Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-04
FIGHTING CRAFT
PASSES IN REVIEW
Largest Number of War Vessels Ever
Assembled In American Waters
Cast Anchor of Oyster
Bay
By Associated d Press.

By Assoc ated Press.
OYSTER BAY, L. l., Sept. 3.-A
salute of twenty-one guns fired stimuli
taneously by every fighting craft in a
mighty fleet of two score warships
greeted President Roosevelt when he
stepped on board the naval yacht,
Mayf1ower, today to review what is
believed to be the largest war fleet ever
assembled in American waters.
When the president stepped on
board the Mayfiower the great fleet
lay in three columns, each about two
miles in length with battleships and
monitors in the center column, the
cruisers and several other battleships
in the off shore column. and a long line
of torpedo boat destroyers stretched
between the remainder of the feet and
the shore
Half an hour before the arrival ot
the president Secretary of the Navy
Bonaparte boarded the Mayfiower and
was received with a salute by the
marine guards and the ruffle of drums.
Following him came Postmaster
Cortelyou, who was also honored on
the quarter deck.
The naval attaches representing
foreign governments came on board
to the Mayfiower in launches. Mem
bers of the naval committees of con-
gress were also taken on board the
Mayfiower.
Followed by the cruiser Des Moines,
which was devoted to the service of
the foreign naval attaches, and by
the Dolphin also having guests on
board, the Mayf1ower proceeded out of
Oyster Bay to the head of the fleet.
T he knf hi
Maine with Rear Admiral Robley ID.
Evans on board lay in the central po-
sition at the head of the fleet.
Mayfower Passes In Review
The Dolphin and Des Moines took
up their positions respectively at the
head of the third and first columns
and the Mayfiower passed down be-
tween the long lines of warships, while
the roar of the presidents salute of
21 guns again burst from the three
inch guns of each warship as the May
flower swept majestically past.
Each ship in turn, with sailors man
ming her yards and guns sounding,
paid her tribute of honor to the COM
mander in chief as the yacht passed
up and down through the lines made
by the formation of the fleet. and then
having circled entirely about the fleet,
anchored at the position of honor at
the head of the central column.
1t required twenty minutes for the
Mayfiower to run down the first line.
Then she put about and came up on
the outer edge of the most westerly
column Of ships. Reaching the head
of the column again, the Mayfiower
turned once more to the west and took
a tour outside the torpedo boat line,
came eastward to the Names position
once more and then cast anchor.
After luncheon the president visited
several ships of the feet. When he
returned again to the Mayfiower the
review was practically at an end,
though Mr. Roosevelt and most of his
guests remained on board to witness
the illumination of the fleet which
occurs at o'clock.
When President Roosevelt paid his
visits to the various vessels the wind
was bowling down the sound in a way
to set the riggings of all vessels in
wonderful assemblage singing q song
of warning of the deep.
The Mayfiower's launch plunged
through waves as high as any the
boatmen of oyster Bay have known
for many days.
The heavy sea that was running
had sent all small boats hurrying pell
nell for the shelter of the cove. Salt
water from the high waves was blown
stingingly into the presidents launch
but he was hilarious and enjoyed the
experience to the fullest.