The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-05-04
IN NEW YORK BAY
WHAT WAR MEANS

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New York, May 4.-Never in it!
history, perhaps, has New York Bay
taken on more warlike aspect than
at present. What with warships oil
every type, from the dreadnought
down to the inofcnsive looking little
submarine lying at anchor or lazily
ploughing through the water, with
aeroplanes making graceful circles
and figure Fights about the head Of
the Statue OF Liberty and above the
lower end of Manhattan, and with al
most two thousand would-be officers
daily drilling on the aviation field on
Governors Island, the scene has the
appearance Of meaning business, says
the New York Herait
That persons resident on State Is
land, Brooklyn, and the Jersey City
and Bayonne sections of New Jersey
are not the only ones taking advan-
tage Of the unusual sights presented
III the upper bay is ev1uenced every
day by the increased traffic on the
Staten Island and Brooklyn ferry
boats passing on both the east and
west sides of Governors Island.
Thousands OF women and children
crowd the hurricane decks Of
these craft every fine afternoon, en-
Enthusiastically observing the mancu-
vcrs Of the young men in training for
berths in the ranks OF Uncle Sans
army
The better view Of the scene is to
be had from the Staten Island ferry
boats, because a few minutes after
one OF these fcrryboats leaves the
Slip at the Battery the entire aviation
held from old Fo,t i>enryto the
southernmost point Of Governors Is
land is presented. Although to the
unnltlatcd the hangers of the United
States army aviators on the east side
OF Governors Island may not be read
lily made out at first, as the Staten
Island ferryboats journey down the
bay to St. George there is always
somebody at hand to call ones atten
ton to them, if you are not fortunate
enough to make the trip when some
OF the aero officers emerge to make
an ascent
Even though your trip is not re-
Warded with a view Of the army
fliers in their practice maneuvers
above the waters of the bay the sight
OF young men drilling with broom
sticks, as Col. Roosevelt called them,
is never to be missed any afternoon
in good weather. What seems, to i'm
press the thousands who view the
scene is the fact that but few Of the
young men wear uniforms, and on
oustery days most Of them wear
their civilian overcoats while respon-
ding to the command Of their officers.
Even to the ineXpert eye of the
rookie squad easily can be distin-
guished from those companies and
battaliOns which have already profited
by the severe drilling Of the officers
in charge of the work. Usually the
rockies are to be found in small
groups near the southern turn Of the
old fort or along the west side of the
island on the cinder bride path used
by the officers in peace times. AL
though the ferryboats never pass
closer than within a quarter of a mile
to the island, the awkard responses
of the rockies" to the commands of
their instructors are plainly desicern-
able, and many laugh is heard on
the hurricane deck as squad after
squad of this raw material for Uncle
Sans is seen to break up the
alignment in the confusion of at
tempting to respond to commands
with alarcity
But, getting back to the company
and battalion drills, which usually are
IN progress on the east side OF the is
land and in front of the officers view
ing stand, one would never think
from viewing the maneuvers for hf-
teen minutes that most of the men
composing these formations were but
few months ago totally unacquaint-
ed with the United States army drill
code.
Not man is seen 70 ra1ter as the
lines snappily swing through the va
rious squad and Company formations
at the commands of the drill officers.
In fact, such precision is displayec
that one would think the ranks were
composed of United States army reg