As a part of the ceremonies connected with the Columbian Exposition, and before proceeding further with the annals of the Fair, brief space may be here given to the navel review held in New York harbor on the 27th of April, for none of the presidents invitations met with more cordial response than the one extended to foreign powers "to send ships of war to join the United States navy in rendezvous at Hampton roads and proceed thence to the review." Here assembled, as one international fleet, thirty-five vessels of war, representing the best and most interesting naval specimens of Old and New World architecture, from the caravels of Columbus to the swiftest and most powerful of steel-plated cruisers. Other reviews there have been on a larger scale, as at Spithead in the Jubilee year of England's queen; but never before had the squadrons of England and France, of Russia and Germany, of Italy and Spain, in line with those of other empires and monarchies, passed in parade before a president of the United States.
On the 25th of April the fleet (358KB JPG image) arrived in successive divisions in the lower inlet of New York harbor, and was brought to its anchorage ground in the upper bay by the British vice-admiral, whose flag-ship, the cruiser Blake, led the van of the starboard division. Next morning two guns from the American flag-ship Philadelphia proclaimed the signal for opening the ceremonies. Two columns were formed in the Narrows, between which passed the Dolphin, the vessel of the president, and the caravels of Columbus. To foreign contingents was assigned the New York side of the river, where was the starboard division of the fleet, commanded by the British vice-admiral Sir John Hopkins, whose squadron consisted of the flag-ship Blake and her three consorts, all powerful ships, black-hulled and grim of aspect. Then came the Russian vessels, commanded by Admiral Koznakoff, and followed, in the order named, by those of France, Italy, Spain, and Brazil. In the larboard or port division, anchored off the New Jersey shore, a dozen men-of-war gave assurance that at length the Washington government has at least the nucleus of a navy. In the van of this section was the Philadelphia, the flag-ship of Rear-admiral Gherardi, followed by a long array of steel-armored cruisers, one of them named after the city of the Fair. Somewhat strangely their unbroken line of white contrasted with the sombre aspect of the English and Russian columns. The Argentine republics were each represented by a single vessel, and in the entire fleet there were few better models of naval architecture than the German cruiser Kaiserin Augusta, which, with her consort and the American ship Miantonomoh, formed the rear of the larboard division. In this peaceful pageant, and in the one which to follow, there was much to commend itself to the more thoughtful observer; for here were assembled in perfect harmony, and merely in honor of the occasion, the war vessels of all the great naval powers, a single squadron of which could, before nightfall, have laid waste the city of New York.
Next day companies of sailors and marines, landing from the fleet, were received by the first brigade of the national guard, and a parade followed. At the head rode the governor of New York, in company with General Horace Porter, followed in carriages by officers from the several squadrons, escorted by officers of the American navy. Then in four brigades came the first division, in which were detachments from all the United States war vessels. The array was much commended for its appearance and precision, the marines in their neat blue uniforms marching past in ranks as solid as the sections of a wall. The second division was composed of foreign contingents, in front a column of British sailors, followed by companies of marines, the artillery in dark blue uniforms, faced with crimson trimmings, and the infantry in scarlet tunics and snow-white helmets, the latter ranking among the best drilled corps in the service. The Russians followed, with Grand Duke Alexander on their left, a choice body of men, of fine physique and sailor-like aspect.
Next were the Italians, and those from the Argentine cruiser, and after them the Hollanders, the quaint, old-fashioned head-dress of their leading company, contrasting strangely with the rest. Then a detachment of German sailors passed the reviewing stand in the so-called goose-leg step of the landwehr. Behind them was a battalion of French marines, in heavy marching order, and last of all a colored regiment of Brazilians. In rear of the second division were the naval reserves of New York and Massachusetts, with Gatling guns and rifled cannon.
On to Page Five of Chapter 2, or, back to the Table Of Contents,