[39] WORK OF STEAMER ALBATROSS. 41 



&c., made an appointment for the following morning, and at G p. m. 

 left the ship, returning to the torpedo station. 



The Despatch, flying the flag of the President of the United States, 

 was lying in the inner harbor, and the following vessels of the North 

 Atlantic fleet were at anchor outside of Goat Island : The Tennessee, 

 flying the flag of Acting Rear- Admiral Luce; Swatara, Vandalia, and 

 Alliance. The monitors Passaic and Nantucket, and the torpedo-boat 

 Alarm were at moorings near Coaster's Harbor Island. 



At 9.20 a. m. on the 27th the fleet got under way and steamed up 

 Narragansett Bay, anchoring ofl" Conanicut Park to await the arrival 

 of the President and the Secretary of the Xavy. At 11.50 the Despatch, 

 flying the flag of the President, steamed up the bay, followed by the 

 Albatross at 11.55, flying the flag of the Secretary- of the Navy at the 

 main. We soon joined the fleet and took a favorable position to witness 

 torpedo practice by the several vessels, after which we returned to New- 

 port, anchoring in the inner harbor near the Despatch. 



The services of the vessel were not required on the 28th, the day 

 being spent by the President, Secretary of the Navy, officers of tiie 

 fleet, and invited guests at the torpedo station, witnessing various ex 

 periments and inspecting the buildiugs and workshops. The President 

 was saluted with twenty-one torpedoes when he landed on the island. 



At 0.15 a. m., on the 29th, the fleet got under way and proceeded to 

 sea. The Albatross, with the Secretary of the Navy and a distinguished 

 party on board, followed at 10.55 a. m. The iron-clads that had gone 

 out during the morning were met off Beavertail, standing in. 



We joined the fleet to the eastward of Point Judith about noon, and 

 witnessed target practice, tactical exercise, and, finally, sail and light- 

 spar drill. The Despatch, flying the President's flag, joined the fleet 

 in time to see the later evolutions and sail exercise. We returned to 

 Newport in company with the fleet, and anchored at 3.45 p. m. 



The weather was overcast on the morning of the 30th with light 

 westerly winds. Heavy rain set in about 4 p. m. and continued during 

 the evening. At 9.15 a. m. the fleet got under way and steamed up the 

 bay, anchoring off Coddiugton Point, where the Despatch, flying the 

 President's flag, and the Albatross, bearing the flag of the Secretary of 

 the Navy, joined them at 12.10 p. m. A landing party was sent on 

 shore from the fleet about 1 p. m. and had a sham battle, was reviewed 

 by the President, and returned on board about 3 p. m., when the fleet 

 returned to its former position outside of Goat Island. At 4.15 p. 

 m. the Despatch and Albatross got under way and steamed around the 

 fleet in company. The yards were manned and a salute of twenty-one 

 guns fired in honor of the President, after which both vessels steamed 

 to the inner harbor and anchored at 4.56 p. m. 



The weather was overcast and rainy during the morning of the 31st, 

 clearing at noon. At 2.30 p. m. we got under way for Wood's HoU, 

 having the Secretary- of the Navy on board. Soon after 4 p. m. we ran 



