People's Pilot, Volume 2, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1893 — THE FLEET IN POSITION. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE FLEET IN POSITION.

Thousands of New Yorkers View the Maneuvers In North River Preparatory to the Great Naval Review. New York, April 27.—The naval review fleet of thirty-five vessels, representing the sovereignty of ten nations and the progress of 400 years in the science of marine construction, came to anchor Tuesday afternoon at half past 8 o’clock at the gates of New York harbor below Forts Wadsworth and Hamilton. At 9:45 on Wednesday morning the fleet moved up the North river in two columns, the Americans on the New Jersey side, and most of the visitors on the New York side, and took their official stations from which on Thursday they will salute President Cleveland as he passes between the columns. As the morning wore on and the preparations for breaking anchor be-

gan, the scene became one of brisk animation and life. The bay was alive with pleasure craft of every description and the patrol boats had a busy task in keeping the anchorage grounds clear of intruders. It was shortly after 9 o’clock when Admiral Gherardi’s flagship gave the preliminary signal to break anchor and fall into line, and the ships passed the Battery in the following order: United States—Rear Admiral Gherardi, commander in chief: Philadelphia (flag), Newark (flag), Atlanta, San Francisco, Bancroft, Bennington, Baltimore, Chicago (flag), Yorktown, Charleston, Vesuvius, Concord. Argentina—Rear Admiral Howard; Nuevo de Julio. Holland—Capt Arriens; Van Speyk. Germany—Capt Buchsel; Kaiserin Augusta, Seeadler. United States—Mian tonomah. Great Brittan—Vice Admiral Sir John Hopkins, commander in chief: Blake (flag), Australia, Magicienne, Tartar. Russia—Vice Admiral Koznakoff. commander In chief; Dimitri Donskol (flag), General Admiral, Rinda. France—Rear Admiral De Libran, commander in chief; Arethuse (flag), Hussard, Jean Bart Italy—Rear A(lmlral Magnaghl, commander tnehiet Etna tlatf), Giovanni Bauaan. -

Spain-Rear Admiral Gomez y Lono, oomminler in ehief; Infanta Yaabel. (Oaf), Reina Regcste, Nuera Espana. Brazil—Rear Admiral De Noronha, commander in chief; Aquidaban (flag), Tiradenles, Republics. The start was made so promptly at 9:45 that thousands of spectators who had gathered to witness the spectacle from the Navesink highlands, the heights of Fort Wadsworth and other points of advantage on Staten Island had hardly taken up their position before the guns of Fort Hamilton and Fort Wadsworth boomed their welcome to the advancing fleet, steaming neck and neck. The two admirals and their flagships led the way at a rats of between 8 and 9 knots an hour. A brisk breeze curled the water into white-capped breakers and the magnificent ships glided along so smoothly that their motion scarcely seemed perceptible. A cable and a half length (300 yards) separated

eaeh ship from the other and this distance was maintained with C absolute precision. The time occupied in passing the forts was exactly half an hour. The naval ships, after passing the Narrows, enteyed the upper bay, and the fleet of excursion steamers and yachts and big boats fell in and became a volunteer escort. The scene then became one of combined grace, animation and beauty never to toe forgotten. The absence of cannonading left the air clear and every outline of the magnificent ships stood out if luminous silhouette against the cloudless sky. The flags of the different nationalities, and even the names of the ships, were clearly discernible from either shore. The fleets were preceded by navyyard tugs and patrol steamers, whose duty it was to keep the course clear. The rear was brought up by four revenue cutters. No vessels of any kind were allowed to break through this line. The ships steamed up the river until the Philadelphia and Blake reached * point opposite Eighty-ninth street, when the signal to anchor was given.

VIEW OF THE GREAT NAVAL PARADE SHOE’S HEIGHTS. THE SPLENDID PAGEANT IN NORTH RIVER, NEW YORK. THE PRELUDE TO THE WORLD’S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION.