Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1907-12-19
B c FLEET ARTS
FOR THE PACIFIC
THE SCENE WAS "A GRAND ONE
WHEN THEY BID ADIEUx TO
THE PRESIDENT.
Roosevelt Reviewed the Fleet as Com
mander Of the Navy. Weather
was Ideal as Thousands Witnessed
Pageant. Il

Old Point Comfort, Va, Dec. IT,
The backbone of the American navy
sixteen first class battleships under
command OF Rear Admiral Robley D.
Evans set sail Monday for the Paci-
f1c ocean, a IA, OOO-mile cruise which
has set all the world to talking.
Parading in review before the pres
ident of the United States, and salut-
ing as they went, the stately white
vessels drew anchors from the rem
devious ground at Hampton Roads,
steamed out of the famous old Vir-
ginia capes and were lost to view on
the southeastern horizon, flmy black
cloud of coal smoke telling the last
visable vestige of the departing feet.
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 Christ
mas eve, the first stage of it's jour-
ney at an end. ...s
The belted sides Of each armorclad
were fairly strutted today with the
press of heavy stores and ammunition,
while decks resounded with the foot
falls of thousand men in quarters.
A mission as pacific as the name of
the waters it soon will be ploughing,
the fleet was sent away prepared in
every detail for any duty.
President Roosevelt, accompanied
by party of guests, came down
from Washington on the naval yacht
Mayfower. His arrival in the road
sted was signalized by a roar of sa-
lutes. When the resulting veil of
powder smoke had lifted from the
ships, the Mayfower proceeded to
anchor in the very center of the
throbbing feet. There followed
brief reception on board, the presi-
dent having farewell message for
the four rear admirals and the sixteen
commanding officers who are taking.
the ships through Magellan to San
Francisco.
The Connecticut, flying the flag of
Rear Admiral Evans, commander-in-
chief of the expedition, was the first
to speak to the president Her star
board and port saluting guns began
alternately to proclaim their respect
and duty to the nations chief.
The feet passed outin singlecolumn,
the big government Connecticut,
flagship of Admiral Evans, leading the
way. ~
The vessels we're 400 yards apart,
and from the Connecticut to the Ken
lucky, which brought up the rear,
the line reached distance of more
than four miles.
Fleet colliers and provision ships
have preceded the battleships to
Trinidad, where the first stop will be
made. The stay at Trinidad, where
the ships will arrive on Christmas
eve, is limited to FIVE days.
The second stage of the journey
will take the battlefield squadron to
Rio Janerio, where they will make
ten days stop, from Jan. II to Jan.
81.
The third leg leads to the end Of
South America, Punta Arenas, in the
STRAITS of Magellan, this port being
reached Jan. 81.
The fifth Of February will see the
feet through the western end Of the
straits and then heading north once
moro for Callao. The Callao stop is
scheduled from Feb. 10 to Feb. o.
the fleet sailing on the latter doto
for Americas rented naval station at
Magdalena bay, Southern California.
The feet should sight Magdalena
March "A. Their stay there is indef-
mate for the spring target practice,
planned on lavish scale, must be
accomplished before the feet sets
out on the Anal stage of it's voyage
to San Francisco.