The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1907-05-02

Norfolk, Va. - Americans have
turned from thoughts OF the 1nterna-
tional Peace Conference to the most
splendid international war spectacle
this country and probably the world
has ever seen. The jamestown Ter
Centennial Exposition, the newest
worlds fair, will be ga military, ma
val, marine and historic exhibition"
according to the official statements.
History will be given its due at the
Exposition as we'll as the arts of
peace, but the distinctive feature will
be the sight of Hampton Roads-al-
ready a famous naval arena-alive
with the fighting craft OF many ma
tons, the shores glittering with SOL
diers in friendly rendezvous.
The remarkable naval display is
made possible by the fact that the
Jamestown Exposition is the first
great American fair held on a deep
water harbor. Practically all the CIV
ilized nations have accepted the Pres
ident's Invitation to send sections of
their navies. AS the summer ad-
vances the varying types of fighting
craft, from saucy torpedo boats to the
largest war vessel afioat, will pass
through the harbor in endless process
sion. The United States Government
will have an extensive display, show
ing the evolution of guns and fighting
ships from the early days Of the Ma
ton to the present. There will also
be a large encampment of militia,
regular army and foreign troops.
There are twenty-five battleships
and cruisers in the line headed by the
Connecticut just of the Government
pier at Fortress Monroe, which trails
n uyn an RhA hood nh0n~A1 AoIS.- -
Norfolk. The vessels are anchored
several thousand yards off the Expo
sition shore, End, arranged in a huge
semicircle, are visible from every part
Of the grounds.
Every 'ype of fighting craft in the
American navy is represented in the
present rendezvous. The battleships
range from the 10000 ton Connecti-
cut and Louisiana down to the all but
abandoned Texas, the oldest Ameri-
can battleship and sister of the Maine,
which was wrecked in Havana harbor.
The Texas was built at the Norfolk
navy yard many years ago, and, being
a local product, is to remain at the
Exposition as a permanent feature of
the naval exhibit. With her sight
guns and paltry 6315 tons of weight
the Texas, when ranged alongside the
mammoth Connecticut, which mounts
t~wentyfour guns and displaces 49,
600 tons Of water, offers a striking
example of the progress OF the Ameri-
the Texas and the first Maine were
authorized by Congress.
The Brooklyn, bearing on her after
turret the memorial plate simply and
~eloquentIy inscribed July 3, 1885,"
will also remain a permanent naval
exhibit during the seven months of
the life Of the Exposition. {
The cruisers of the fleet are all
modern craft, though the variance in
size between the largest and the
smallest Is as great as that which
marks the heavier vessels of the bat
tie class.
The armored cruisers Tennessee
and Washington, each Of 14,5OO tons
and mounting twenty guns apiece,
are b heaviest of the cruisers. The
smallest cruisers are the Denver and
the Cleveland-310O tons each-the
third class of the protected vessels of
the navy. In the cruiser class the
most interesting vessel is perhaps the
Brooklyn, the flagship of Rear-Ad-
mira1 Schley in the battle with Ger
vera's squadron off Santiago, Cuba.
The feet has been arranged so as
to give the visitors to the Exposition
the best possible opportunity for
viewing the fighting strength of the
American navy. The glistening white
hubs, spotless in their new coats of
paint, and the buff superstructures of
the two and three ptped line-of-battle
ships and armored and protected
cruisers, form a marine panorama as
viewed from the water front espfan-
ade Of the Exposition grounds such
as has seldom, II ever, before been
presented to the American public.
The Navy Department has pre-
pared a list Of the foreign vessels to
be In Hampton Roads.