The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-03
Reviews the Atlantic Fleet From Bridge of His
 tOric MayflOwer
DISARMAMENT IS
 IMPOSSIBLE NOW
Europe Looking To United States To Begin Worldwide Peace MOve- ment-Fleet Magnificent
 in Its Preparedness


 pledges which seem to indicate the early ratification of the treaties of peace ana arbitration with Great Britain ana France, President Taft today from the wind-swept bridge of the historic httie cruiser yacht, Mayflower reviewed the mightiest line of fighting craft ever as- sembled under the American flag.
 The President had indicated in all his speeches in advocacy of the trgdes ol peace that he entertained no fond delus- ion that war by contention could imme- diately be made thing of the past. He declared that the treaties were a step 1T the right direction; that the armed camps of Europe were looking to the United States to lead in what might prove to be a great world movement toward the goal of peace. but that for a long time to come the suggestion of disarmament would have no force.
 Mir. Taft let 1t be known that he would continue to urge upon Congress the ne- cessity of building at least two great super r-dreadnaught ships year until the Panama canal is in actual operation. The canal, he declared, would double the eff. ficiency of the navy and from that time on one battleship year might suffice to keep the American navy in the forefront of the worlds military powers. H
 Thousands Present
 Countless thousands of people joined with the President in paying tribute to the five score vessels which lay at anchor in the Hudson river. Twenty-four frs, class battleships were in the line. grimly gray in their preparedness Tor war and with ammunition rooms fairly bursting under the weight of millions of pounds oi powder and she'll.
 Surrounding this burly column sullen in tself-reliance, were armored cruisers locking less formidable 10 the batteshir class.
 There were the meteor like destroyers green wasps of the sea; 1.-the torpedo boats that seemed catlilke in their stealth submarines barely. visible above the water line and the file of auxiliary yes sels that serve as tendeHgNto the fleet There wsre g in All the original plan o. having 1o2 ships in line, having been cur tailed by the absence of three torpedo boats
 As if the exhibition Of preparedness and power pictured in the anchored ar mada were not all sufficient p of the battlesEips toward the close of the pro- gramme picked up their anchors and proudly swept out to sea
 President Taft watched the passing pa geant in impressed silence. As the big fighting ships steamed by, with foam crested waves spreading from their ar mored bows and with clouds of black smoke swirlng from their tunnels. the sun was near its setting and they spoke with crashing guns, the last of long series of salutes which had begun with the early morning and had been all but incessant throughout the programme.
 The review had been the most bril- liant in the history of the country and with Its conclusion the great fleet had dispersed, the various ships vending their way to home stations to await the call to winter maneuvers in southern waters.
 The setting for the review was splen- did marine ampitheatre. The fleet lay on the broad bosom of the Hudson walled in on either side by the towering build- ings of Riverside Drive and the precipi- tous cliffs of the New Jersey palisades The day wy one of changing sunshine and shadow Out of the northwest there blew up a sale which at times attained maximum of 59 miles an hour and ., brought with it the chill of winter.
 Weather Threatening
 + The morning had dawned humid and cloudy and when the waiting ships ar
  rainbow flags of full dress and harle- quin pennants futtered lazily in an eight mile breeze. Within an hour and halt the gale had swept in with all its force and had sent the clouds scurring away before it. In the dazzling sunshine that followed the fleet flags were whipped into a riotous fury. From this time for ward until the programme was ended great new cloud banks caught up in the north were driven intermittently over the skies, adding their share to the kaleidi- gcopic pcturesqueness of the scene. One \ of the cloud banks brought a furry of snow with 1t, the first of the scason here, but neither the chill blasts nor the con stantly recurring threat of storm deterred k the spectators who stretched for miles along the river banks and crowded the decks of excursion steamers circling about the warship anchorage.
 There was one fatality during the cay Gustave Frey, a seaman on the Eattleship New Jersey, fell overheard and drowned before assistance could be rendered. The news had not req oh ed the President when he left tonight for Hot Springs, Va, to join his family. The President arrived from the west shortly after o'clock this morning and went at once aboard the Mayflower where later he was joined by Secre , tary of the Navy Meyer and the latter's staff from the navy department, Rear Admirals Wainwright, Potter and Vreeland, Captains Fletcher and Potts and Commander Phillip Andrews.
 Mr. Taft was attended by Maj. Archi- bald w. Butt and two of his naval aides. Lieutenant Commander L. c. Pal mer and Lieut.. A L. Bristol. Secretsys . TIilles was also Included in the pA.t and g1t the last minute there was a rlige 'srelaxation in the official char act1 M tke review which permitted MrI At to entertain on board his hrd ,gcr. Henry w. Taft, and the latter's e ceremonies formally began a, h ef o'clock when the Presidents flag t.{iil roar of guns from every vesse in the fleet, was broken from the mair truck of the Mayfower The littie yacht by this time had moved up clos. to the head of the seven mile column of battleships and had cast anchors. Tn Inediately the admirals of the fleet SC, out in launches to pay thelr respects tt the commander in chief of the army art V navy.
 ks. MT. Taft received them on board witt he honors due their rank and after tho Srst formal exchange had persona ' Ford of greeting for each.
 The wide river reaches had beer lashed into whitecapped waves whsr rr.-.s-t.1.,,< rro ft act orf for tho fl q,