New-York tribune., 1918-12-05
1000 Soldiers on Guard
at Pier as Presiednt's
Party Boards Vessel
Guns Boom and
Harbor Flags Dip
Liner Casts Off Soon Aft
er 10 as Thousands
Give Noisy Godspeed

Hat in hand, President Wilson stood
on the bridge of the George Washing
ton yesterday morning and waved a
farewell to the crowded Hoboken water
front as he set sail on the first Euro
pean voyage ever undertaken by
President of the United States.
Flags broke out from every mast in
the harbor, whistles and bells were
brought into play, and the lines of men
and women, who had struggled for a
foothold on the docks in order to
glimpse the historic leavetaking, added
their voices to the general din.
But the on eincident of the morning
that sent the blood coursing through
the veins of every spectator was not
staged by those who had carefully out
lined the military spectacle in which
the President played the leading role
Greetings from the Lapland
Just as the former Hamburg-Ameri-
can liner was casting off from her pier
IN Hoboken the mottled camoufiape of
transport laden with homecoming
soldiers hove into view. A moment
"cer the name of the transport was
being handed along the decks from
mouth to mouth
It's the Lapland!' shouted some
body on the George Washington.
President Wilson, followed by Mrs.
Wilson and Rear Admiral Grayson. an
peared at window of the class-en-
closed upper deck. The President
smiled and his lips moved in an mn
heard greeting.
From the decks of the Layland came
rouslng cheer. as the men on board
only half understanding the sirnif
cance of tho situation. caught sight ot
the thousands of flags. Then ths
camoufiaged ship, whose occupants had
fnlshed their work abroad. moved ou
while the liner, with its gray coatinp
OF peace, set out to take up the wory,
that remains to be accomplished
Destroyer Gordon on job
The George Washington moved
slowly from the pier, drawn BIZ four
tugs, while five nervous DESTROYER
sped from one part of The river TO nm
other, preventing anything in the shane
OF craft from approaching within
mailing distance. In the middle of tbc
river the two stern guns of the shin
belched forth the Presidential salute
FIRING alternately, tirst the port t1en
the starboard gun, the twenty-one
shots echoed and reechoed against tbc
sounding boards provided by the Man
haitian skyscrapers and the docks on
the Jersey side Of the river.
AS the start was made two aviators
va1nly striving to win a little Of the
attention of the crowds, twisted and
Owed among the clouds and dropped
almost to the mastheads of the ships
Then one of the two darted down the
bay TO notify watchers on the dread
nought Pennsylvania of the time to
get under way. The anchor of tho
Pennsylvania, flagship of the peace
fleet. was raised and the formidable
craft fell IN at the head of the rrouu
of fighting ships that will serve as a
Presidential convoy across the At
lantic.
Monitor Fires Salute
Behind the George Washington came
two destroyers, nosing their way from
one shore to the other to prevent
curious ship masters from edging in
too close to the liner. Four more de-
stroyers did similar service as they
advanced in flying squadron ahead of
the feet
At the mouth of the harbor, the
harbor monitor, which did service as
guardian at the gate of the Submarine
net there, fired final salute Of
twenty-one guns in farewell 10 the
voyagers.
Half an hour later the second peace
ship to leave New York within three
years disappeared in the mists that
threatened ocean storm. Bv
strange coincidence, yesterdays de-
'arture of the George Washington came
'n the third anniversary, even to the
nour, of the departure Of the Hem.
Ford peace pilgrims. The Ford ship.