The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-17
-FOUR MILES
OF WAR SHIPS.
Twenty-One Vessels of the Unit
ed States Navy
Line Up in View of the Presi-
dents Home.
FIRST OF IT'S KIND.
FIRST OF IT'S KIND.
No Similar Review Has Ever
Been Held Before.
Many Yachts Gather in the Bay
For the Occasion.

one Warships drawn up in four paIsllei
columns a mile long and including some
of the best fighting ships of the Onlteo
States navy resting on the CLASSY sur
face of Long Island sound, composed
the picture which lay spread out peLoIe
President Roosevelt when ne steppeu
out on the veranda of his home at sag
amore Hill early today Their Drass
work shining under the slanting rays OF
the morning sun. gave evidence that
everything was spick and span for this,
the first naval review at the nation >
summer capital and probably the flrst
ever held for the exclusive purpose OF
presidential honors.
Commanded by Rear Admiral Barker
and three other naval officers of sim
liar rank. the fleet comprising TWO
squadrons each of two divisions be-
sides a fiotilla of torpedo boat destroy
ers, included a representative of nearly
every type of fighting craft from the
ronderous Illinois to the lean destroy
ers. Two parallel columns of battle
ships and cruisers, headed by the kear-
sarge. Rear Admiral Barker's flagship.
hanked by files of destroyers, compos-
ing the North Atlantic fleet covered
the placid sound for two miles off shore
from picturesque L1oyd's Neck and
blockading the mouth of Oyster Bay,
presented a splendid marine spectacle,
abundantly suggestive of Americas s sea
power.
Clustered in the mouth of the bay
rested the presidents yacht Maytiower.
Secretary Moody's official craft, the
Dolphin and Sir Thomas LptOn's s
team Yacht Erin surrounded by a fleet
of steam and sailing yachts gathered to
witness the imposing ceremony when
the president and the fleet officially eX-
changed greetings.
Fairer weather for the review could
not have been asked When the presi-
dent boarded the Mayfiower launch at
the J. West Roosevelt landing there was
hardly ripple that wrinkled the sur
face of the water.
The Mayflower lay in the mouth of
Oyster Bay. Nearby was the Dolphin.
with Secretary Moody Admiral Dewey
and rear admirals on board.
Before the president arrived Secretary
Moody, Admiral Dewey, Rear Admiral
Taylor chief of navigation, Rear Ad-
miral Rodgers, cOmmandant of the New
York Navy yard, Captain Brownson
commandant of the naval academy
General Chaffee. Sir Thomas Upton
Colonel Crawford of the Royal Ulster
Yacht club. c. oliver Iseln. w. Butler
Duncan, Woodbury. Kane and Commo-
dore Frederick c. Bourne of the New
York Yacht club, were taken on boarc
the Mayflower.
AS the president stepped on the deck
Of the Mayf1ower. her guns spoke the
first salute of the morning Leaving hel
anchorage TIE Dolphin passed the May
flower. saluting as she went by. Ther
the MayflOwer steamed down the bay
followed by the presidents yacht Sylph
having guests of the president on board
Slowly the presidents flagship mOVeC
out into the Sound when the battleShlI
and cruisers lay in two parallel lines
lengthwise of the sound with column
Of destroyers fianking each line of larger
ships. The right column was composed
OF two divisions. the first consisting Oi
the Kearsarge, Illinois and Alabama. un-
der command of Rear Admiral Parker
the second comprising the Texas, Balti-
more and Chicago, commanded by Reai
Admiral Sands. The left included Real
Admiral Coghlin's flagship, the Olym-
ria and cruiser Topeka composing tbs
first division and the Prairie, Panther
Dolphin the second division, Rear Ad-
miral Wise comma nding. F'lanking tht
first column and between it and the
Long Island shore was the first division
of the destroyer fiOtilla, the Decatur
Bainbridge, Barry, Dale and Chauncey
under command of Lieutenant Chandler
Lying outside the remainder of the
rect was a fanking column OF destroy
ers including the TruXtOn. Worden
Whipple. Stewart and Lawrence. com
manded by Lieutenant r. X. Benham.
Surrounding them was a fotlla o
steam craft of all description number
ing a hundred vessels and including
splendid steam yachts. string o
code signals fiuttered in the rear of th'
Dolphin, an answering string huns
Imply from the Kearsarge's yard, anC
many flags wig-wagged from ship Il
shin of the big fleet.
With the presidents flag flying from
her main truck the Mayfiower steamed
slowly off to the east end of the righ
column made a sweeping curve ant
moved down through the lane betweel
the first column of battleships anC
strovers. Lines of Whitehead sailors
manned the rails, superstructure. fight
ing tops and yards of the white flee
and dotted the rails of the dark hulleS
destroyers. A 12-pound gun in tn
|earsarge's second battery spurted
little Hash Of flame and smoke and th'
succession of presidential salutes be
gan While the smoke was drifting
from the Kearsarge's gun her ban'
struck up Columbia" and her sailor
gave the president a ringing cheer a
the Mayfower moved by. At a sDeet
of three miles an hour the president
flagship proceeded down the lane ant
as she approached the guns of each o
the ships in turn spoke in salute. thei
bands and the cheers of the sailors join
ing In me tribute. The guns of the de
stroVers were silent.
From the bridge of the Mayfiowe
President Roosevelt surrounded by
group of admirals and guests acknowl
edged the salutes
At the end of the lane the Mayfowel
turned and passed down the line be
tween the second column of cruiser
end second line of destroyers. One afte
another the guns of the Dol0hin
Panther Prairie, Yankee Topeka anC
Olympia saluted until having encircIet
the fleet and completed the first par
of the review, the Mayfiower stopped a
the head of the two columns between
the Kearsarge and the Olympia. As
naval picture it was splendid and in