The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-05-08

Norfolk, Va. Americans have
turned from thoughts of the Interna-
tional Peace Conference to the mos
splendid international war spectacle
this country and probably the world
has ever seen. The jamestown Ter
Centennial Exposition, the newest
worlds fair, will be "a military. ma
val, marine and historic exhibition
according. to the official statements.
History will be given it's due at the
Exposition as we'll as the arts of
peace, but the distinctive feature will
be the sight Of Hampton Roads-al-
ready a, famous naval arena-alive
with the fighting craft of many ma
lions, the shores g%littering with SOL
diers in friendly rendezvous.
The remarkable naval display IS
made possible by the fact that the
Jamestown Exposition is the first
great American fair held on a deep
water, harbor.. Practically all the CIV
ilized nations have accepted the Pres
ident's invitation to send sections OF
their navies. AS the summer ad-
vances the varying types Of fighting
craft, from saucy torpedo boats to the
largest war vessel afloat, will pass
through the harbor in endless process
sion. The United States Government
will have an extensive display, show
ing the evolution of guns and fighting
ships from the early days of the Ma
ton to the present. There will also
be a large encampment OF militia,
regular army and foreign troops.
There are twenty-five battleships
End cruisers in the line headed by the
Connecticut just off the Government
pier at Fortress Monroe, which trails
away up the broad channel leading to
Norfolk. The vessels are anchored
several thousand yards off the Expo
sition shore, and, arranged in a huge
semicircle, are visible from every part
of the grounds.
Every type of fighting craft in the
American navy Is represented In the
present rendezvous. The battleships
range from the 10000 ton Connecti-
cut and Louisiana down to the all but
abandoned Texas, the oldest Ameri-
can battleship and sister of the Maine,
which was wrecked in Havana harbor.
The Texas was built at the Norfolk
navy yard many years ago, and, being
a local product, is to remain at the
Exposition as a permanent feature OF
the naval exhibit. With her sight
guns and paltry 6315 tons of weight
the Texas, when ranged alongside the
mammoth Connecticut, which mounts
twenty-four guns and displaces 49,
900 tons of water, offers a, striking
example Of the progress Of the Amerl-
can navy since the days Of 1885, when
the Texas and the first Maine were
authorized by Congress.
The Brooklyn, bearing on her after
turret the memorial plate simply and
eloquently inscribed July 8, 1885,
will also remain a permanent naval
exhibit during the seven months OF
the life of the Exposition.
The cruisers Of the fleet are all
modern craft, though the variance in
size between the largest and the
smallest is as great al that which
marks the heavier vessels of the bat
tie class.
The armored cruisers Tennessee
and Washington, each Of 14,500 tons
and mounting twenty guns apiece,
are the heaviest of the cruisers. The
smallest cruisers are the Denver and
the Cleveland-3100 tons each-the
third class of the protected vessels Of
the navy. In the cruiser class the
most Interesting vessel is perhaps the
Brooklyn, the flagship Of Rear-Ad'
miral Schley in the battle with Ger
vera's squadron off Santiago, Cuba.
The fleet has been arranged so as
to give the visitors to the Exposition
the best possible opportunity fol
viewing the fighting strength OF the
American navy. The %glistening white
bulls, spotless in their e coats o.
paint, and the buff superstructures o
the two and three piped line-of- battle
ships and armored and protected
cruisers, form a marine panorama a:
viewed from the water front esplan
ade of the Exposition grounds sucf
as has seldom, if ever, before re-
presented to the American public.
The Navy Department has pre-
pared a list of the foreign vessels u
be in Hampton Roads.