Reception

On the deck of the flagship Seattle, anchored last week in New York harbor, paced Admiral Charles Frederick Hughes, Commander-in-Chief of the U. S. Fleet. He paced for 45 minutes, waiting for the Honorable James J. Walker, Mayor of New York, to welcome him to the city. Tardy, debonair, Mr. Walker arrived, pursued by a battery of camera men. Inquired Admiral Hughes: "Does Mayor Walker go anywhere without his photographers ?" Answered Mayor Walker: "Well, the boys want a picture." Then Admiral Hughes asked: "How's the town?" Mayor Walker replied: "All right, now that you're in it."

At the City Hall came a more formal reception. Rising in reply to Mayor Walker's speech of welcome, Admiral Hughes clutched his sword-hilt, glanced nervously at his staff who, he said, might laugh at his attempts at public speaking. Said he:

"All that I can say is that we will have a navy if you, in civil life, do some acting. Then we'll get along mighty fine. Mr. Mayor, I did not expect to have to make a speech. We are here with the greatest of pleasure after two years and I hope that my officers and men all enjoy the hospitality of this city as much as I have. Your hospitality is well known. The men are from all parts of the country. They have been working very hard for the last three months and I believe they enjoyed themselves doing it.

"It is your hope that they will be well looked out for. I assure you that we will do all the hoping and if you will do the acting we will get along mighty fine." Then he sat down.

At the reception was Lieut.-Commander Richard E. Byrd, first to fly over the North Pole, with his arm in a sling after his recent (TIME, April 25) airplane crash. Also was present Sir Charles Higham (TIME, April 18, May 2), British tea publicity man, who joined the official party as it filed out, had his picture taken with the Naval officers on the City Hall steps.

Parades, speeches, photographings, all were occasioned by the visit of the U. S. Fleet to New York. After maneuvers in the Caribbean (TIME, March 23) 116 battleships, cruisers, destroyers, carrying 2,277 officers and some 30,000 sailors had reached New York for a 16-day stay.

The U. S. Naval Department announced in 1925 that the chest measurements of recruits to the

U. S. Navy were larger than those of any other navy in the world. Admiral Hughes well upholds the average, being able to look down upon all men who are only six feet in height. Blue-eyed, ruddy-faced, bushy-mustached, he looks the sea-dog's part, is brave and modest, has been termed a "huge, friendly fire-eater." As Commander of the U. S. S. New York he received the Distinguished Service Medal for "exceptionally meritorious service" with the British Grand Fleet in the North Seas. In 1918 hs became Rear Admiral; in 1925 he was made Commander-in-Chief of the U. S. Battle Fleet, succeeding Admiral Samuel S. Robison, his brother-in-law. Admirals Hughes and Robison both married daughters of the late Rear Admiral Charles E. Clark, who commanded the Oregon in its famed dash around Cape Horn in the Spanish-American War.

Many a layman, pondering upon naval matters, finds confusing multiplicity of titles among ranking officers. President Coolidge is, of course, ex-officio head of the Navy, has under him Secretary of the Navy Wilbur, under whom is Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Douglas Robinson. These men are primarily civilians: the actual deep-sea, saltwater men who direct operations are the Admirals, of whom there are four varieties.

First comes Admiral of the Navy, a title created by Congress in 1866 for David Glasgow Farragut, Civil War naval hero, held since only by George Dewey, victor of Manila Bay. Second is Admiral, a temporary title held by men occupying certain high Navy offices. Admiral Hughes is Admiral by virtue of commanding the U. S. Fleet. Highest among Admirals is E. W. Eberle, Chief of Naval Operations, in general charge of all Navy activities under the direction of the Secretary of the Navy. Other full Admirals are: Richard H. Jackson, Commander-in-Chief of the U. S. Battle Fleet; Clarence S. Williams, Commander-in-Chief of the Asiatic Fleet. Next to Admiral is Vice Admiral, also a temporary title held during occupancy of certain positions, differing from Admiral only in that these positions are a shade below the first importance. Among Vice Admirals are: A. H. Robertson, Commander of the Scouting Fleet; Louis R. de Steiguer, Commander of Battleship Division; Roger Welles, Commander of Naval Forces in European waters. After Vice Admirals follow Real Admirals, of whom there are many. Rear Admiral is a permanent title; it is given to commanders of fleet divisions, of the destroyer and cruiser forces, of similar important units of the Navy. It is also a temporary title for heads of Naval Bureaus who have permanent titles of captain or commander. The Aircraft-carrier Langley, flagship of the Naval air force, was missing from fleet review, was towed to Tompkinsville, Staten Island, disabled. Electrically driven, she was crippled when the rotor of a 200-kilowatt generator exploded, paralyzing all electrical machinery, lighting and galleys. No one was injured. It was feared that the Langley could not be repaired in time to take part in the Army-Navy maneuvers off Naragansett, beginning May 17. The U. S. S. Colorado, Captain F. D. Karns commanding, ran aground on Diamond Reef, between Governor's Island and Manhattan. Twenty tugs tried all day to budge her, while binocular-renters in Battery Park did prosperous business at five cents per look. With high tide the ship moved, floated 150 yards upstream, grounded again, stuck fast. Not until the following evening was the ship finally towed back into deep water.