The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1907-12-20
BIG FLEET SAILS
FOR THE PACIFIC
WARSHIPS LED BY THE PHes'-
DENT DURING FIRST STAGE
OF VOYAGE.
IMPRESSIVE NAVAL DISPLAY
PRESIDENT TENDERS OFFICERS
A RECEPTION ON BOARD THE
MAYFLOWER.
IMPRESSIVE NAVAL DISPLAY
PRESIDENT TENDERS OFFICERS

Old Point Comfort. Va. Dec. lo. -
Sixteen hard-hitting. steel-belted
American battleships, gun-bristllng
and burly of girth. but sparkling white
in their immaculate dressings OF
peace sailed away yesterday under
the dazzling sun OF cloudless winter
sky on their famous expedition OF A.
900 miles along foreign shores and
changing climes to the west of the
United States. President Roosevelt,
on the bridge of the Mayfower, per-
sonally led the magnificent four-mile
line of fighting vessels during the first
stages of the voyage From the an
chorage 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.
Reviews Passing. Pageant.
Then. when the wide reaches Of the
sea were visible through the capes Of
Virginia, he turned aside and coming
to anchorage reviewed the passing
pageant.
The blue of the sky. the stretch of
green seamless, the glistening of spot
less hulls, the curl of foam-crested
bow-waves, the cheering of sailors
af1oat and friends ashore, the breeze
blown strains of Aud Lang Syne"
floating across the waters, the blare Of
trumpets, the rufne OF drums. the
fash Of signals and the boom of salut-
ing cannon marked the departure of
the feet, presenting to the people
who watched spectacle they will
never forget and to the world at large
the reality Of the trimmest, snuggest,
most homogeneous, most thoroughly
equipped, most mobile and self-reliant
assemblage of frst-class battleships
ever gathered in one command.
Most Impressive Display.
Attaches OF foreign legations and
embassies at Washington and many
correspondents who have seen war
service on foreign journals freely de-
clared that yesterdays naval display
was the most impressive they had
ever seen.
The sailing Of the fleet was pre-
ceded by the reception on the quar-
terdeck of the Mayaower, which
shortly after s o'clock yesterday
morning steamed into the center of
the anchored fleet. President Roose-
welt warmly greeted the four rear ad-
mirals and the sixteen commanding of.
ticers of the fleet as they climbed from
dancing launches up the starboard
gangway of the yacht. He had word
of confidence and we'll wishing for all
but made no formal address.
First Stop at Trinidad.
Last night the sixteen ships of the
massive fleet, continuing in single or
der and steaming at the uniform speed
of ten knots an hour, according to or
ders. were we'll down the coas
toward the treacherous waters CT Hat
teras. The first lap of their journey
will bring them to Trinidad on Christ
mas eve, and there amid the heat O
the tropics the Christmas celebration.
will be held.
The president, after the review a
the horseshoe was completed, return
ed to Washington. The fleet got un
der way just after 10 O'Clock in tn,
morning and less than two hours late
had cleared the capes and had begun
in earnest the most notable practic,
cruise in all naval history.