The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-13
NOTABLE PARADE,
San Diego Will Witness the
Greatest Naval Show
Ever Seen in Any of the Ameri.
can Cities.
AND MARINES
10 the Number of 5000 Will
Come on Shore.

como on Shore.
Landing Will Be Made From
Small Boats of the Fleet.
San Diego, Cal, April 13.-The At
iantic fleet arrives here tomorrow and
It's stay will be marked by the most
notable parade Of blue Jackets and
marines ever landed from American
vessels of war. Five thousand enlisted
men and more than 200 officers VIII he
In hne This force will outnumber that
participating in the famous welcome
to Admiral Dewey in New York city.
Mnen ne returned from the battle Of
Manlla pay to accept his commission
as head of the American navy. The
assembling of the 16 first-class battle
sh1ps Tor the voyage to the Pacific
prought together the greatest power
navy and made possible the splendid
land display which is to be held here
ana which will be repeated when the
meet raches San Francisco.
Inc san Diego parade will be held
at CLOCK. 1t will be the initial step
In the formal ceremonies of welcome
which have been arranged here in be-
hall OF the state and the city, Gov
ernor Gillette and Mayor Forward be-
ing the principal speakers at the ex-
erclses to be held in the city park
In order to assemble this great march
ing force, it will be necessary for the
sailors and marines to embark in small
boats from their respective ships at
IL O'Clock noon. The maneuvers of
landing the 5000 men, after Journey
OF some 10 or II miles from the ocean
into San Diego bay will be spectacle
In fcn1 md l.
interest as an evidence of small boat
drill efficiency in the fleet.
All or the men will be landed with
arms and in light marching order The
small boats of each ship will be load
ed to their utmost carrying capacity,
the sailing launches, the largest of the
boats now carried on the battleships
each containing from 60 to 20 men.
The handling of these frail craft in di-
visional and flotilla formation and tow
ing them into the harbor by means of
the stalwart little steam launches
hooked up in tandem procession will
be fraught with many difficulties but
| American naval men are skillful at
such things and it is believed that the
orders issued by Admiral Thomas will
| be carried out without the slightest
| hitch at any point.
| The force to be landed at San Diego
| has. been officially designated as 1.-The
| fleet naval brigade" Its formation
was a task of no mean proportions.
| the detail occupying the attention of
the staff officers during the large por
tion of the journey from Magellan
straits to the northward. The fleet
brigade has been divided into five di-
visional brigades, the first being the
marine brigade and the others being
known as first, second, third. and
| fourth division brigades the latter be-
ing composed of blue jackets from the
ships of the division from which the
numerical order is taken. Sixty-four
separate companies of blue jackets and
| 16 companies of marines compose the
| total force. These figures quickly con-
vey an idea of the extent of the pa
rade and give to it history making
proportions. Each battleship will con-
| tribute four companies of blue jackets
and one company of marines. All 16
| bands of the fleet are to be combined
| and divided among the five divisions,
| giving about 72 persons to each organi-
| zation.
| Rear Admiral Thomas has selected
Captain Seaton Schroeder, command
| ing the battleship Virginia. Captain
| Schroeder is to be promoted to the
! flag rank and will command one Of
| the divisions of the battleship fleet
when it starts on its cruise around the
| world from San Francisco in July.
The adjutant of the brigade is Lieuten-
ant Commander Ridely Mclean, fleet
ordnance officer, the signal officer is
to Rear Admiral Evans; the junior
| master is Pay Inspector A. H. Dent;
commissary, Assistant Paymaster H.
E. Collins; surgeon, D. L. Curtis of the
| Connecticut.
| The marine brigade will be COM
manded by Major Dion Williams. U.
| S. N, fleet marine officer. The hrst
! brigade is to be commanded by Cap
| tain Charles E. Vreeland of the Kan
sas; the second by Captain w. E.
| Switzerland of the New Jersey; the
| third by Captain Charles w. Bartlett
| of the Ohio and the fourth by Captain
John M. Bowler of the Illinois. Each
| divisional commander will select his
| personal staff. Each company of blue
| Jackets will have it's full complement
of three officers.
| Oficers for the marine brigade will
| be somewhat scarce as each ship car
ade to be landed includes also large
| force of anuxiliaries such as signal men,
ammunition party, and hospital corps
| Commander v. s. Nelson of the repair
shin Panther has been designated as
beach commander Of the brigade and
| will have charge of the men landing on
| shore.
| An effort of honor, a battalion of coast
artillery from the army post at Ft-
| Rosecrans local companies of the Call
fornia National guard and naval re-
| serves. posts Of the G. A R., confeder-
| ate veterans, Spanish war veterans and
| uniformed city bodies also will have a
place in Wednesdays parade.
Messages From the Fleet.
San Francisco. April IA mes
! sage received by the United Wireless
Telegraph company this morning
Il from the battleship Georgia at sea re-
ports the fleet of battleships at p
m, yesterday. about 300 miles south
of San Diego, proceeding quietly in
line of squadron.
THE change in formation was made
at 2.3O g. m. Rear Admiral Sperry
was In command of the second squad
Il ron with Captain Harber OF the
Maine, acting as admiral at the head
of the fourth squadron, the Maine
changing places with the Minnesota.