The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-17
THRILLING
SPECTACLE
PRESENTED
Soul-lnSpiring Sight Witnessed
as the Magnificent American
Fleet Started on Voyage.
SIXTEEN BATTLESHIPS
OF THELATEST DESIGN
MOST POWERFUL AssEMBLAGE
OF FIRST-CLASS WARSHIPS
EVER UNDER ONE LEADER.

Old Point Comfort, Va, Dec. 1e.-Six-
teen hard hitting steel belted American
battieshirs, gun bristling and burly of
girth, but sparkling white in their inn
macuIate dressings of peace. started
away today under the dazzling sun OF
a cloudless winter sky on their famous
twin-sea expedition of $4,000 miles.
along foreign shores and changing
climes, to the west coast of the Unit
ed States President Roosevelt. on the
bridge of his cruiser yacht, the May
flower, personally led the magnificent
fOur-mile line of fighting vessels during
the first stage of the voyage. From the
anchorage ground in Hampton Roads
TO the Horseshoe Bend of Chesapeake
bay his eagle-crested flag of blue point
ed 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,
reviewed the passing pageant.
Magnificent Spectacle.
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 sailors afioat and
friends ashore, the breeZe-blown strains
of AUD Lang Syne," floating across
the waters. the blare of trumpcts. the
rufle of drums. the flash of signals
and the boom of saluting cannOns
marked the departure of the fleet, pre-
senting TO the people who watched a
spectacle they will never forget and to
the world at large the reality OF the
trimmest. most homogeneous. most
thoroughly equipped. most mobile and
self-reliant assembiage of irst-class
battleships ever gathered in one COM
mand
All Modern Warships.
There was not ship in the line old
enough to have smelied the powder or
taken the shot of Manila or Santiago
stories written scarcely ten years ago
in the history of nations. All were mod
ern of design, examples Of the agrees
sive sea-going navy which the presi-
dent has declared to be so essential to
the peace of the country.
AttSches of foreign legations and en-
bassies at Washington and many CORE
spondents who have seen war service
on foreign journals freely declared that
tOdays naval display was the most inn
pressive they had ever seen. The facil-
ity with which the big vessels were
handled, the manner in which they were
Unanswered into single column forma-
ton and the perfect alignment which
was maintained TO the southwark turn
from the cape called out the warmest
admiration. The thrill of the beauti-
full marine picture was felt until the
last wind blown spiral of smoke was
lost on the horizon.
Reception on Mayfiower.
The sailing of the fleet was preceded
by a reception on the deck of the May
flower, which shortly after s o'clock
this morning steamed into the center Of
the anchored fleet. President RoOse-
Welt warmly greeted the four rear adj
mirals and the sixteen commanding
officers of the fleet as they climbed
from dancing launches up the starboard
gangWay of the yacht. He had a word
of confidence and well wishing for all,
but made no formal address. The pres
ident felt that the occasion did not call
for any such remarks, as the cruise
lust undertaken is officially regarded as
but a detail of naval training.
The inspiring sight of the vessels
gaily dressed at anchor and waiting the
word to go, put the president in rare
good spirits While the Mayflower was
coming into position and waiting for
the reception to begin. the president
paced rapidly up and down the deck.
anxious to obtain a view of the great
double squadron from every possible
vantage point To Secretary of the
NAVY Metcalf and TO others of his
guests he was constantly exciaiming
upon the beauty and grandeur Of the
surrounding scenes.
Proud Day for All.
sEDid YOU ever see such a feet? And
ZACH a day? Isn't il magnificent?
GGghtn't we all to feel proud?" and
then the president hsi something TO
az of the enlisted men. In the midst
a the reception to the higher officers.
IA sent for the coxswain of the Louis
mas launch and through him dis
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