Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-11-02
TAFT TO REVIEW SHIPS TODAY
Greatest Mobilization in History Of
United States.
NOTED MEN ATTEND CEREMONY
Naval Officers Favor Creation Of
Vice Admiralship.
HUGE CROWD SEES SPECTACLE
Secretary Meyer Says Mobilization
Demonstrates Need for Greater
Number OF Enlisted Men
for Reserve Fleet.

NEW YORK, Nov 1.-The fleet has
demonstrated its preparedness for any
emergency and has shown the effective
ness of the present organization"
George Won l.. Meyer, secretary of the
navy, smiled as he made this statement
this evening on board the president s
yacht Mayflower, after having inspected
ninety-nine fighting ships Of the Atlantic
fleet assembled in the Hudson river for
the greatest mobilization in the history
of the American navy. President Taft
will review the fleet tomorrow as Il
passes out to sea and, though the Pali-
sades and the shores of the Hudson will
echo back a greater number of salutes
than was accorded the secretary today,
Mr.. Meyer says he is satisfied with what
he saw today.
Meyer Visits FlaRshlps.
Leaving the Mayflower in a speedy
launch, after having received on board
Rear Admiral Osterhaus, the commander
in chief and the division commanders,
the secretary paid visits to the flagshlps
of the fleet, standing erect in the launch
with silk hat held firm and frock coat
Hopping as he sped from ship TO ship
in the face of a twenty-mile nor by
nor'west wind. The Mayflower fired a
salutt of nineteen guns as he left her
side and this salute was repeated by
each of the seven flagships that he
boarded, beginning with the little Dixie,
tender of the torpedo fleet
His calls completed, the secretary re
boarded the Mayflower, which had
miles of warships and passed slowly
southwark along the entire line, each
ship saluting nineteen times as he passed.
The echoes roared back from the New
York shore after an interval so long
that 1t seemed as II a second lombard
ment were going on in the streets Of
Harlem. 1t was $40 o'clock when he
repassed the Connecticut on his return
trip, marking the end of-the days for
malities.
would Have Vice Admiral,
Members of the house committee on
naval affairs followed the secretary on
his visits to each flagship and were
honored with salute of seventeen guns.
They, too, were gratified with the ap-
parent efficiency and preparedness of
the fleet and when the party reassembled
on Che Mayflower hope was expressed
that congress might see fit to create the
position of vice admiral
"The rank of the commander-in-ch chief
should be commensurate with his great
responsibilities, said Secretary Meyer,
"and it is due his position that he should
have the rank OF vice admiral"
Rear Admirals Wainwright, Vreeand,
Potter and Fletcher, acting as the secre-
tary's aides, endorsed this expression and
hoped also that the position OF vice
admiral would be created.
This mobilization also has demon
strated," continued Secretary Meyer,
that for our reserve fleet we should
have a greater number of eulisted men,
l have anticipated this in part by asking
for 1000 more men in this years esti-
mates, which have now gone to the
Treasury department. These estimates
provide for the maintenance and addi-
tion of these men, but they are no larger
than those of last year"
Noted Visitors Present.
Besides the congressman and other
prominent guests aboard the Mayflower
this afternoon, attaches OF four foreign
nations were present. They were Captain
G. f. G. Sowerby of England, Com
mander Retzman of Germany, Com
mander Tokutaro Hiraga of Japan and
Commander Vassilieff of Russia. There
were also present Senators Root and
OGorman Of New York, Mayor Gaynor,
Attorney General Wlckersham. Secretary
OF the Interior Fisher and others. The
two latter accompanied Mr.. Meyer on
his visit to the flagships.
Two sllm-nosed destroyers, painted
green, patroiled the course during the
inspection and there was no untoward
incident throughout. About 100000 per-
sons witnessed the spectacle from the
New York shore and gally declSed har-
Dor craft bore other thousands up and
down the line. Each warship crashed
forth the "Star-Spangled Banner" when
either the secretarys barge or the May
flower drew near the crews manned the
rails and those ships which he boarded
hoisted the secretary's flag with its blue
field, white anchor and four stars.
1t was announced early In the day
that all the fleet would not salute the
secretary as he passed back along the
line, but these arrangements were
changed as the inspection progressed.
The ships did not dress IN rainbow colors
as had been expected, but reserved this
4. To- .