Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-10-26
TORPEDO FL0TIlLA IS
PREPARING THE ROUTE
Thirty Governors, Twenty Senators,
Nearly Two Hundred congressman.
Many Diplomats and Representa-
tives of Eight Foreign Countries
Participating in Remarkable Cruise.
Cry Associated Press).


ST. LOUIS. MO. Oct. 2J.--When
President TAFT lsft here at ) O'clock
THIS afternoon. after strenuous Gay
Of speechmaking. dining and riding.
he embarked rpcn a river ten OF
nearly ~ mics. Following the
government steamer uleander. ON
whose upper deck The President
stood. acknowle dgeng the thunderous
farewells OF the crowds on the leTees
and bridges. came ten river packets
carrying two cabinet officers. 30 gov
errors, several diplomats. representa-
, tives of eight South and Central
American governments, at Washing
ton. twenty United States na''rs.
! nearly 200 members OF congress ana
officials of every state on both sides
of the river. besides hundreds Of dele
gates from commercial bodies. bound
for the conventicnt OF the Lakes-to-
the Gulf Deep Waterways Associa-
tion, at New Orleans.
: The fiotilla was preceded down the
river yesterday by the second div s.
ion OF The Atlantic torpedo beat ilo-
tiIla q the United states nav This
squadron. consisting of the destroyer
: Macdonough and the torpedo beats
Wilkes. Thornton and Tingey Ia
charged with the duty OF preparing
for the proper reception OF the Pres
| ident at each of the eight cities
where stops will be made before New
Orleans is reached next Saturday
morning. The squadron is under the
command of Lieut.. Willis G. Mitchell.
/ and has been in st. LouisNsince the
celebration of this city's centennial
early in October.
Meet at Memphis.
The naval vessels viii await the
fiotilla at Memphis and Will aim to
keep well ahead of the presidential
feet so that the smoke from their
tunnels will not obstruct the view OF
the deep waterway delegates and tfS0
government officials whom they seek
10 convert to the project of deepen
ing the river. For similar reasons. a
considerable distance was kept be-
tween the boats Of the presidential
hotilla- Strenuous rules were an
norncci to the pilots and command
ers Of the craft before their departure,
and every effort has been made 10
prevent either the grounding of any
of the boats or the more dreaded pos
| bilitv of a collision
The details of the journey have
been worked out under the SUPER
vision OF Commander 4. II. TiIlman.
L. s. n. aboard the O,eanda. In the
upper reaches Of the river, a speed
OF less than IL miles an hour is TO
be made. After the mouth OF the
Ohio has been passed. however. the
vessels will be asked 70 shcw a bet
ter pace. and. in places. travel Is
miles an hour.
The aotiIIa was organized 10
boost" the cause OF deep waterways
This Is the frand declaration OF the
officers Of tbs association. its presi-
dent. w. K Kaxanasgh. saying:
This personally conducted Journey
Of President Taft down the Mississip-
~ over il being made to cali the per
sonal attention Of the president OF
the United States. members Ct con-
gress. army engineers and levee en-
Sinters OF the various interested
states. 70 the commercial necessity
and possibilities OF deepening the
.
river Federal cooperation Is want
ed by the states. ard We hope to see
4 river ana harbor bill passed At ths
next session C congress carrying an
appropriation sufficient to put the
deep waterway on continuing basis.
| Ike 81 Pan,r,a Canal