The sun., 1919-04-08
NAVY FAREWELL
GIVEN ADMIRAL
Feast at Waldorf Attended by
National, State and City
Officials.
GUN CREWS FIRE SALUTE
Admiral Sits on Bridge With
Reuterdahl Picture as
Background.
5UN CREWS FIRE SALUTE

hands last night. They bade farewell
to Rear Admiral Nathaniel Riley
Usher, whose two starred nag of blue
was slowly hauled down from a nag
mast on the starboard side of ships s
bridge built in the ballroom Of the
| Waldorf, while two trig gun crews
manned three FOUNDERS and fired the
last Rear Admira1s salute over the
heads of 500 startled diners. For yes
| terday Rear Admiral Usher, retired
upon reaching the infiexible navy age
limit Of 81. gave up the command of
the Third Naval District, which he has
held throughout the war, and received
demonstration which for warmth
and for distinction got very close to
his heart" as he said himself.
1t was above all a navy night, as
Franklin d. Roosevelt, Acting secre-
tary Of the Navy, said. And by navy
night he meant that tho navy for the
moment stepped out Of It's efficient at
titude Of attention and became a good
fellow as only the navy can. But New
York helped. for ION the bridge" with
Admiral Usher and scattered about
the messtables on the main deck were
men who loom large In almost every
phase Of the city's life.
The dinner was in no sense a formal
one. The fun started almost as soon as
the diners had been seated. They were
not seated. however. until after the Ad-
mirals flag had been broken out to star
board and the national ensign to port
with striking ceremonies. Behind the
bridge upon which sat the Admiral and
the guests the wall biased with 4 thirty
foot canvas by Commander Henry
Reuterdahl, the navy artist
Set Like q Stage Picture.
1t showed the flagship Michigan. lead
ing heRhattle squadron down the North
River in column Of line ahead. A bone
her bluff bows, the smoke OF her own
and her sisters tunnels wrote the story
OF their power on a blue New York sky
and wreathed the dreamlike mountains
OF the Woolworth. the Municipal and
the other great buildings OF lower Man
haitian. while impudent tugs and slow
| moving bsrges. all the traffic OF the
harbor. scuttled out Of the way for the
great ones Of tho sea-
And at the Michisan's forepeak Reuter-
! dahl had palntsd the first pennant eyeI
awarded IN the navy for efficiency In
battle practice 1t was tho pennant the
ship had won when Admiral Usher was
her skipper. 1t was a picture that
| prompted Admiral Usher to call Com
Inander Reuterdahl to the bridge and
congratulate him.
In front Of tho long guest table where
sat Secretary Roosevelt. Mayor Hylan
former Dock Commissioner Smith, Ad.
miral Hugo Osterhaus, Archbishop
Hayes. Sir Thomas Upton and dozen
other notables were q ships wheel. hin
nacle compasses, engine room telegraphs
eemaphore arms and all, the gear that
might mako the guest OF honor fee
thoroughly at home. The smile he wore
| all evening seemed to show that the
committee in charge OF the dinner had
admirably succeeded.
Tho Wax Ladies' Arc Toasted.
AS Is fitting with the navy, the gentler
sex was not forgotten, Aside from the
fact that the waldorrs Mattresses served
the dinner. there was, right opposite
| Admiral Usher in the gallery, an en-
trancing group in evening gowns. The
| navy smoothed its back hair at the first
glimpse of them-and then discovered
that the ladies were OF wax. The COM
mittee explained that no less than three
thousand of the wives and sweethearts
OF the navy had asked to be allowed TO
, come into the galleries. So the navy
made its usual diplomatic choice in the
matter of wives and sweethearts and
| toasted them vics riously. That the wa Y
ladies' didn't mind is proved by the fact
! that they never moved throughout the
evening.
Also at one stage OF tho proceedings-
and perhaps this was what the gala nj
sailor guest of honor meant when he
referred TO the ceremonies getting close
to his heart-a beautiful young woman
oto' iheo Sic iOOhi she pIped
right up In front of the Admirars bridge
right in front OF the Admiral In fact, and
there, with siren arms extended and
siren voice attuned, she sang, Give Me
All of You" That the Admiral tool,
this for purely artistic license is shown
by his subsequent announcement that he
Is going 10 return to Potsdam, New York.
! just as soon as he can get away.
He VIII Raise Potatoes.
! There, he says, like Cinclnnatus OF
| yore, he will proceed to raise two spuds
where no spuds grew before. spuds is
| navy for potato.
Through II all the lighter side OF the
dinner was kept to the fore, for the haul
ing down of Rear Admirals nag for
the last time is not ceremony devoid
OF solemnity and OF sorrow. II was
Franklin ID. Roosevelt, the Assistant
Secretary Of the Navy. who upheld this