Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-06-07
TRIBUTE TO DEAD AT SEA.
Naval Veterans Sail to Point Bonita
and Strew Blossoms Upon
the Waters.
lsan Franciseo Chroniele. }


wave. of the ocean from the deck o
the army tug Sloeum. The ceremonie
were under the auspices of the nava
committee of the general committee
Phelps Squadron No. u, United State
Navy Veterans and the ladies of Georg,
H.. Thomas Circle, Grand Army of tn,
Republic. The naval committee con
sisted of Commodore Thomas A. Ner
ney, in charge of the arrangements
Fleet Commander P. H. Mas and Ship
mate William Healey. Phelps Squad
ron committee, Commander Thomas
Green, Fleet Chaplain F. G.. Wiskes, En-
sign j. n. Tiernan, Shipmate William
Buckley and E. J. callahan.
The Slocum left Howard street
wharf at $500 a. M, having on board
the committees and comrades and the
ladies of George H. Thomas post, G..
A. r., headed for the sea. OFF Point
Bonita heavy ground swell was met
and within few moments Commodore
Nerney saw several of the many ladies
under his charge flying signals of dis
tress in the form of handkerchiefs
pressed against whitening lips. The
commodore regretted having to change
his orders, but chivalry compelled, and
he passed the word to the captain to
stand in under the point, The course
was changed until more quiet water
was reached.
After selections from the marine
band from the United States naval
training station at Yerba Buena. Fleet
Chaplain F.. G.. Wisker delivered the
following invocation:
almighty God, Father of all, in
the depths of our hearts we would hear
the celestial word, Il am the resurrec-
tion and the life As shipmates after
shipmate departs, and we meet with
ranks broken, help us to be faithful un-
to thee and TO each other. We beseeGh
thee to look in mercy on the widows
and children of deceased shipmates
and with thine own tenderness console
and comfort them. Heavenly Father,
bless the men who preserved us a Ma
tion; bless and save our country for
all time with the freedom of peace
and righteousness, and through thy
great mercy may we meet at last be-
fore thy throne in heaven"
Captain j. NJ. Floyd, of Phelps
Squadron, then said: "Shipmates, we
are assembled today to honor our he
roic dead. The duty of the hour is
Of Impressive significance; by it we
l-e reminded that the sacrifice Of our |
fallen shipmates has not been in vain;
that we have united country, !
by the memory of expert !
enco common to us all; that we incul. |
cate with a comprehensive. realization
that there is no North, no South, no
East nor West, but one common coun-
try and flag and emphasize to the
world the great principle Of patriot
sm Men of national renown and in
egrity enlisted and died that the coun-
.ry might live; that the grand inherit.
lnee bequeathed to us by our fore
fathers might remain unbroken; that
he union of all must be one and in
Invisible. And now as we gather with
n sound of the waves which were in
ife the hero's joy and in death his
'R oud; as we strew garlands Of
'arth 5 fairest adornment upon the bill.
owS in tender memory of our heroic
lead, let us recall their virtues, their
,rivations, their fidelity to duty, and
Iray that the country for whose SUI
'remacy they died shall live until time
hall be no more. -
Pelham w. Ames of Phelps Squad
on, Naval Veterans, delivered an ad
lress, in which he said:
"When soldiers are decking the
graves of their comrades who fell in
'attle, we who served in the navy are
tyewing our blossoms upon the
satera Who that served in the War
4 the Rebellion can forget that the
'avy fought hand in hand with the
rmy-that it was always ready,
ither to lead or to follow! There was
10 hesitating in the navy; no Jealousy; i
% struggle for preferment-simply a
to DO what was best
nd TO do it fearlessly aud promptly.
'oote, with his little squadron, went
fith Grant at Donaldson, MeHenry aad
'hiloh. Dupont led the way at Beau.
ort and the army followed him. Far,
agut cut through the lines at New Or.
'ans and Mobile; Porter followed the
rmy at Fort Fisher; Walker led the
avy at Red river; vieksburg fell be