The Penn's Grove record., 1906-09-07
PRESIDENT REVIEWS BIG
FLEET At OYSTER BAY
Nations Chief Inspects Pride of
Navy From MayfIoWer's Deck.
GREATEST OF MARINE PAGEANTS

Most Imposing Spectacle the Western
Hemisphere Ever Witnessed
SiXty-One Vessels of All Types
i'll Line-Up.
Oyster Bay, l.. with twice a
hundred guns booming out a salute
to the Nations Chief, President
Roosevelt reviewed the Atlantic Fleet
of these United States in Long Island
Sound, neal his home.
1t was a picturesque and an i'm
pressive spectacle. Twelve great bat.
tleships, eight powerful cruisers, four
monitors, twelve d%estroyers and tor.
pedo boats, five auxiliary cruisers,
three submarines, and a troopship-
forty-fve craft in all, a ship of wal
for every State in the Union-lay in
three long columns within sight of
the Sounds green shore, while the
Presidents yacht, Mayfower, with
Mr.. Roosevelt aboard, steamed be-
tween them. Never had so formida-
Bile a 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 Mayflower 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
n01lry fhrOr win r. 1,31 49, 100000 49,
shoulders of several in a group of
Senators and Representatives, ex-
claimed:
ANY man who fails to be patriot
ically inspired by such a sight as this
is a mighty poor American, and
every American who has seen it ought
to be a better American for it,"
The sentiment was echoed enthu-
siastically by the group around the
President.
1t was a stately but simple show.
It's dominant note was of great dig
nifty. 1t was the most imposing pa
geant the Western Hemisphere had
ever witnessed. 1t marked the adj
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 siNy-one naval
vessels, representing every type OF
ship in use in the navy except a hos
pital ship and a machine Ship, greet
ed the President and a vast throng OF
sightseers Oh hundreds Of yachts, eX-
curison boats, launches and rowboats
in as dramatic a stage setting as old
Neptune eve arranged. When the
President reached his yacht, the May
Hover, in an open launch, a drench-
ing rain was falling upon him. The
band had not finished playing 1.-The
Star Spangled Banner" after he had
stepped upon the deck and 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 feet
in the darkened mist anf rain re-
sembled in the distance the appear
ance of factories painted white, will
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 CLEAN.
lIS OluSG, lASll UCouLllul dil6 utllCA
in three lines reaching for nearly
three miles to the westward, with 6
green setting of the Long Island hills
and bluffs for a background, were re-
vealed, cheers upon cheers arose
from the multitude afioat, 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
GOLFERS, a provision ship, a water shil
and a cruiser laden with marines.
There was but little life to be seer
on board the great fleet of battle
ships, but around them a host O.
small naval launches were scurryins
hither and thither in the work O.
getting the picket lines established
This work was given over to the jun
ior ~lieutenants and ensigns, and they
performed their part perfect.
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 heelins
dangerously as their 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 a screw, seemed to BIZ
coming up from the west to view the
pageant.
1t is variously estimated that from
$4,000 to 10000 persons witnessed
the review from the excursion boat:
and yachts.
The President returned to the May
flower after making the official calls
and remained on board the yach'
until late in the evening to witness
the illumination of the ships.
The most brilliant feature of the
naval review was the illumination
of the fleet in the evening. AT a sig
nal from the flagship Maine, made a
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
Peace For Centk9l America.