The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-12-17
Magnificent Pagent Starts
on $4,000 Mile Journey
Around two Continents
PRESIDENT REVIEWS THE FLEET
Never In History of Nation Has Such
a Fleet Left On So Remark
able Journey.


meet sailed yesterday-the battle feet"
as the president OF the United States
mas styled it. 1t made no fuss or
feathers about the business Of pettins
away. There We're ceremonials made
necessary by the presence of the presi-
dent to see its departure, but these
were completed in short order. and
then the grim battleships, sixteen of
them, all modern in type, suggestive
or strength and power. steamed their
way out TO sea and started on their
long voyage to the Pacific ocean.
No such aggregation of lighting
craft ever left an American port be-
fore. There were $4,000 officers and
men, aboard sixteen armor clads whose
tonnage makes a startling total. and
whose guns number more than 800.
The circumstances under which the
voyage was determined, the mystery
surrounding the ultimate purpose of
the dispatch of the fleet, the widespread
comment aroused at home and abroad
over this notable expedition, and the
picturesque features connected with it's
departure, all served to make today's
event historical.
Sailing GrandIy Impressive.
ever, or rather it's spectacular fea-
lures were lost sight of in the simple
impressiveness of the closing scene For
| it was impressive to see the gigantic
vessels moving away from the shore
slowly and majestically, preserving an
alignment that made the land folk
marvel at something they will never
forget.
their hulls Of purest white, glided sea-
ward as if ii were just a part of
days work not worth bothering about
1t was this calm, business-like way of
doing things that made it impressive
President Roosevelt told the people
out on the Mayflower that the sight of
the fleet caused him to be prouder than
ever of our navy other people were
saying the same thing. There was a
! patriotic spirit in the air that caught
its inspiration from the sixteen giants
of the sea as they sailed of in calm
grandeur.
Weather Is Perfect.
But weather, too, was an inspira-
ton It was one of those rare days
which set the blood tingling through
the veins, such a day as makes any
normal man want to quit his allotted
task and get out in the country or
on the water and give thanks that he
lives in a fine old world 1t was a day
to forget ones troubles and wonder
how it was that anybody down here
felt depressed and gloomy last night,
even in the constant suggestion of the
morrow's parting
Why even the women-the mothers,
wives, and sweethearts-who wet their
pillows with tears after the goodbys
J were said, could not resist smiling
when they felt the crisp breeze blow
against their cheeks and looked up at
the cloudless sky.
OF course 1t was different after the
fleet actually had gone. There were
no more gay scenes in the lobby of the
Chamberlain, no launches footing their
shrill whistles at the wharf, no push
ing. chattering crowd, no ships in the
broad roadstead where the pride of
fUncle Sans navy was lying yesterday
morning, no excitement-nothing but a
few hundred women busily making in
quiries about the departing steamers
and trains, and trying to hide their
emotions under cover of intense activ-
ity.
President Roosevelt on the bridge OF
the cruiser yacht the Mayflower per
sonally led the magnificent four miles
of fighting vessels during the first
stage Of the voyage. From the anchor
lage ground in Hampton Roads to the
Horseshoe bend of Chesapeake bay his
eagle crested flag of blue pointed the
way to the fleets new home at the
Golden Gate.
Then, when the wide reaches OF the
sea were visible through the wide
swung capes of Virginia. he turned
aside and coming to anchorage re-
viewed the passing pageant.
The blue of the sky, the stretch OF
green sea miles the glistening of spot
less hulls, the curl OF foam crested
bow waves, the cheering OF sailors
afioat and friends ashore. the breeze
blown strains OF Aud Lang Syne'
floating across the waters, the blare
of trumpets. the ruffie Of drums. the
flash of signals and the boom Of sa-
lluting cannon marked the departure
Of the fleet.
There was not ship in the line ole
! enough to have smelled the powder
or taken the shot of Manila or Santi-
ago-stories written scarce ten years
t ago in the history Of nations. AL
) were modern OF design and arma-
, ment-examples OF the aggressive. sea
going navy which the president ha:
declared to be so essential TO this
peace Of the country.
Attaches of foreign legations and
embassies at Washington and many
correspondents who have seen war ser
vice on foreign journals freely de
clared that today's naval display wa.
the most impressive they had evel
seen.