The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-11-02


and Frank F. Fletcher and Commander
Philip Andrew.
While Secretary Meyer and his guests
we're at luncheon on the Maynower the
feet got ready for the long round ot
ceremony. A bright day was darkcning
and fast keen wind blew down the
Hudson. whipping the colors and signal
flags savagely. The river was Ike
FURNISHED steel under an occasional
illumination of the sun. For some time
II had been evident that New York and
New Jersey we're Crowding for Wow
~ the show Piers and floats we're
massed with folk and the line Of sight
seers that began on the waterfront At
West Fifty-seventh street continued with
hardly a break to beyond Fort Washington
Point. Every elevation on shore was
grand stand for the naval display. the
roofs OF apartment houses along River
aide Drive furnishing the most desirable
positions.
PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION.
The river humrned with action long
before the first vicious smack ~ the
Mayflowers guns told the fleet that IT
was time to pay some attention TO the
head Of the navy. Slaty blue launches
the blunt and useful pullers and haulers
and passenger carriers of the battle
shipe-sw1ing around the fagships stern
or swerved up river. fetching or carrying
the Admiral's orders. Midshpmen stif,ly
srrayed In special dress uniform poised
perilously on the gunwales of the steam
launches and relayed simple instructions
with the airs Of commander in chief.
You marked the seagoing homes Of these
busy youths by the black initials on the
bow Of the steamers C. for Connecticut.
n u. for North Oak ota, L. for Utah.
Occasionally the Admiral's own barge,
a long. lean. yellow vanished motor
launch that can rip up the water at a
thirty knot clip. tore away from the flag
ships starboard gangway at an eXtraordi-
nary pace. Flag Secretary King or Flag
Lieut.. Berry sitting primly erect as he
split the river on the Admiral > business.
The little Nashville. white enamelled
and gilded like private yacht or like one
of the old White Squadron which rode
tho fairway mighty proudly nearly twenty
years ago. drifted lazily down the tide
occasionally 10 see IL traffic was behaving
itself. Her skipper. Commander Casey
b. Morgan. was patrol officer of the flee;
and the gunboat carried at her foremast
the international code signal (blue and
white checkerboardl. her pennant of au-
thority She was the flagship yesterday
Of a considerable sized tiotilla Of torpedo
boats. revenue cutters and tugs, each Of
which displayed the blue and white check
erboard as il edged intrusive pleasure
craft out of the way.
Morgan's orders were precise to keep
the water lying to the westward of the
hat nd hatunap fha hat In
ships and the torpedo craft clear, and
he obeyed to the letter. Now and then
you would see the torpedo boat ShuhriCk
point her wicked length at fussy old
passenger steamer. slide half mile
without apparent effort and come up
alongside the intruder. And then the
fussy, fubsy one. heeling over with her
weight Of people. would bow and apologize
and grunt herself along to lawful fair
way.
II was only rarely. though, that the
torpedo boat patrols had to shake their
heels after disturbers of the peace. There
was no end of steamer launches on hand
for the shooing of job and tn" number
of sightseeing steamers was surprisingly
small. Goodness knows how many hun
dreds Of thousands Of people enjoyed the
spectacle from shore, but Comparatively
few took the trouble TO cruise up the battle
line. Perhaps, all afternoon, dozen
steamers made their appearance around
the feet.
Lots OF folks invested in sensations
by breasting the chopping tidewater in
rowboats and motor flyers. OF the latter
craft one in particular tempted fate.
Without regard for the heavy swell left
by rushing torpedo boats or wallowing
steamers the speed burner tipped up and
down past the battleships at easily 80
knots, its knife blade bow high out Of
water and it's stern sunk deep in foam.
Its adventurous skipper was drenched
to the skin. of course, but he kept on ex-
perimenting with destiny until the guard
boats waved him away.
Looking up the Hudson from the old
gunboat Dolphin, which lay near the
Mayhower and the flagship Connecticut
of Vest Fifty-seventh street. one could
see far up the sombre line of battleshipS
TheiI SLATE blue war color melted into
the rivers hue al a great distance. But
on the ships of the first and second ii ..
visions you could see without binoculars
what preparations were making on
the starboard side Of their quarter decks
the marine guard in its blue with red
facings leaned on rifles. The red bands
waited for the first bugle command to
let go with The Star Spangled Banner. :"
Black and gold officers, alone III couples
or in companies, strolled the decks and
kept an eye on the flagship or the May
flower. Enlisted men in their dress uni
forms of blue and fat blue caps We're
drawn up AT ease, ready for the command
that would lock their ranks and jerk
every hand to attention. The ships
were gay with signal flags that fiuttered
up and down as the Admlrals orders
went flying up the river.
FIRST SALUTE or THE DAY.
Exactly at p. NJ the Maytiower brok G
out the flag of the Secretary of the Navy
and let 60 IA three FOUNDER with the first
bang of the nineteen gun salute to which
lAI hat h.,