The San Francisco call., 1908-05-08
Three Hundred Sailors Come From Each
of IwenE-four Warships in Bay
Marines Use Army Transport Wharf, Where Supply
Ship Culgoa Has Gangway to Waters Edge

The success of the cruise has been
due to the ability of the men in charge
of its details to plan ahead and 1t was
because Admiral Thomas planned ahead
while the fleet was still in southern
California that yesterdays parade
started in time. He sent Captain Mel
son here last week ON the Panther to
proved SO satisfactory. AS the result
of Captain Nelson's two days work.
with the cooperation of President
Stafford of the board of harbor COM
missioners and the assistance Of
Tommy Crowley, Stenart street wharf
was converted into a great boat land
ing. Along the entire north end Of
the pier big barges were moored and
gangways were built from the barges
60 the wharf.
Captain Nelson, who had made the
arran gements, was placed in charge of
their execution with the title of beach
master. An officer from each ship
was detailed to assist him. and so we'll
did they work together that within
ninety minutes from the time the first
man stepped into a boat alongside
warship the landing party was ashore.
The marines landed at the army
transport wharf, where an ingenious
arrangement was made for transfer
ring them from boats to wharf. The
supply ship Culgoa was placed along
side the army wharf and its offshore
gangway was let down to the waters
edge. To this gangway came the
boats carrying the marines who
marched UP the gangway, across the
supply ships deck and on to the wharf
over an army plank.
CUTTERS TOW BOATS
AS the whaleboats and cutters were
6lIad with al he CHI he
boats. were showed off until all that
were leaving that ship had embarked.
A steam cutter then took hold. of the
string of boats, and with shrek and
a burr headed for the beach. Towing
strings of laden boats, cutters were
soon heading for the landings from all
directions and the work of the beach
masters began. Boats carrying ma
rines headed fer the Culgoa, those
loaded with bluejackets We're taken to
Steuart street
Fisherman's wharf heretofore has
furnished San Francisco with it's ideas
as to what a large fleet of small boats
look like "Steuart street the day the
men landed from the big fleet will
hereafter have the star place in local
tradition when the subject of mosquito
fleets is under discussion. At one time
full hundred boats, each loaded deep
with bluejackets, were massed within
hundred feet Of the dock. There was
strong tide. running and the move
ments of the boats were controlled en-
tirely by the steam cutters that had
them in tow, five and six in string
Orders were being roared through
megaphones by the beach masters and
order, in strings, came out of the jum-
BILE of little boats There was no rush
and no confusion, but things. never
stopped moving. In spite of the tide,
the number of boats and the difficulty
Of controlling them there were no col
lisions and never hitch.
LANDED IN 80 MINUTES
AS the strings unwound from the
tangle of boats the cutters towing
pulled their charges to the floats desig-
mated by the beach masters and as each
boat came alongside the landing its
human freight unloaded itself and went
wharf. When it was all over Captain
Nelson looked at his watch and re-
marked:
AN hour and a half! not so bad as
thought. That tide raised the deuce
with US, but we made it all right
He then sat down with his assist
ants and planned the details of the
task of getting the men back to their
ships when the parade was over
Long before the vanguard of the re-
turning paraders hove in sight the
boats, which returned to the ships
could be seen coming back to the beach
The men were hungry after their long
march in the crisp air and the cobble-
stones had tired their feet. But they
all came back smiling and patiently
waited their turn to embark
The return to the ships was accom-
plished in the same mastery manner
as the landing. without mishap and in
good time. The men expressed appre-
citation of the spirit in which San
Francisco had received them along the
line Of march and appreciation from a
hungry man with sore feet may be ac-
cepted as the genuine article
While the men waited on the wharf
for their boats crowd of flower
decked girls gathered outside the dock
gates, peeked in at the long line of
bluejackets and loudly deplored the ne
cessity that took all those lovely sail
ors back to their ships There will be
no liberty for the enlisted man until
after the review. Then San Francisco
will have a chance to show that his
uniform is an honor and he . welcoms
guest.