The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-12-20
BIG WARSHIPS
UNDER WAY
Mammoth Fleet Leaves Hampton
Roads for Pacific Waters.
TEDDY IN THE LEAD
Sixteen Giant Fighters Haul in Anchors
and Begin History Making Cruise.
Pageant Imposing.

The backbone of the American navy,
sixteen first class battleships, under
command of Rear Admiral Robley d.
Evans, set sail from Hampton Roads
Monday for the Pacific ocean, $4,000
miles cruise, which has set all the
world to talking.
Parading in review before the pres
ident of the United States and sa-
luting as they went, the stately white
vessels drew ashore from the rendez-
vous Of Hampton Roads and steamed
out of the famous old Virginia capes
and were lost to view on the south
western horizon, filmy, telltale col
umns of black smoke being the last
visible vestige of the departing fleet.
At ten knots speed they went, turn
ing their backs on the coast which
so long has been their home, and head
ed for the eastern end of the West
Indies.
After threading their way among the
reefs of those islands, the feet will
bring up at Trinidad on Christmas
eve, the first stage of the journey at
an end.
On a mission as pacific as the name
of the waters it will soon be plough
ing, the fleet was sent away prepared
in every detail for any duty.
President Roosevelt, accompanied by
a party of guests, came down from
Washington on the naval yacht May
flower. His arrival in the roadstead
was signalized by roar of salutes.
When the resulting veil of powder had
lifted from the Ships, the Maydower
proceeded to anchor in the very CEN
ter of the throbbing fleet.
There followed a brief reception on
board, the president having a farewell
message for the four rear admirals and
the sixteen commanding officers who
are taking the ships through the Straits
of Magellan to San Franciso.
At the conclusion of the meeting on
the Mayfower's deck, President Roose-
welt shook each officer cordially by
the hand, as they went over the side
he bad them official adieu.
Then for journey of nearly mile.
the president, as commander-in-chief
Of the army and navy, led the long
line of battleships out into Chesa-
peake bay.
They followed his flag to Thimble
shoal light, just five miles inside the
capes, where the Mayfower turned
aside and dropped her anchors for the
final review.
AS naval pageant, the review and
departure of the fleet was the most
notable in American history, present
ing to the people who witnessed it a
spectacle they will never forget, and
to the world at large the realization
of the trimmest, suggest most homo.
geneous, most thoroughly equipped,
most mobile and self-reliant assem-
blage of first class battleships ever
gathered in one command.
There was not ship in the line
old enough to have smelled the powder
or taken the shot of Manila Or San.
tiago, stories written scarcely. ten
years ago in the history of nations All
were modern of design and armament.
examples of the aggressive sea-going
navy which the president has declared
to be so essential to the peace of the
country.
Attaches of foreign legations and
embassies at Washington and manv
correspondents who have seen war ser.
vice on foreign journals freely declar.
ed that the naval display was the
most impressive they had ever seen.
The facility with which the big yes.
sells were handled, the manner in
which they were Unanswered into sin
gle column formation and the perfect
alignment which was maintained TO
the southwark turn from the cape call.
ed for the warmest admiration. The
thrill of the beautiful marine picture
was felt until the last wind-blown
spiral was lost on the horizon.
EX-SENATOR WAC pFCT crrO1r