Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-17
BIG FLEET SAILS ON IT'S
LONG CRUISE TO PACIFIC.
Sixteen Of Uncle Sans Great Batt|eships, Flower
Of American Navy, Start on Cruise Of $4,000
Miles, President Reviews Fleet.

Ola Point Comfort. Va. Dec. i6.-SiN-
teen Anie rican battleSl1ips. hug, mod
ern, bristling with guns, but sparkling
white in dressings of peace, sailed aWaI
today under the dazzling s;un Of 4
cloudlrss winters day on the nOtabl-
| tWin-S0a expedition of l4oaD miles
along foreign shores and through
changing climates to the west coast Of
the United States. President Roose-
Welt. on the bridge of his cruiser yacht
the MayfoWvr, personally led the mag
niticant four-milc line Of fighting YES
sells III the first stage Of the voyage
From tho anchorage ground i'll Hamp-
ton Roads TO the Horseshoe bond o:
Chesapeallc bay his eagle crested l:ats
of blue pointed the way to the fleets
new home at the Golden Gate. Then
when the wide reaches OF the sea Wcrt
visible through tic wide swung Capes
of Virginia he turned aside AID, com
ing to anchorage reviewed the passing
marine pageant.
The blue skies. the touch Of blue
sea. the slistening of SpOtlesS hullS, IN;
curling of waves hcfnr" swift bows
the cheering of sailors aiioat ana
friends ashore. the breeze blown
strains of Aud Lang SI I'll
blare Of trumpets, the ruifle OF
drums, the fash Of signals and
the boom Of saluting guns marked
the departure of The feet, presenting
to the people who watched spectacle
they Will never forget and 10 the World
at large, the reality Of INC trimnost
most homogeneous, most thOFonghi!
euuirDed and most mobile aSscmblag e.
Of first-CIaSs hattleShips ever gatherec
under one command. There was not {;
shin i'll the line which even Smeli"t
powder III Manila bay or Ch SantldE"
All Uerc new in design and armament
examples Of the aggressive sea -Soln+
navy which the President has declared
il 50 essential to the peace ot the coul.
try. Attaches of foreign legations anI
embassies at Washington and man!
correspondents who have st en- war ser
vice for foreign journals freely deCiar
oil that today'S naval display was IN
most impressive Trey he'd ever W.T.
messed.
The facility with which tn" big We"
sels were handled. thr manner il whici
thcy were maneuyrrcd into single COZ
nlNl lb1lllitlbil ana tii'- - 1t-'
mont which Was maintained to IN
l southwark turn from TN" cap, cahc,
for tie warmcst admiration. The tfri
. Of tho beautiful marine picture WI
+ felt until the last wind blown Spir"
of smoke Was lost on the horizon.
The sailing Of the fleet was rreccue
. ~ = reception oil the quarter dcch
the MaytloWcr, which steamed INTO III
coulter ut the anchored fleet shorty al
ter o'clock this morning. frtSluci'
Roosevelt warmly greeted the four rea
a,imirals and the Is commanding OH
. ,nrs Of The fleet as they climbed hoi
= dancing launches up the Starpoar
+ aanc-v;y Of the yacht. He had W"f
6 &c confidence and good wishes 1"r a.
bit he made no formal address. lie 1c
that tie occasion did not call for an
J such remarks because the cruise Is oi
ticially regarded as but detail OF nav
III training.
q The inspiring sight Of tie Nes@c
raiIy dressed at anchor and awaitin
the word to go put the President
rare good spirits. While the Mayfl"W'
was coming into position and Waltul
for tho reception to begin, the Pres
dent paced rapidly up ana down u
docks anxious to obtain view OF u
great double squadron from every Pc
sihla vantage point. To Secretary OF u
Navy Metcalf and the others OF
guests on board, he WAS constantly G
claiming upon the beauty and graz
de,1r Of the surrounding scenes.
.Dld You ever see such fleet, al
such Il day. Isn't it magnliicoh
OuC!1tn't We all to feel proud. a.
then the President had something
saw Of the enlisted mon. In the ma
of the reception to the higher once
H., sent for the cOXSWain of the Lou
jana's launch and through him dl
nat, he'd q special message OF Srcetll
tn that ships crew. 1t was on I
Louisiana that the President made i
rccc.,t trip to the Isthmus OF Panal
and ever since that time ne has felt
personal interest in al the ship II
done. When the surprised and eno1
raised coxswain, Seaman Willie
Chandler, had been presented 70 II
Roosevelt as wcll as to thc Preside
and hal again ciambercd INTO
launch. the President said to TIC
about him: Il tell y"u our enlist
men arc everything. They are pcrfc'
n bully and they arc UP 70 "verythi
required Of them. This is indeed a gre
fleet ana d great day
Admiral Evans, commander
chief Of the departing fleet. Y
tn first Of the flag Office
to be pipcd over the side of the Ma
flower He hurried to where the Pr
ident stood awaiting and bringing
right hand to saluting position, 2;
Il, his formal respects and gave his p
sonai assurance that the ships of
ne. command We're ready for their trip
a. the other side of the hemisphere.
President Roosevelt acknowledt
itf the salute with lifted hat and accep