The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-09-26
PRESIDENT REVIEWS BIG
FLEET At OYSTER BAY
Nations Chief lnspeCts Pride of
Navy From Ma}iIcweT's Deck
GREATEST OF MARINE PAGEANTS
Most Imposing Spectacle the Western
Hemisphere Ever Witnessed
Sixty-one Vessels of All Types
in Line-Up.

Sixty-one Vessels of All Types
in Line.Up.
Oyster Bay, Z. with twice 4
hundred guns booming out salute
to the Nations Chief, President
Roosevelt reviewed the Atlantic Fleet
Of these United States in Long Island
Sound, near his home.
1t was picturesque and an im-
preSsiye spectacle. Twelve great bat
tleships, eight powerful cruisers, four
monitors, twelve destroyers and tor
pedo boats, five auxiliary cruisers,
three submarines, and troopship-
, forty-five craft in all, ship of war
for every State in the Union-lay in
three long columns within sight of
the Sounds green shore, while the
Presidents yacht, Mayflower, with
Mr.. Roosevelt aboard, steamed be-
tween them. Never had SO fornida-
Bile fleet been assembled in these
waters. Rarely has a more powerful
naval aggregation been gathered any
where in the world in time of peace.
AS the MayAower dropped her
anchor at the head of the fleet at the
end of the review, the President de-
scended from the bridge, his face
wreathed in smiles, and enthusiastic
cally throwing his arms around the
Z shoulders of several in a group OF
: Senators and Representatives, eX-
claimed:
Co "a
ically inspired by such sight'as this
is a mighty poor American, and
every American who has seen it ought
to be better American for it.
The sentiment was echoed enthu-
siastically by the group around the
President.
It was a stately but simple show.
It's dominant note was Of great dig
3 nifty. It was the most imposing pa
geant the Western Hemisphere had
ever witnessed. 1t marked the ad-
vent of the United States into third
rank among the nations of the world
as a fighting but peace loving Power
A combined fleet of sixty-one naval
vessels, representing every type OF
ship in use in the navy except hos
pital ship and a machine ship, greet
ed the President and vast throng OF
sightseers on hundreds of yachts, eX-
curison boats, launches and rowboats
nras dramatic a stage setting as old
Neptune over arranged. When the
President reached his yacht, the May
flower, in an open launch, a drench-
ing rain was falling upon him. The
band had not finished playing The
Star Spangled Banner" after he had
stepped upon the deck snd the Presi-
dental salute had scarcely begun
when the weather god became a
wizard and tore aside the clouds IN
an instant, flooding the ships with
glorious sunlight.
Up to that time the assembled fleet
, in the darkened mist and rain re-
sembled in the distance the appear
ance of. factories painted white. with
big yellow smoke pipes, and decor
ated for a holiday. But when the
sun burst through and the bright
colors of the dressed ships, the 'Sleam-
ing sides, their beautiful alignment
in three lines reaching for nearly
three miles to the westward. with a
green setting of the Long Island hills
and bluffs for a background, were re-
vealed, cheers upon cheers arose
from the multitude af1oat, and just
at the moment when the President
was officially in command. Then was
fully disclosed battleships, armored
cruisers, protected cruisers. monitors,
gunboats, torpedo boat destroyers,
torpedo boats, submarines. despatch
boats and the Presidents yacht, be-
sides auxiliary vessels that included
colliers, a provision ship. d water ship
and a cruiser laden with marines.
There was but little life to be seen
on board the great fleet Of battle
ships, but around them a host or
small naval launches were scurrying
hither and thither in the work OF
getting the picket lines established.
This work was given over to the jun
ior lieutenants and ensigns, and they
performed their part perfectly
throughout the day.
At 10 o'clock the sea line to the
westward became blurred with the
oncoming host from the city. Huge
excursion vessels staggered along.
black with humanity, and heeliug
dangerously as tneir passengers
swarmed to the side where the bat
tleships lay.
, Palatial steam yachts, tugs, schoon-
ers, sloops, catboats, dories. yawls.
in fact everything that could carry
sail or turn. screw, seemed to be
coming up from the west to view the
pageant.
It is variously estimated that from
$4,000 to 10000 persons witnessed
the review from the excursion boats
and yachts.
The President returned to the May
flower after making the official calls
and remained on board the yacht
until late in the evening to witness
the illumination of the ships.
The most brilliant feature of tile
naval review was the illumination
of the fleet in the evening. At sig
nal from the flagship Maine. made at
eight bells. every battleship. cruiser,
and monitor flashed forth in a glow
of light. The outlines of the hulls,
the masts, the stacks. fighting tops.
and coming towers silhouetted them
selves in fire on the black horizon.
Daoco Eor ChntroI Amprica