Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-01-10
Secretary Morton and Admiral
Dewey Inspected Great Assem-:
blage Of Warsh'ps.
t[s
CROWDS WITNESSED THE EVENT
Eighteen Vessels. Including Eisht.Rat-
t'eships, Made UP the Fleet, Which
is Now steaming Southwark for the
Winter Manoeuverine Grounds
Day Was an Ideal One.
Day Was an Ideal One.

Hon. Paul Morton. secretary Of the
navy, and Admiral George Dewey, on
board the dispatch boat Dolphin, yes
terday morning reviewed the greatest
fleet OF warShips that has been
gathered in Hampton Roads since the
international rendezvous in 1893, and
probably the most powerful American
nval force ever seen at any time
or place. The review was finished
about l o'clock yesterday afternoon
and half an shour later all OF the ships
We're llnderweigh. steaming seward
The Dolphin is probably at Washing
ton now and the men-o'-war are on
their way down the coast to the winter
maneouvering grounds
Yesterday was an ideal day for such
an occasion. There was not cloud in
the sky and there was hardly ripple
on the surface OF the Roads On
either side OF the Roads were thou
sands Of people who gathered to wit
ness the imposing spectacle.
The ships were anchored in three
columns southwesterly from the Rip
Raps
The right was made up Of the coast
and Caribbean squadrons, the centre
OF the Battleship squadron. and the left
OF the torpedo tlotilla.
The battleship kearsarge, as flag
ship Of Rear Admiral Barker, headed
the central column, while the second
class battleship Texas, flying Rear
Admiral Sands penant, led the coast
Warships, behind which was the cruiser
Newark, flagship of the Caribbean
squadron, with Rear Admiral Sigsbee's
penant at her main peak The torpe-
do fotilla was under command Of Lieu
tenant Commander Johnston. on the
converted yacht Scorpion.
It was about 8 o'clock when the dis
patch boat Dolphin, carrying the sec
rotary OF the navy arrived and was
greeted by seventeen gun salute from
the land batteries OF Fortress Monroe
and the fiagships OF the three SQUAD
rons. The Dolphin steamed down the
line of ships between the battleship
and coast squadrons, returning to take
her station at the head of the columns,
between the kearsarge and Texas.
When she had dropped "anchor, Rear
Admirals Barker, Sands and Sigsbee
made official calls upon Secretary Nor
ton and Admiral Dewey. They We're
followed by Col Potts. commandant Of
Fortress Monroe. AS each OF the
Squadron commanders left the deck
OF the dispatch boat, the rear aumiral's
salute OF thirteen guns was given and
ANA nine gun salute fired when Col
Potts left %s
The visits of these officers were fol
lowed by calls by the commanding Of
iscers OF the various vessels At 1890
o'clock the Dolphin weighed anchor
and proceeded toward the capes, being
saiuted by the fort, which courtesy
she replied to-
When she had gone about half
mile the kearsarge got under way and
was followed by all other vessels in the
following order at about on eighth OF
mile intervals:
Battleships-k entucky, Illinois, Ala
bahaa, Missouri and Iowa: Coast squad
l'on-battleship Texas, monitors Flori-
da, Nevada and Arkansas; Caribbean
cruisers Newark, Tacoma
Denver and converted yacht Scorpion;
torpedo f1otilla-destroyers Whipple,
marlborough. Stewart and Worden.
.s, The Lake submarine torpedo boat
Simon Lake X attracted a great deal
OF attention By passing the vessels and
exchanging salutes
When the capas We're reached the
Dolphin dropped out from the head Of
the column and as each flagship passed
in review a seventeeD-gun salute was
! fired. The Dolphin anchored Off Horse
Shoe Bar. At 4 O'Clock she started for
Washington
The ships inspected and reviewed
represented total tonnage OF 93,679
and carried 4l0. officers and 5, l6G men.
Their armament consists OF sixteen 12-
inch, twelve 13-inch, sixteen 3-inch and
sixty-two 6-inch guns, in addition to
a secondary armament OF one hundred
and .sixty.five 6-pounders and many
guns OF smaller calbre. Four OF the
great battleships We're built here.
Late in the afternoon a monitor, the
name of which could not be learned,
returned to the Roads and proceeded
to Norfolk.
a report was circulated here yester-
day to the effect that the review would
take place In the afternoon and a great
many who went down to witness the
event arrived after all OF the vessels
, had nut to sea