The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-05-16

ooSAStS Oh luICu ana drinking water
prepared to spend the day if necessary
but there 10 see the feet come in.
AT eight o'clock as the marine bands
were striking UP from ship to ship a
huge excursion steamer from the Mer-
chants Exchange suddenly sprang into
view from the fog bank and slowly
passed along the line, a long canvas
Welcome" stretched along the side.
Next came the pilot boat, sailing
leisurely down alongside the Connect
cut. small boat put off. and Captain
John Wallace came climbing over the
side, to be greeted by the officers. He
made his way to the bridge. prepared
to steer the course of the greatest
armada that had ever entered the har-
Dor.
Shortly before eleven o'clock. as
though it had all been arranged with
the rest of the cruise the breeze sprang
up and every vestige of fog disappear
ed back of the Farallones, leaving the
vessels standing out sharp and clear on
the CLASSY water, while the great cliffs
Of the shore rose majestic and for
bidding in the distance.
At eleven o'clock the preparatory
signal was hoisted on the flagship and
shortly afterwards the fleet began to
move, and with the ripple of water at
the bow the great battle-1ags We're
broken out at the main and fore
Quickly the ships gathered Roadway,
and soon the men on board could make
out with the naked eye the hills black
with people. On swept the fleet, until
the Connecticut was almost abreast of
Fort Point. Suddenly from the hill
tops abCE'e there was a flash, a blind
ing roar and the salute from the shore
batteries had begun. why, they are
firing the ten-inch guns" exclaimed
an officer in astonishment. True it was
General Funston had sprung a sur
prise on the other branch of the SER
vice.
On board each ship the crews were at
quarters, the guns trained abeam, and
Chief Gunner Moore paced up and
down the deck near the Admirars
chair. AS the last boom from the shore
batteries reverberated through the
cliffs, there came the sharp command,
Get ready to fire. and an instant
later the guns of the Connecticut and
the following battleships belched forth
the answering salute. This time it was
twenty-one guns, a national salute, and
all preceQenIS were broken.
On came the vessels, in a perfect
line. moving swiftly past the old fort
and On past the Preside shore. Far in
the distance, way beyond earshot, the
thousands of spectators let forth a
roar. 1t was spontaneous, it
was grand, it expressed all the pride
of country, and all the glory of achieve
ment. 1t was a time when men were
proud they were Americans, and they
rose to the occasion and cheered
wildly, though the wind snatched their
voices away and they fell far short of
the fleet.
Back on the Connecticut Admiral
Evans sat in one corner of the bridge
and those who were nearby say there
were tears in his eyes, as he gazed
first at the shore and then back over
the long line of vessels, some of which
were still stretched out along the hori-
zon. 1t was almost the end-and such
an end is granted to but few men of
a generation.
"Where is Fort Mason?" he suddenly
asked and the place was pointed out to
him. He raised his glasses and looked
long and carefully at the place-and
over at Fort Mason. Mrs. Evans and
their glasses, and were looking long
and carefully at the Connecticut. At
that supreme moment in the life of the
three there was something else to think
about for the moment besides the jour-
ney, the glory and the end.
AS the fleet went on, the Pacific fleet,
which had been anchored over by An
gel Island, got under way and steamed
apidly over toward the Atlantic fleet.
There was another exchange of salutes,
and the vessels of Admiral Dayton's
squadron swung into line. and for the
first time the united fleet of forty
eight vessels Travelled together.
AS the fleet came around Telegraph
Hill the officers saw for the first time
he enormous Welcome sign, which
stood out from the top. Every letter
fifty feet high, the whole word weigh
ng 90 tons, it was the largest sign ever
in the United States. This
was but one of the sights that met
he eyes Of the astonished seamen, who
:ook but a glance at it that time and
hen turned their eyes again to the
course.
Just ahead of the fleet ran the police |
boats. but there was little for them to
10. as the hundreds of excursion boats
Kept their places remarkably well and
Kept the roadstead clear.
The line of vessels never slackened
speed but moved swiftly on past Al |
,atraz Island, past Goat Island, the
yharves black with humanity, and then |
moved down toward Hunters Point. |
Abreast of the drydocks, the flagship |
slowly turned and started back, pass |
ng the rest of the boats. The column |
broke, the next division veered off to |
;tarboard. another column to port, and |
With slackened speed the fleet APP |
preached the anchorage. Slower and |
slower moved the vessels, until just as
hey were making Roadway against the |
ide, the flags came f1uttering down |
rom the masthead. simultaneously the |
anchors dropped, and the chains ran
'umbling out from the hawse holes. !
Admiral Evans rose, took his clutches, |
and moved over toward the door of his |
cabin. "Oh, I could stand
OTIS of this he laughed, as he turned
'or moment and glanced back over
he fleet. His work was done.
ON BOARD THE FLAGSHIP.