William H. Taft. USS Rainbow (AS-7). Vladivostok. (Nov. 4-6, 1907)

Около 12 часов дня 4 ноября на глазах жителей Владивостока в бухту Золотой Рог зашел и встал на якорь потрепанный штормом в Японском море флагманский корабль Филиппинской эскадры США USS Rainbow (AS-7) в охранении двух американских крейсеров - USS Galveston и USS Chattanooga.

Нет это было не вчера, за иллюминатором был 1907 год.

На USS Rainbow (AS-7) из Манилы (Филиппины) в Россию прибыл военный министр Северо-Американских Соединенных Штатов господин Уильям Хавард ТАФТ (William H.Taft ), будущий 12 президент США.

Американского министра принимали в полном соответствии с протоколом. На флагман прибыли с визитами военный губернатор Приморской области генерал-майор Флуг и .комендант крепости Владивосток генерал-майор Ирман.

Вечером 5 ноября в честь гостя и сопровождавшей его в поездке семьи был дан обед и устроен бал, на котором присутствовал местный бомонд и находившийся во Владивостоке гость из столицы - заместитель министра промышленности и торговли, тайный советник Шипов.

6 ноября Уильям Тафт с женой и сыном экспрессом выехали в Петербург.

 USS Rainbow (AS-7).

USS Rainbow (AS-7) is the only ship in the United States Navy by that name. The ship was originally converted to a distilling ship in 1898, and then converted again in 1917 to a submarine tender.


Rainbow was commissioned in full on 2 December 1901, Comdr. S. A. Stanton in command, and was assigned to the Asiatic Fleet. En route to the Philippines, she sailed via Gibraltar for the Suez Canal, calling at Palermo, Sicily; Port Said, Egypt; Colombo, Ceylon; and Singapore before arriving at Cavite on 3 April 1902.

Rainbow, as flagship of the Philippine Squadron, remained in the Philippines, with only periodic runs to Hong Kong for repairs, until 1906. Her range was then expanded from an annual circuit among Philippine ports to include visits to various Japanese ports, and in November 1907, a call at Vladivostok with Secretary of War Taft embarked.

On 2 April 1918 Rainbow departed Mare Island to tend submarines L-6 (SS-45) and L-7 (SS-46) at Yerba Buena Island, California City, and San Pedro, California. On 3 May 1918 she departed San Pedro for the eastern seaboard in company with L-6 and L-7. She arrived in Charleston with the L-boats on 9 June 1918 and proceeded independently on the 21st for the Philadelphia Navy Yard, arriving on 24 June 1918.

 USS Galveston (PG-31/CL-19/C-17)

USS Galveston (PG-31/CL-19/C-17) was a Denver-class protected cruiser in the United States Navy during World War I. She was the first Navy ship named for the city of Galveston, Texas.

Galveston was laid down 19 January 1901 by William R. Trigg Company, Richmond, Virginia; launched 23 July 1903; sponsored by Miss Ella Sealey; and commissioned at Norfolk, Virginia, 15 February 1905, Commander William Gifford Cutler in command.

Galveston departed Tompkinsville, N.Y., on 28 December 1905 for service in the Mediterranean with the European Squadron until 28 March 1906 when she set course from Port Said to join the fleet at Cavite, P.I., for service on the Asiatic Station. She was a part of the fleet reception for Secretary of War William H. Taft at Manila on 13 October 1906; served in his honor escort to Vladivostok, Siberia, the next month; and spent the following years in cruises among ports of the Philippines, China and Japan.

She arrived in San Francisco, California, from the Philippines on 17 February 1910; was decommissioned in the Puget Sound Navy Yard on the 21st; and recommissioned there on 29 June 1912 for service that included a training cruise to Alaska. She departed the Puget Sound Navy Yard on 19 September 1913, touching San Francisco, Hawaii and Guam on her way to Cavite, P.I., where she joined the Asiatic Fleet on 2 November.

 USS Chattanooga (C-16/PG-30/CL-18)

USS Chattanooga (C-16/PG-30/CL-18) was a Denver-class protected cruiser in the United States Navy during World War I. She was the second Navy ship named for the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Chattanooga launched 7 March 1903 by Crescent Shipyard, Elizabethport, New Jersey; sponsored by Miss L. N. Chambliss; completed at the New York Navy Yard; commissioned 11 October 1904, Commander Alexander Sharp in command; and reported to the Atlantic Fleet.