The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-08-20
RAMMED DESTROYER
Naval Display Was Marred by
Accident.
MAYFL0WER BOATS WERE MANNED
President, on Board the Kenrsargc
Spoke TO the Gun Pointers of
the Navy as to Their


Duty.
OYSTER BAY, n. Y, Aug. 17.-An
chored in four straight columns ir
Long Island sound just of Lloyd's
Neck point the north Atlantic fleet was
reviewed by President Roosevelt, the
fleet having made lelsurely run from
Bar Harbor, Me. The feet made q
pretty picture as it came down the
sound in single file, the Kearsarge, the
flagship of Rear Admiral Barker, sen
ior officer in command, leading the
way. Circling to the south. the -four
battle ships, the Kearsarge, the Alaba
ma, Illinois and Texas, and the cruiser
Baltimore came to anchor 800 yards
apart and formed their station as the
first squadron OF the fleet for the re-
view.
The president went on board the
Mayfiower at $50 o'clock. With him
were Admiral Dewey. Rear Admiral
Taylor, chief of the bureau of naviga.
tion; Read Admiral Rodgers. command
ant of the New York navy yard: Cap
tain Brownson, commandant of the
Naval academy; General Chaffee. Sir
Thomas Upton, Colonel Sherman
Crawford, Mr.. Oliver Iselin, Mr.. Butler
Duncan. Captain Woodbury. Kane and
1ir Frederick g.. Bourne.
The Mayfower passed in review at
$780, steaming to the head of the south
column, then along the south side of
that column, between 1t and the tor.
pedo fotilla, passing around its west
end and steaming back along the north
side of the north column, finally
anchoring between the columns. Each
ship fired the presidential salute as the
Mayhower passed.
The inspection of the feet and
review by President Roosevelt, a mag
nificent and impressive naval pageant,
was marred by n mishap just at its
conclusion when the torpedo boat de-
stroyer Barry rammed the destroyer
Decatur, fortunately doing little dam
age. The incident, however, was excit-
ing. 1t occurred just at the moment
when the president was receiving con-
gratulations upon the success of the
maneuvers
The first squadron of destroyers, con-
sisting Of the Decatur, Bainbridge.
Barry, Dale and Chauncey, all under
command of Lieutenant l.. II. Chan
dler, was approaching the May1ower
at full speed. The vessels were in close
formation. Orders were signaled from
the Decatur 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
twenty knots, the blow was trsmen-
dous. The Decatur listed sharply to
port and seemed to be In serious dis
tress. From the Mayfower she ap-
peared to be sinking
The Mayfower's boats We're manned
instantly, but were not lowered, as the
Decatur was seen to right herself. In
few minutes she hoisted signal of
mo serious damage" Later she steam
ed alongside the Mayfiower, and Lieu
tenant Chandler reported that while
his ship had received bad bump on
the starboard quarter she was not ma
terially damaged The injury was
plainly evident from the deck of the
Mayflower. She had been struck about
halfway between her stern and mid
ship, and large dent had been pushed
into her plates. The Barry, which had
struck the Decatur a glancing blow,
had her bow crumpled by the collision,
but she was not injured otherwise.
AS the president went aboard the
Kearsarge his flag was broken out at
the main peak and every one of the
twelve saluting ships In the feet fired
a presidents salute. After chatting
with Admiral Barker and casually in
specting the Kearsarge the president,
before visiting the other fagships to
return the calls of the rear admirals,
addressed the enlisted men and officers
Of the ship. When they had been
drawn up on the gun deck he spoke as
follows:
II expect every one to show a perfect
Willingness to die rather than to see
the slightest stain put upon the Amer
lean flag but in addition you must
know how to fight as well as know how
to die. Then you will be what be-
lleve you are, the most efficient fight
ing force in the world. l again thank
you for what you are. A peculiar re-
sponsibility attaches to each and every
one of you. 1t has been a pleasure to
see the ship and the guns, but above
all, the men behind the guns"