Evening journal., 1903-08-18
ROOSEVELT SAW
WARSH|PS CRASH
President Reviewed Great
Fleet of Uncle Sans Sea
Fighters
BARRY aAMMED THE DECATUR

Oyster Gay, ~ ", Aug 1S.-For the
arst time in the history OF the coun-
try the president of the United States
reviewed and inspected, in time OF
peace. a great fleet Of United States
warships The ceremony was a mag
nificent and impressive naval specta-
Gle. II was unmarried by the slight
est mishap until just at its conclu-
sion. when the torpedo-boat destroyer
Barry rammed the destroyer Decatur,
fortunately. however. doing little dam
age.
The first squadron Of destroyers.
consisting Of the Decatur, cambridge.
Barry. Dale and Chauncey. all under
command of Lieutenant l.. II Chand-
Ter. was approaching the Mayhower
at full speed. The vessels were in
close formation.
Orders were signalled from the De
catur to the other vessels TO form a
wedge In executing the orders the
Decatur swung across the bow OF the
Barry An instant later the Barry
rammed her on the starboard side
AS the ships were running at a speed
of 20 knots the blow was tremendous.
The Decatur listed sharply to port,
and seemed to be IN serious distress.
From the Mayhower she appeared to
be sinking.
/ The Mayflower's boats were manned
instantly, but were not lowered as the
Decatur was seen to right herself In
a few minutes she hoisted a signal of
mo serious damage"
The review occurred on Long Island
Sound, two miles and half off the en-
trance to Oyster Bay. President Roose-
velt, in company with Secretary Of the
Admiral Taylor, Rear Admiral Rogers
Captain Brownson, General Chaffee
and General Barry, stood on the bridge
Of the auxiliary cruiser Mayfower as
she steamed slowly down one column
OF the warships and up the other The
two columns extending 2500 yards, the
ships being anchored intervals Of 500
yards. AS the Mayhower passed each
! ship in the two columns, the yards and
rails OF each were manned by iackies
in white ducks. the marines were pa
! raded and presented arms, the presi-
] dents salute OF 2l guns was fired, the
: buglers sounded a flourish, the drum.
I, mers gave four ruflles, the band PLAYED
Hail Columbia and the entire crew
/. stood at salute AS the Mayhowe
swept majestically past each shin, tn
crew Of the saluting vessel gave n
! president three cheers as the comman
!. der-in-chief Of the army and navy o
2. the United States
At the conclusion Of the review
Z President Roosevelt received on boar
> the Maynower Rear Admiral Albert S
Parker, cemmander-in-chief OF III
q North Atlantic fleet; Rear Admira
(; James A. Sands. commander Of tn
Caribbean squadron; Rear Admiral Jo
n seph B. Coghlan, commanding the coas
= squadron. and Rear Admiral william
2 G. Wise. commanding the training
i, squadron. He also received the car
10 tains and commanding officers Of th
e 80 vessels in the fleet.
+ President Roosevelt entertained hi
n, guests and all the commanding officer
of the fleet at a delightful luncheon
on board the Mayhower.
The president visited the variou
vessels and asked the name and birth
= place Of each of the gun pointers. The
included men from all the states I
p the union, as we'll as from Germany
ireland. Norway and Sweden.
AS the president and his party al
Mlriyed and as they departed, in turn fror
each of the four flagships, the Keai
sarge, Olympia, Yankee and Texa
every one of the saluting ships in th
feet fired a salute of p gins. Durin
A the entire ceremonies Of the day, 25C
shots were fired, all from six-pounder