The International Naval Review of 1893

By Brenda Hale
HRNM Volunteer

The first International Naval Review (INR) took place in Norfolk, VA, from April 17 to 24, 1893. The April 25, 1893, Norfolk Virginian newspaper reported that the vessels gathered from around the world was “the greatest assembling of warships witnessed in modern times.” The 1893 INR was part of the World’s Fair in Chicago, and the final INR event took place in New York Harbor.

The INR event was part of a World's Fair bill, passed by Congress in 1890, “provided that a naval review of the ships of this and other nations shall be held in the harbor of New York in April, 1893, and that for this purpose they shall rendezvous at Hampton Roads [Norfolk], before proceeding to New York.” The bill went on to say, “That there should be exhibited . . . the functions and administrative faculty of the Government in time of peace, and its resources as a war power.”

A few ships of the 1893 INR

President Grover Cleveland had been handed INR 1893 from President Benjamin Harrison’s previous administration. In Harrison’s fourth Annual Message, December 1892, he praised the Navy, saying, “Our naval officers . . . have responded magnificently to the confidence of Congress and have demonstrated to the world an unexcelled capacity in construction . . . of Great War ships. . . . The ships from our Navy, which will appear in the great naval parade next April, will be a convincing demonstration to the world that the United States is again a naval power.” The 1890 Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said, “The future . . . will see a great ship building boom, and Norfolk will certainly take a lead as a ship building port.”

The 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, titled “World’s Columbian Exposition,” commemorated the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ explorations in America. Spain sailed models of Columbus’ three ships, Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, which accompanied the first INR group of ships from Hampton Roads to New York harbor.

The parades and gaiety of the INR may have been one of the few highlights of President Cleveland's second term. The Norfolk Virginian related, “Thousands went down to Old Point, while large crowds witnessed the great Naval parade from Sewell’s Point and Ocean View.”

The First International Naval Review, painting by Louis Kurt and Alexander Allison (fordlibrarymuseum.org)

The painting above shows a gun salute for Cleveland in the 1893 INR at New York Harbor. Cleveland had embarked on USS Dolphin (PG 24), a U.S. Navy cruiser, commanded by CDR Willard Herbert Brownson. Dolphin was the first U.S. Navy ship to fly the flag of the United States President. Dolphin was a stepping stone in the construction of the three larger steel-hulled, steam-powered protected cruisers (Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago).

USS Dolphin (PG 24) (Navsource.org)

USS Philadelphia, flagship of the 1893 INR (Navsource.org)

USS Philadelphia (C 4), flagship for the INR, had Rear Admiral Bancroft Gherardi at the helm. The Italian American Veterans Museum stated Gherardi was “a versatile officer and distinguished leader in the modern American Navy.” Gherardi commanded INR’s thirteen U.S. ships and oversaw the armada of foreign visitors’ ships as they arrived in Hampton Roads in April 1893. The INR had 30 warships, with the United States’ thirteen ships, and foreign nations brought 17 ships from England, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Spain, Brazil, and Holland. Argentina went straight to the New York harbor with one ship. There were battleships, gunboats, torpedo boats, and cruisers of various kinds. Historians from the Tesla Society described the naval review, saying, “Never before had the squadrons of England, France, Russia and Germany, of Italy and Spain, in line with those of other empires and monarchies, passed parade before a president of the United States.”

Rear Admiral Bancroft Gherardi (iavmuseum.org)

This first INR was so successful that it continued on various significant U.S. occasions:
Second INR, 1907: Hampton Roads was again the site, in observance of the 300th anniversary of Jamestown, Virginia’s founding. President Theodore Roosevelt reviewed the Jamestown Exposition INR, which laid the groundwork for Naval Station Norfolk.
Third INR, 1957: Hampton Roads hosted, for the 350th anniversary of Jamestown’s founding. President Dwight Eisenhower extended invitations to nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Fourth INR, 1976: New York Harbor hosted “Salute to Maritime Heritage,” reviewed by President Gerald R. Ford as a “most fitting bicentennial salute to our nation's maritime heritage . . . reflected the great hope of all men for world peace and for continued cooperation between the people of all lands to ensure that peace.”
Fifth INR, 1986: Rededication of Statue of Liberty and reviewed by President Ronald Reagan, which brought together naval ships from the U.S. and 13 countries.
Sixth INR, 2000: New York City, reviewed by President Bill Clinton, which coincided with Op Sail 2000.
Seventh INR, July 4, 2026: to be held in New York City on the 250th birthday of the United States of America.