Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1908-05-09
fLEETSAREATFRISCO
FORTY-SIX BATTLERS FORMED
Line IN The BAY.
All Vessels of Pacific Fleet Joined
Those of Atlantic and Made Grand
est Review Ever Held in History of
Nation-Every Kind of Fighting
Craft in Procession.

The entry of the great Atlantic
fleet through the Golden Gate into
San Francisco bay provided for the
most formidable and picturesque naval
display in the history of the nation.
All the vessels Of the Pacific feet
joined the Atlantic battleships outside
the Golden Gate and steamed with
them through the harbor entrance tc
the anchorage in the bay, where the
review of the navy was held. Prac
tically the entire fighting force of the
navy, with the exception of a few new
ly commissioned ships in the east and
a few gunboats in Philippine waters
was in the great column of white anC
buff vessels that threaded their way
between the headlands of the gateway
Point Bonito on the north and Point
Lobos on the south.
Forty-six vessels were in line ant
the long column stretched as far out
to sea as the eye can see. The variety
of fighting craft ranged from the mass
i've 16,000-ton Connecticut down to the
little destroyer Fox, of only 154 tons
displacement.
Battleships, armored cruisers, pro
tected cruisers, gunboats, destroyers
torpedo boats and auxiliaries-in fact
every class of vessel in the navy save
the obsolete monitors-were repre-
scented in this remarkable parade
through the famous port entry.
The steaming of the ships through
the Golden Gate was a far more i'm
pressive and enduring picture than the
review at anchor, which is to be helt
two days after the arrival. Read AID
miral Robley d. Evans was on the
bridge of the Connecticut, where he
commanded full view of the fleet il
entering San Francisco bay. Strici
orders for fair way for the host oil
naval vessels were issued by the
department of commerce and labor al
Washington and the scores of excur
sion steamers that took crowds
out to Angel island and beyond tC
view the spectacle were under close
federal supervision. Revenue cutters
and naval launches patrolled the
UdliiWd1 anu hSCD CAHoi oAOh anu GAet'
ure craft out of danger.
Fluttering flags, navy pennants ant
streamers and Rear Admiral Evans
pictures are everywhere. Market stree
is long vista of bunting in the ma
tional colors, and flags waving from
white poles so feet high every 100 feet
one large and a cluster of five smaller
flags flying from each one, and termin
ating in a huge red white and blue
shield on the tall ferry tower. Oh
each side of the tower, stretched OF
long wire cables, are words "Welcomt
to the Atlantic Fleet" in the kaleidos
copic colors of the international nav.
signal code flags and pennant, while
on Telegraph hill the word Welcome
stands in letters 80 feet high, which
can be read for many miles. and which
at night will be Illuminated by 250'
electric lights.
Relatives and friends came in from
the north, south and from the east t
assist in the entertainment and to wit
ness the pomp and pageantry of al
event which, beyond kindling pride anC
love of country, marks the beginning
of new epoch in, the development o
the Pacific ocean. 1t is estimated tina
there are between 100000 and S00,00l
people in San Francisco.
The Land Parade.
On Thursday, $4,000 men, 5000 from
the fleet, $500 from the Preside, Il
companies of national guards, G. A. r
and Spanish War Veterans, were il
parade.
On Friday, Secretary Of the Nav,
Metcalf, on board the Yorktown, re
viewed the combined Atlantic fleet ant
the Pacific fleet in the harbor.