The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-09-06
AMERICAN SHIPS
IN GRAND PARADE
IMPOSING DEMONSTRATION AT
OYSTER BAY.
WAS NEVER BEFORE EoUALLED
President Roosevelt Reviews Pageant
Aboard the Mayfiower - Slight
ing Bob" Evans In Command
of Immense Fleet.

Il &.
Oyster Bay, N. Y, Sept. 3.--Presi-
dent Roosevelt today reviewed the
largest fleet of modern American
warships ever assembled in United
States waters.
Riding on the sunikissed waters
of Long Island sound, off the entrance
of Oyster Bay, there were drawn up
for inspection three lines of battle
ships, ETC., each line over three miles
long, representing the flower of the
American navy. With their freshly
donned coats of glistening white
paint, with flags flying from every
point of vantage, and with sides
manned by white-garbed cheering
jackies and bands playing, they might
have seemed the playthings Of a ma
ton. But the big, frowning guns
peered from deck and turret, while
smaller ones bristled along the sides,
and the frequent boom Of cannon told
another story of the more serious
work they might be called upon to
do. Viewed from either standpoint,
it was an inspiring sight, calculated
to arouse every spark of patriotism
IN the breast of every American who
it.
Drawn up in battle formation the
feet was successfully equipped for
war, except that the docks were not
cleared for action and and the ships
did not wear their war coat of grey
colored paint. Otherwise and to
these points would take but
an hour or two-the feet was in per-
feet readiness to sail away and meet
an enemy, big battleships to tiny sub
marines, not counting the five aux
Hilary ships, the secretary of the
navy's flagship, the Dolphin and the
Cruiser Des Moines, which carried
the interested observers from foreign
countries. Upon the forty ships are
117S guns, S12 officers and 1926 men.
AS commander-in-chief of the
navy, the president was ready on
time this morning to proceed to- The
review. He was on board srhfs flag
ship, the Mayflower, at 1870 o'clock
and promptly at the scheduled time,
10:45 o'clock, that handsome little
vessel started on her tour of inspec-
ton.
r, The review lasted about two hours
and half. AS soon as the May
flower dropped her anchors, launches
from the Maine and other fiagships be-
gan steaming towards her, bringing
the flag officers, division command
ers and commanding officers of the
fleet to pay their individual respects
to the president. Evans was the
first to arrive and others followed in
the order of their seniority. At 1870
o'clock luncheon was served by the
president to them and to the invited
guests. Later the president visited
the Maine, Alabama, West Virginia
and Louisiana, being received at each
ship with the utmost formality and
the customary gun-firing.
The review will end about four
O'Clock, when the president returns to
Oyster Bay. Tonight the warshi"s
will be electrically illuminated and
the sky will be made gay with .--e
searchlights of the larger vessels.
Tomorrow the feet will dispense to
their several destinations as ordered
by the department.
No American president ever review
ed so powerful and homogeneous a
fleet as did Roosevelt, nor has any
American admiral had so proud COM
mand under his flag as did Read Au-
miral Robley D. Evans, Fighting
Bob" this day.