The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1911-11-10
JM NEWEST
TO The OLDEST
Notable Array Of WdrShipS Re-
viewed by The President
A GREAT DOUBLE SPECTACLE


Powers of Europe-Fleet Passes
Out to Sea After MayfIower Steams
Through clumns-Thousand of
Statutes In Honor of Chief Executive
New York, Nov. 3.-From the
bridge of the Mayfower, where
Roosevelt had stood to bid Godspeed
to the departing and a joyous well
come to the Homecoming battle fleet
that circled the globe three years ago,
President Taft reviewed the msst
notable assemblage OF warships in
the history OF the American navy.
In three long columns, stretching as
far as the eye could see UP the Hud-
son river, the grim, gray ships
ninety-nin in aIl-had awaited the
presidents coming. In his honor
they were dressed from stem to stern
in fiuttering flags, as If attempting for
this gala occasion to conceal the muz-
zles of their death dealing guns. The
gay bunting lent color to the scene,
but the meaning of the dull gray hulls
and the polished rifles that protruded
from the turret mouths could not be
masked
There were twenty-four battleships
in the line, representing every type
of that class of fighting vessels in the
navy, from the Indiana, Massachu-
sets and Iowa, of Spanish war fame,
down to the last word in completed
super dreadnaughts, the majestic
Florida, which lifted the voice of her
guns in their first salute.
From the Indiana to the Florida it
was far cry, the big super-dread-
naught with her high free board and
five big turrets looking as though she
could gobble up the little veterans OF
the line in just one gulp. Armed
cruisers, scout cruisers, destroyers,
torpedo boats and auxiliaries made up
the grand total.
New York, which has been navy
mad" for nearly week, turned out
by hundreds of thousands to witaess
the review. The day was favored by
perfect weather, an almost uncloud-
ed sun and brisk wind that added
TO the picturesqueness OF the scene
by roughening the harbor with white
caps and whipping flags that made the
ships above decks a riot of color.
The significance of the mobilization
and review of the feet at this time
was simply to demonstrate the pre-
paredness Of the American navy for
any emergency. To further impress
this fact upon the president and the
nation, to say nothing of the world at
large, the naval authorities were not
content with the usual plan of holding
a review OF the fleet at anchor.
This part of the program was gone
through with, following the custom of
years, but in addition the orders pro-
vided that after the Mayflower had
steamed through the several columns,
the fleet should get under way ana
pass out to sea. This double spec
tacle made the review unique ia the
annals Of naval displays throughout
the world and attracted to New York
the military and naval attaches of
most OF the powers of Europe.
The thunder of tons of powder.
fired in the salutes OF 5000 gun
charges in honor of the presence of
the president, set new record for
New York. The magnificent pageant
was so staged as to give it all the i'm
pressiveness of actual war-togetber
with all the noise of an actual cannon
ade.
1t was a proud day for Admiral Os-
terhaus, in command OF the Atlantic
feet, but he was saved from a deli
cate situation by the kindheartedness
of Admiral Dewey, retired, who re-
fused an invitation TO be present be-
cause he outranks Admiral Oster-
haus, and his presence would have
caused an embarrassing situation.
The dispatch boat Dolphin was
placed at the disposal Of the naval
attaches OF foreign powers who were
invited to witness the pageant.
The great guns. belehing forth the
twenty -one-gun salutes to the presi-
dent, shook both shores Of the Hud-
Son and the reverberatons rolled I'M
and down the river from the the nm
ter bay to the Palisades.
AS the batteries on board a war
chip would Lex go with a thunder OF
noise, vast clouds Of smoke poured
up through the superstructure and
rigging, completely enveloping the
vessel.
Residents along the Hudson were
warned beforehand that there would
be a liberal burning Of gunpowder.
Accompanying President Taft was
secretary Meyer, who reviewed the
feet Wednesday. President Taft
showed his pride in the great armada
and he had good cause TO be proud.
for it was the biggest feet ever re-
viewed by a President OF the United
States.
The president indicated in all of
his speeches in advocacy OF the treat
- that