Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-08
GRAND DAY
FOR FLEET
SAN FRANCISCO GIVES GREAT
OVATION
5000 BLUEJAcKETs PARADE THE
CITY STREETS
Bay City damned and Crowds Go
Wild with Patriotic Welcome.
Continuous Cheers Greet
Naval Pageant
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, May Flight
thousand bluejackets 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 half along
streets lined and canopied with colors
and in review of a neVer-ending crowd,
the fighting men of the fleets made
their way to the martial tunes of their
shipmate bands and to cheers that be-
gan 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 IL, roadstead.
Twenty-Five hundred soldiers of the
regular army in full dress array
graciously acted as an escort to the
visiting men of the sea and were liber-
ally applauded. The greatest cheers,
however, were reserved for the sailors
and marines.
Evans Is Recognized
Rear Admiral Evans, commanding the
fleets, and the other six rear admirals
in command of squadrons and divi-
sions, rode in carriages. Admiral Evans
was quickly recognized by the thou
sands in the immense reviewing stands
and bowed constant recognition of
the cheering which was caught up by
the throngs ahead and echoed by those
in the rear as his carriage slowly
n1nUp6 at the front of the marching
columns.
Secretary of the Navy Metcalf, Gov
ernor Gillett of California and Mayor
| Taylor of San Francisco rode in the
parade and afterward reviewed it as it
countermarched down Van Ness ave-
nue..
In addition to the scores of sailors,
there were large representations from
the naval guard and from semi-mili-
tary veterans and civic organizations.
A battalion of natty little high
school cadets from Salt Lake City
acted as a personal escort to Admiral
Evans in token of having been ap-
pointed to the naval academy from the
state of Utah.
Marines at the Head
The two brigades of bluejackets and
the regiment of marines fairly earned
the ovation which was theirs. The ma
rines-1200 Strong-in uniforms of blue,
canvas leggings and white caps, with
the striking red coated bands in ad-
vance, headed the forces from the
fleets.
Major Dion Williams, fleet marine
officer on the flagship Connecticut, at
tended by staff, was in command.
The splendid alignment, quick evo-
lutions 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 up-curled brims, their
trousers carefully slowed away in leg
gings and service rifles from the ships
armories slung across their shoulders
were commanded by Capt. Seaton
Schroeder of the Virginia, who soon is
to be elevated to the rank of rear ad-
miral.
Streets Densely Crowded
The broad throughfares over which
they marched seemed fairly choked
with the sailormen as far as the eye
could reach and from the first COM
pany to the last the cheering con-
tinued.
The rolling gait of the sea had been
left behind today and the bluejackets
with eyes to the front, marched in
straight lines with the same precision
that marked their firing at Magda-
lena'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 cloudless
day and huttered in a breeze salt laden
with the breath of sa.
The landing of the great force of
sailors and marines involved problems
of small boat seamanship and execu-
tive ability that was at once a test
and triumph of the efficiency of the
navy.
1t was a drill of rare importance and
was accomplished with dispatch that
knew no confusion.
Sailing launches, cutters, gigs and
whaleboats appearing like solid
patches of blue so closely were they
filled-were formed by the various
ships of the two fleets into divisions
and f1otillas and under command of
specially designated small boat cap
tains and admirals, were towed tandem
fashion by the sturdy little steam
launches to the landing barges.
Bay Specked with Craft
The bay swarmed with the tiny
craft and those who saw the maneu-
vers of landing marveled that out of
those diminutive boats dancing over
the harbor waves so great force as
that which appeared in the parade
could grow as If by magic.
The parade was the feature of the
day. Tonight the streets are thronged
with the liberty men of the fieets who
are being given their first leave
ashore.
The parks are filled with holiday
crowds and are gay with music and
ilhminations. At the Fairmont hotel
Governor Gllett and his staff enter
tanned at dinner in honor of Secre-
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