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_THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 1919.MILLIONS WELCOME AMERICA’S ARMADAGreat yic^ory Parade ,i«* New York Headed by Secretary DanieJ*'.A GREAT RECEPTIONNEW YORK. Dec. 2G.—Riding atkinchor in the Hudson tonight were 1 21 super-dread naughts, droadna ships of the line, which, with cruteeTs, destroyers and a host of smaller craft, the mightiest American armada eaer assembled. Ten or the floating to* Presses steamed into the Harbor today after 18 months’ service overseas with Beatty’s grand fleet. The others are the flower of the North. Atlantic fleet. Grim guardians lt;f a great nation, they symbo]i^ed that ,the United States has become the secortfl naval power of the I world.In the teeth of a northwester, in the chill of a (|rfving snowstorm, millions waited hours until the 10 battleship of the homecoming armada appeared This was- New York’s and the nation’s tribute to the ships, far more eloquent than the greatest din of whistles, bells and human voices. Th6 vocal welcome came later when the rugged, weather-beaten tars who manned the ships debarked and, with Secretary Daniels'4 and Admiral Mayo at their head, marched down Fifth avenue in the country's first great victory parade.Heading civilians In the cheering were wounded soldiers returned from France. With the memory of their own first anxious voyage still fresh in their minds they paid unstinted tribuUvto brothers in arms who had guarded them .across the Atlantic.Passing in review before the secretary of the navy, off the Statue of Liberty, the homecoming ships loomed suddenly out of the mist and as rapidly disappeared. They seemed almost like phantom craft, grim, gray, majestic in their silent might. But a£ they dropped anchor the skies clearly and they stood revealed in holiday attire, ablaze from stent to stern with multi-colored pennants. To many Of those who lined the /Shores Jthis flash of sunshine symbolized the light of «*ence which awaited the fleet after the. gloom of war from which it had emerged. * .Moving at-only 10 knotst an hour, the Arizona was the first dreadnaught to pass the presidential yacht Mayflower, on whose bridge stood Mr. Daniels and Secretary of War Baker. With flags masted, sailors jand marines manning the rails, the Arizona swept by, stripped for action. Asshe. came abreast the Mayflower she■thundered the salute of 19 guns fqr the secretary of the navy and her band struck up “The Star Spangled Banner.” A moment later and ahe had, faded again into mist, leaving onlyan impression of gat gray sides anlt;fmassive gun turi'Srfc crested withenow.The Arizona’s guns had not finished their salute when the Oklahoma began firing and from then on the cannonading was continuous. In swift *ult;c»*wkUh—followed—t-he—Nevada—a«4 the Utah, flagship of Rear Admiral Thomas S. Rodgers, and .then the su-perdreadnaught Pennsylvania, hearing Admiral Henry T. Mayo, commander-in-chief of the Atlantic fleet. At two-minute intervals came to New York, flying the flag of Rear Admiral Hugh Rodman and the Texas, Arkansas, Wyoming and Florida, with ttwo kite balloons, towed by destroyers,completing the procession. , i The New York was the first or the ; battleships to display from her main mast “the homeward bound pennant, a long, slender strand of red, white and blue, a food for every day out irom her home base. All the ships [which followed her carried the pen-' nants, and it seelis as if each was-1 longer than the others.A deei? silence followed the last salute and ho accustomed had those on! the Mayflour become to the roar of I the guns that is seerped hardly posreview had lasted leas than 12 Ominuteir^ j y! When the last dreadnaught had? ' i steamed From aiah^.Jgecreiar fes Urfti-i iels and Baker descended from the I bridge, but only for a moment. While I the Mayflower remained at anchorage I to give the incoming warshins time to (reach their berths in the Hudson be-i fore Secretary Daniels inspected the (entire fleet at their anchorages, the [British transport Saxonia, loaded with j sick amj wounded American troops,| hove alongside. The heads of the i navy and war departments.., again ascended to the bridge and doffed i their hats to the fighting men.I Then, getting under way, the May-| flower moved along with the truis-j port and after a sailor, had wigwagged to the larger vesRel the compliments * of both secretaries, the yacht’s hand i played “The Star Spangled aBnner.” i Instantly those aboard the Saxonia I who were ah elto stand came to attention and then, at the eito of the ,anthf*o, bfbke into a prolonged cheer.In beginning its tour of the grami ’ i fleet, the Mayflower first reached the Florida^last to anchor. As the yacht moved through the lane, of lighting craft, with the home fleet to port and the veterans to starboard, each ship was dressed, and from each of the new arrivals came the strains of the national anthem, played by tlie ship’s hand as the .Mayflower came abreast.If was a stern array of ships, despitethe splendor of the flags with which they were decorated. All theMattle-ships wore coats of sinister gigy. while destroyers and auxiliars the fantastic touch of the camoufleur. j. Not counting guns of smaller caliber, the Imttleships alone carry a total of 88 t*4-inch guns', 20 12-inch guns and jf,G 12-inch guns. The Mississippi, N|w Mexico and other dreadnaughts made ; the battleships which were the lastword in naval architecture only a few years ago seem puny craft, huge as they are. •*§ Under the shadow of the Nojw York shore, 200 yards apart^ the bridge of steel” extends six miles from G5th streeUto Forf Washington park, where,mi revolutionary days, an iron chain was stretched aerox sthe river to bar .the progress of hostile craft.■ Inspecting the -vessels, the May-| flower made a run of nearly 10 miles : before she finally dropped anchor at j the berth she had left in the morning. ; Immediately she was surrounded by a ; fleet of gigs, bearing admirals, vice !admirals, rear admirals and captains, |*o pay their respects to Secretary Daniels and Vice Admiral Grant of the home fleet, who arranged the day’s program.| A touching scene was enacted in the main salon of the Mayflower, where... . . ........— - ~ ,— — * *Among those invited to witness the review from the presidential yacht were the wives of naval officers home at last after 18 months’ service in foreign waters. If the officers devoted no more time than courtesy demanded in paying their respects to the secretary before greeting wives, Mr. Daniels showed no disposition to chide them. ' - * ’
Newspaper Details
Lewistown Fergus County Democrat
Lewistown, Montana, US
Thu, Jan 02, 1919
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Thomas C.
FL, USA 13 Jan 2022
Other Publications Near Lewistown, Montana
Lewistown Fergus County Democrat
Lewistown Fergus County Argus
