The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-05-19
THOUSANDS OF
. SPECTATORS
VIEW FLEET
HARBOR CROWDED WITH SHIPS
PRESIDENT REVIEWING FLEET
EXPRESSES GREAT ADMlRA-
TION-IMPoslNG SPECTACLE.

New York, May 1S.-The fleet of
the Hudson river for ten days, steamed
out to sea at II o'clock Tuesday, with
President Wilson reviewing the fivI-
mile line as it passed the Mayflower
off the Statue of Liberty.
Headed by the superdreadnaught
Wyoming Admiral Fletcher's flagship,
the sixteen battleships and their train
of lesser fighting craft, steamed past
the presidential yacht at a speed of
fourteen knots, each ship with its sail
ors and marines standing at the rail at
attention AS each craft neared the
! Mayflower, her siX-pounders, fore and
act, let loose white puffs of smoke
and over the harbor there roared the
thunder of a presidential salute of
twenty-one guns.
Tens of thousands of persons flocked
|
marine procession. Along the water
front on both sides of the Hudson the
piers were black with spectators, the
| windows of the downtown sky-scrapers
were thronged, hundreds on housetops
witnessed the spectacle and Battery
park southernmost tip of Manhattan
was filled with a crowd that stretched
from the seawall across the acres Of
green to the custom house.
Traffic on the Hudson river was sus-
pended between the Manhattan and
New Jersey shores half and hour be-
! fore the fleet sailed.
Harbor Crowded with Ships.
Ferry boats, excursion steamers,
tugs and other craft lay at dock with
many thousands of persons who had
| come to watch the departure. 1t seem
ed as if all New York had swarmed
to the rivers edge to say goodbye
| The day was overcast, but through the
clouds the sun shone at intervals.
Close by the Mayflower lay the Dol
phin, the Isis and the Yankton, with
government officials members of the
citizens committee, newspapermen and
invited guests aboard. Swinging at an
chor the little reviewing squadron
tossed out streams of pennants and
bunting.
AS each battleship passed the May
flower with the crew lining rails and
turrets with fringe of blue, the
ships band played the national an
| them. There was little cheering in re
sponse. In bidding goodbye to the
fleet the crowds seemed to be in a
thoughtful mood.
Leaving New York the fleet made
for Newport, the rendezvous, from
which will be directed the maneuvers
in the war game along the Atlantic
coast
President Departs for Washington
The Mayflower with President Will
son and his party aboard, with the
exception of Secretary Tumulty, sailed
Tuesday for Washington, at 1870 p.
m.
| President Wilson remained on the
bridge of the Mayflower throughout
the review, watching the great battle
ships, and then the smaller craft,
steaming rapidly out to sea. Several
times he commented on their excel
lent and business.like appearance He
stood bare-headed during almost all
of the impressive spectacle.
The president displayed particular
| interest in the submarine flotilla,
which was led by the K6. He asked
many questions and several times bor-
rowed marine glasses to look at them
! closer.
As Secretary Daniels and other Of
| ficials left the Mayflower for the Dol
phin, the president expressed his ad-
miration for the fleet. 1t was said for
him that he would not give out a for
NAL statement, but probably would
send a brief wireless message to Ad-
miral Fletcher congratulating him on
| the showing made.
To Arrive Thursday.
| The Mayflower carrying the presi-
! dent. will make the trip to Washing.
ton by slow stages, arriving there on
Thursday morning. She will be con-
voyed by a cruiser, and the White