The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-12-17
ACYFyC
OCEAN
ROUTE OF THE FLEET AND DISTANCES.

reefs of those islands the fleet will
bring up at Trinidad on Christmas
eve, the first stage of the journey.
The belted sides of each armor clad
were all fairly strutted with the press
of heavy stores and ammunition while
their decks resounded with the foot
falls of 1000 men in their quarters.
On mission as pacific as the name
OF the waters in which they will soon
be ploughing, the fleet was sent awav
prepared in every detail for any duty.
President Roosevelt, accompanied
by rarty of guests, came down from
Washington in the naval yacht May
flower. His arrival in the roadstead
was signalized by the roar of salutes.
When the resulting veil of powder
lifted from the ships the Mayflower
proceeded to anchor in the vicinity
OF the bobbing fleet There followed
a 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 the Strait of Magel-
Ian to San Francisco At the con-
clusfon of the meeting of the May
flowers deck. President Roosevelt
shook each officer cordially by the
hand, and as they went over the side
he babe them an official adieu Then
for journey of nearly ten miles the
president. as commander in chief OF
the American army and navy, led the
long line of battleships out into
1y1 hox ell
flag to Thimhle Shoal light. Just five
miles inside the canes, where the. May
flower turned aside and dropped her
anchors for the final review.
AS naval pageant review and de-
parture the fleet was the most notable
In American history. There have been
several presidential reviews of the
Atlantic fleet during past eighteen
months. but in those instances the
great ships were lying at the end of
anchor chains while the reviewing
yacht passed up and down the lines
Monday the fleet was under way, cast
off from shore and outward bound on
a cruise which. as the president him
self expressed it. mo fleet Of such size
ever before has undertaken" The
guns which voiced the welcome to the
president on his arrival In Hampton
Roads uttered goodbye tribute as
they passed the Mayflower outward
bound. The salute of welcome had
been paid in unison, the farewell tri-
butte of individual offering from each
one of the sixteen ships The fleet
passed out in single column, the Con-
necticut, the flag ship of Admiral
1nrI MI.
were 400 yards apart, and from the
Connecticut to the Kentucky, which
brought up the rear. the line reached
more than four miles In space of
time there was a stretch of a decade
between the 10000 ton Connecticut to
the little more than 10000 Kentucky
Five stages of American battleships
were represented in the line, and as
an object LESSON in the growth of the
American navy the spectacle found
one of its most striking features.
President Roosevelt's party on the
Mayflower included Mrs. Roosevelt,
Miss Ethel Roosevelt. Secretary of
the Navy and Mrs. Metcalf, Assistant
Secretary of the Navy and Mrs New
berry, Rear Admiral w. H. Brownson,
chief of the bureau of navigation, and
Mrs. Brownson: Rear Admiral and
Mrs. Cowles and Lieutenant Com
nander and Mrs. Simms Day. The
departure broke fair and cool, with an
eight mile breeze blowing from just
little to the southwest ar ruffling
the waters of Hampton Roads into
sparkling waves. The immaculate
white bulls of the fighting machines
gleamed respondent ard not a cloud
uecked the sky.