The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-12-01
CRUISER FLEET ARRIVES
WITH ALL WELL ABOARD
TRIM FIGHTING CRAFTS
trrom wednesdny,s AaverlIser.l

into tho channel, waterway to which
it is well accustomed, having visited
here frequently. In former years war.
ships came here with dazzling sides Of
white Yesterday, they entered with
war paint, reducing thom as conspic-
nous targets, and, IL Is rumored, with
the magazines filed with more than the
usual supply of ammunition, and
enough to serve them if they should
eventually be ordered to China and re.
quire the explosives for actual service,
TIE shores were lined with residents.
while the marine barracks supplied
quota of armed men to officially receive
the fleet. At three o'clock the naval
tug Navajo, commanded by Chief Gun
ner Babson, and the naval station
launch got under way to meet the in
coming cruisers. A marine company
marched from Camp Very to the Ala
kea wharf where the flagship was to be
moored and at three-twenty salute of
thirteen guns was fred by the naval
station battery in honor Of the com
mander-in-chief. Even the lighthouse
tender Kubui honored the feet, the men
standing at quarters. The California
steamed into the Eva slip of the Ala
kea wharf, Captain Harlow making
what was generally termed by water
frontiers as ga dandy landing" and
later even the admiral paid the same
compliment to the captain for the
handling of his ship. The marines
stood at attention on the wharf as the
ship passed by, while the Hawaiian
band, under the leadership of Captain
Berger, again welcomed the feet to
these shores with musical selections,
which was pleasant music to many of
the officers who came here first as mid
dies and ensigns and learned the music
of Hawaii mel by heart at many So
cial function where the poi bowl was
the, chief ornament of the banquet
table.
The Maryland followed the flagship
and locked at the naval wharf, Cap
tain Ellicott going over to the Cali
fornia to report, followed shortly after
ward by Captain Bennett of the South
Dakota, whose vessel was locked at
the Hackfeld wharf, Eva end of the
harbor.
AS soon as the flagship was tied up
to the wharf Rear-Admiral Cowles and
staff boarded the vessel at the port
gangway and was received with honors,
the marines of the flagship standing at
attention, the band playing, and a
salute was fred as the admiral passed
off the ship.
Plans Not Public.
Whatever plans there may be for tie
fleet while in Hawaiian waters are not
being made public, although Admiral
Thomas states that at present his only
information is that the fleet is to re-
: main here, and in short time will be-
gin series of war maneuvers. He can
not state whether most of the time
of the fleets stay will be spent in the
open sea.
One thing is certain, that the fleet
will be given an opportunity to see Ha-
wall s greatest natural attraction-the
Volcano of Kilauea. Admiral Thomas
intends that every opportunity shall be
: given the men of the cruisers to visit
, Hilo and the crater of Halemaumau.
lie Is intensely interested in this part
of the program and is delighted at the
chance of giving everyone a chance TO
see real, live volcano in action.
Knowing that the facilities of Hilo
would be taxed to the breaking point
by sending the entire feet to HiIo BAY
at one time, he viii despatch one YES
: sci at time. AS soon as one cruiser
has finished with the port, another will
steam into the bay, until all Eve have
had their turn.
There will be no target practise at
any time during the feet 3 stay. That
is all reserved for the Coast cruising.
and although the boom of the big guns
may be heard from the open sea, it
will not be because of target practise.
Feared Stormy Weather.
Rumor has had it that the reason
why the fleet was not accompanied by
the torpedo boats was because of the
possibility of the cruisers being order.
ed to China, in which event the little
craft would have to remain kere until
the same vessels returned to tow them
back to the Coast.
The real reason of their being left
behind was purely and simply because
the officers anticipated bad weather
crossing the Pacific at this season OF
the year and 1T would be bad sailing
or towing, for the small warships. Their
theory was correct and it was general
ly agreed by the admiral and many Of
his officers yesterday afternoon in dis
cussing the torpedo craft that the
torpedo boats would have Jared badly
in the rough weather and particularly
in the long, heavy swells. The big
cruisers rolled uncomfortably in these
swells and had they been towing tbs
torpedo boats the latter would hav,
plunged, rolled and eavorted until tn,
officers and men aboard them would
have cursed the day when they Were
iseleeted for duty ON the "stilettOes Of
the navy.n
Admiral Thomas freely espresso
himself as glad that the torpedo boat
had not been included in the cruise
for the towing would have been haEl
on the tow aud the towed.
Shore Drills.
The marines aboard the feet, mum
bering about $50, will be put through
their PAGES ~ battalion formation
ashore b. Major Charles s. Hill, neel
marine officer, he eapeets 10 do con
siderable work ashore ~ many 81 ths
mea are new 20 the eerYise and haYs
not YET learned abe dufr II marines