The San Francisco call., 1908-05-07
EXCURSION VESSELS
CROWD AROUND BAY
Only Capacity of Craft Limits
Number of Sightseeing
Passengers
Despite Heavy Traffic on Water,
Day Passes Without Single
MiSadyenture

pass the inspectors and snow SUI
fcient number of life preservers. but
II developed into the best unconscious
naval display that could be gathered.
From the white battleship Connecti-
cut. the most marvellous of Americas
fighting ships, to squatty green scow
off Hunters point, the gamut of marine
architecture was complete. On the
Connecticut was Admiral Evans and
his compeers of the American navy.
on the shallow deck of the green scow
of Hunters point was little Chinese
baby. waving his yellow hand at the
Rlstening fleet A barkentine sailed
in through the heads before the flag
ship ana its crew saw the procession
while furling sails
Most Of the excursion boats We're
nearer the top of the scale. If they
had not been they could not have car
RED the tens Of thousands of sight
seers who took passage on them nor
could they have overcome the strong
lists TO the sightseeing side Of the
vessels as the fleet passed. Nor could
the day have passed, as il did, without
a single disaster to any Of the yes
sels. Every one who took passage in
the morning was returned to a dock in
the afternoon dry and comfortable.
MERCHANTS ON BUCKMAN
The Buckmans chartered by the mer-
chants exchange. was the first of the
large excursion boats to get under way
ia the morning. 1t carried a large
numifer Of members of the exchange
and their friends and guests and ad-
ditionaIy a brass band and a buffet
luncheon. Leading the excursion fleet
the BUckman steamed out of the bay
in the morning and circled about the
feet as il lay at anchor. The State Of
California, the Governor and the Queen,
large steamers of the Pacific Coast
steamship company, We're loaded with
passengers at every point. Most of
these excursionists carried flags and
waved them furiously over the slate
colored bay toward the Atlantic ar
mada
The Oakland feet reception commit
tee was given the use of the ley
Route ferry steamer San Jose and
cruised out near the heads to salute
the feet with transbay greetings.
Tramp steamers and freighters, river
boats and brave yachts nosed their way
into the avenue to complete the picture
and see the sights.
SHOT WARNS VESSEL
The patrol boats of the revenue
service kept the fairway clear and
70 handle. Only the J. A. Kilburn
proved rebellious. but warning shot
fred by the revenue cutter Rush
brought it into line
After the Atlantic fleet had passed
Alcatraz island those vessels that had
been anchored to the islands west
turned TO follow and mingled to some
extent with the auxiliaries. But the
swift movement of the Pacific feet
IN coming down from California City
to join its Atlantic kinsmen of war
prevented the excursion feet from
crowding too closely in the wake of the
navy.
When the fleet had come to anchor
the excursion boats piled among them,
draped in all the cOlors of the signal
chest like the festive men of war. The
daring captains Of the sightseeing craft
crulsed among the anchored fortresses
and the dark slim torpedo boats All
avoided disaster.
LAUNCH ROCKS wHIPPLE
The Twilight, launch that has be-
come familiar with the feet by visits
10 Monterey and Santa Cruz, brushed
against the sides of the torpedo boat
flagship Whipple and rocked that deli
cately poised craft, but the Whipple
has been fighting ice foes and storms
and other forml,-~---e dangers of the
deep, and only rocked. The Twilight
passed quickly away and stayed clear
OF the torpedo fiotiIla the rest Of the
afternoon.
1t would be impossible to estimate
the number of people who embarked
on excursion boats to greet the feet
on its native element But every boat
was crowded to the last notch of the
law and every available craft was in
.use
Transportation officials and their
friends may be accounted as the most
fortunate in the city. as the Southern
Pacific had the Modoc in service on
the bay and a certain number of tickets
We're reserved for the accommodation
of the officers and their friends.
Among those who We're on the Modoc
were w. +. Scott and family. J.
Young and family and G. r Richard
son and friends
TUGS LENT TO NATION
The Northwestern Pacific had the
TiburOn and W. S. Palmer and family.
James Agler and family and ]. ].
Geary and family were aboard.
The Santa Fe had made over their
two new and powerful tugs. the A. n
Payson and the E. P. Ripley, to the
government and the vessels had the
place OF honor for they escorted the
fleet up the bay
The Payson was commanded bv SEQ
ond Lieutenant c. NJ Gabbett of the
McCuilOch ef the revenue cutter serv-
Ice, who hoisted the flag Of the de-
partment on board promptly at gao
and steamed away to his post off Lime
point
The E. p Ripley was commanded bv
Second Lieutenant G. David of the
Manning and was placed off Fort
Point.
On the Payson were J. Kinucan and
the four Misses Kinucan, Henry Yer
non. wife and daughters. Mr.. and Mrs.
c. Kinucan, Mrs. A. B. Todd. J. Keller.
Miss Brown, Carol Brown. Miss joseph
and G. W. Lupton and family
On the Ripley were A. G. Wells and
family. ]. l. Hibbard and family Miss
Cotton OF Gallup. New Mexico and
Mrs. Hudson, wife of the vice president
Of the Mexican Centra4 railway
SHIP BUILDING IN BRITAIN
During the quarter ending with De-