The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-05-16
MARINES in PARADE
SAN FRANclscANs WILDLY CHEER
PROCESSION OF FIGHTING
MEN or THE FLEETS.

/
tion-Landing Of Sailors and Marines
From Small Boats Involved Prob
lens Of. Seamanship-Eiqht Thou
sand in Line Of March.
San Francisco, May 9.-EigAt thou
sand blue jackets and marines-the
largest armed force the American
navy has ever put ashore in time of
peace or war-were landed today from
the combined Atlantic and Pacific
fleets, now lying in the harbor, and
marched through the streets of San
Francisco in the most notable parade
the city has ever known. For four
miles and a half, along streets lined
and canopied with colors, and in re-
view of a never ending crowd, the
fighting men of the fleets made their
way to the martial tunes of their ship
mate bands and the cheers that began
with the first command to march and
ended only when the sailormen had
again embarked in the small boats
that returned them to the battleships
and armored cruisers in the roadsted.
twenty-five hundred soldiers of the
regular army, in full dress array, gra-
ciOusly acted as an escort to the visit
ing men of the sea and were literally
applauded. The cheers, however, were
all reserved for the sailors and ma
rines..
Thousands Cheer Admiral Evans.
Rear Admiral Evans, commanding
the fleets, and the six other rear ad-
mirals in command of squadrons and
divisions, rode in carriages. Admiral
Evans was quickly recognized by the
thousands in the immense reviewing
stands and bowed constant recogni-
ton of the cheering which was caught
up by the throngs ahead and echoed
by those in the rear as his carriage
slowly moved at the front of the
marching columns. Secretary of the
Navy Metcalf, Governor Gillett of Cali
fornia and Mayor Taylor of San Fran
cisco rode in the parade and afterward
reviewed it as it countermarched down
Van Ness avenue.
In addition to the soldiers and sail
ors, there were large numbers of the
national guard and from semi-military
and civic organizations. A battalion of
high school cadets from Salt Lake city
acted as personal escort to Admiral
Evans in token of his having been ap-
pointed to the national academy from
the state of Utah. Two companies of
blue jackets and regiment of marines
fairly earned the ovation which was
theirs. The marines, 1000 strong, in
uniforms of blue, canvas leggings and
white caps, with the striking red
coated bands in advance, headed the
forces from the fleets.
Major Don Williams Commands.
Major Don Williams, fleet marine of
fiecr on the flagship Conne.tic at
tended by staff, was in command.
The splendid alignment, quick evolu-
lions and military bearing of the well
drilled men drew spontaneous applause
from the densely packed sidewalks,
from the reviewing stands and from
the windows of the many tall buildings
that fronted the streets along the line
of march.
| The picturesque bluejackets, in their
blouses of the sea, their jaunty little
white caps and upcurled brims, their
trousers carefully slowed away in leg
gings, and service rifles from the ships
armories slung across their shoulders,
were commanded by Captain Seaton
Schroeder of the Virginia, who soon is
to be elevated to the rank of rear ad-
miral. The broad thoroughfares over
which they marched seemed fairly
choked with the sailormen as far as the
We could reach, and from the first COM
pany to the last the cheering contin-
ued.
The continued rolling of the sea had
been left behind and the blue jackets,
with eyes to the front, marched in
straight lines with the same precision
that marked their firing at Magdalena's
targets. American ensigns and ship
flags bearing the names Of twenty-six
of the greatest states of the union
sparkled in the brilliant sunshine of a
lcloudless day and fluttereds in breeze
salt-laden with breath of the sea-
Splendid Feat Of Seamanship.
The landing of the great force of sail
ors and marines involved problems of
small boat seamanship and executive
ability that was at once a triumphant
exhibition of the efficiency OF the navy.
1t was a drill of rare Importance and
was achieved with a dispatch that
knew no confusion. Sailing launches,
cutters, gigs and whaleboats-appe
ing like solid patches of blue so closely
were they filed-were formed by the
various ships of the two fleets into
divisions and fotillas and under COM
mand of specially designated small
beat captains and admirals were
towed tandem fashion by the sturdy
steam launches to the landing barges
The bay swarmed with the tiny craft
and those who saw the maneuvers
marveled that by these t1iminufivc