply sensible of
the honor which has been paid me and
my men by the great city which you so
ably represent What we have done to
deserve all this cordiality of greeting
must be left to the Judgment of history.
| The nation called upon us, and we did
our duty as we saw fit. In the name of
myself. my officers and men | thank you
| and the people of New York for the sig
nal honor which has been paid us and as
sure you we gladly accept the proffered
| hospitality"
DIR. st. Clair McKelway, chairman of
| the reception committee, then made a
! short address. to which the admiral re-
piled briefly, and DR.. Depew also added
a few words.
These formal ceremonies at an end. DR..
| McKelway introduced the other members
of the party, which included William c.
Whitney. Levi i. Morton, William Me-
! Adoo, Richard Croker, Warren w. Eos
/ ter and the following governors of states:
| Bushnell of Ohio. Lounsbury of Con-
necticut, Dyer of Rhode Island. Mount of
| Indiana, Voorhees, of New Jersey, Stone
| of Pennsylvania. Rollins of New Hamp-
| shire NcLaurin IF Mississippi. Russell
/ of North Carolina. McSweeney of South
I Carolina and representatives of the gov
errors of Maryland, Florida. Maine and
| Texas.
After a brief conversation the party
returned to the Sandy Hook. and II min
utes later the admiral attended by his
| staff. returned the call
The great vessels of the white squad
ron swung at their anchorage rs for the
past two days. but the crowd of neigh
boring craft had been swelled past count
ing. As far as could be seen the water
was mass of moving steamers. From
/ Stapleton across the wide reach of the
/ harbor to the Erie basin and from the
Battery to the Narrows the water was
alive. 1t was Il modern armada. against
which the armada launched by Philip of
Spain would have seemed child's toy.
1t was moving, shifting picture of tugs,
police boats. fire boats. torpedo boats.
yachts. launches, tramp steamers and
ocean liners and sailing craft of every
rig, with big ferry and excursion boats
! blowing their way through the ruck in
mysterious paths that opened before
them and closed again behind them like
the ice of an arctic foe.
The only stable points in the scene at
that early hour were the warships. They
lay like great white grounded hergS,
about which the pack ice turned and
swirled without moving them from their
mooringS. 1t was Il morning Of repressed
excitement on board the New York and
the other ships behind the Olympia. Ev-