The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-05-18
FLEET LEAVES
new YORK HARB0R
Vessels Reviewed by .ASsident
Wilson as They s. <n Out
to Sea by s s.e
Of Libe7 :
AN IMPOSING SPECTACLE
"Forces Of Humanity" End TheIr HoII-
day In the Big City and Sail
Away to Play Annual i.
War Game.

limited Press Leased Wire Service. ]
NEW YORK, May 1S-President
Wilson and New York said goodbye to
the Atlantic fleet today. Th.y- steel
jacketed forces of.thumanityn ended
their holiday and left for their annual
war game at sea. The departure OF
the fleet was the final and most spec.
tacular event Of the review. per.
feet spring day added to the inspiring
spectacle. Brilliant rays Of the sun
swept away the banks of rain and
mist which marred the pageant yes.
terday.
The statue Of liberty and lower d.
Dor wers the sceles Of farewell to the
armada Becaues OF the tide, a later
start was made than scheduled. The
weigh anchor" order was set for
10:30 with the review by the president
on the Mayflower off the statue of lib.
erty scheduled an hour later. The
huge gray drea thoughts were stripped
this morning of their gay strings OF
pennants. Boatswains crews were
busy rounding up stragglers over-stay
1 ing shore leaves Donkey engines
I. Duffed and sscre sgf1ed as they SWUNG
launches and tenders on board.
Riverside drive. the Battery and
every point Of vantage on the Hudson
river was crowded with spectators
The roads lead was swept clear OF
small craft and ferry boats at 10
o'clock
The Mayflower, bearing the presi-
dent and his party, acting Mayor Nc
Aneney and other official guests left
its anchorage at 10:45,N escorted by
torpedo destroyeTs, the Dolphin, Isis
and Yankton. Anchoring off the statue
of liberty, the reviewing flotilla tossed
out streams of pennants and bunting
and lined up to await the passage Of
the fleet. Admiral F1etcher's flag
ship, the Wyoming, followed by the
New York, Texas and other battle
ships and then the destroyers and
smaller craft steamed past the re-
viewing squadron in single file at ten
knots speed.
AS each ship breasted the Mayfow-
er, the presidential salute Of twenty
one guns doomed out. The shattering
bocms of the battleships was followed
by the sharp barking staccato of the
lighter guns on the smaller craft
Crews dressed ship lining the rail
and outlining tt.a turrets in human
fringe Of blue as they sailed by the
Mayflower.
Bands Of each played the "Star
Spangled Banner" and this was re-
turned, in kind by the musicians Of
the Mayflower and Dolphin.
The president stood in the waist OF
the Mayf1ower, close to the rail and
doffed his hat continually as strains
Of the national anthem came from
each successive ship The reviewing
ships wore swept by flliments of
smoke which piled in banks about the
bronze goddess.
Not until the fleet was well down
the harbor did the reviewing party
leave it's post After setting ashore
the presidents guests, the Mayfower
was scheduled to sail shortly after
two o'clock for Washington which will
be reached early Thursday after a
slow jaunt down the coast Miss Mar
garet Wilson joined the Mayfower
party today for the trip home. Be-
cause of seasickness enroute here,
Secretary Tumulty left 1t, to go home
by train.