Omaha daily bee., 1907-12-16
FIRST MOVE OF FLEET
President and Other Officials Leave
Washington for Hampton Roads.
ALL ON BOARD NAVAL YACHTS
Night Will Be Consumed in Tourney
Down the Pot
4
GRAND REVIEW IN TT 4 MING
Presidents Yacht to Lead 2 ay
Out the Virginia Capt<k
FIGHTING SHIPS PASS IN Req
GRAND REVIEW IN TT \
FIGHTING SHIPS PASS IN RE
All o. In Readiness on Board Admi. =.
Evans BattIeships for the Long
journey to the Pacific
Caaat.

OLD POINT COMFORT, Va, Dec. 15.-
The Pacific bound Atlantic fleet leaves to-
morrow morning on its journey through the
Straits Of Magellan. enroute, as the official
order reads. "for the west coast of the
United States" The president is expected
to arrive in Hampton Roads on the May
flower shortly after a. m. His coming
will be timed as near that hour as possible.
without proceeding It, for salutes cannot
be fred before o'clock under the navy
regulations
From the time the presidents yacht casts
anchor in the center Of the feet the events
OF the departure win formulate rapidly.
q Rear Admiral Evans. commander-in-chiefl
OF this most notable of American peace
expeditions. vii repair on board the May
flower and pay his respects to the presi-
dent and will be Immediately followed by
the other nag and commanding officers OF
the feet The reception will be brief and
more or less informal. AS time will figure
very heavily In the plans the matter OF
precedence in rank will be waived in favor
OF the officers whose launches first happen
to reach the Mayfiowers gangway after
Admiral Evans has gone or board. The
reception and the Journeys Of the admirals
and captains to and from the Mayfower
and a halls hour more will be consumed
in lifting anchors and getting ships in posi-
tion for the start which it is expected Will
be made about 10 o'clock. Two hours later
the first of the long line Of fighting vessels
should have cleared the Virginia capes
and turned it's course to the southwark.
Review Of Fleet.
The review of the passing fleet by the
president viii take place near Thimble
shoal lighthouse, ten miles down the bay.
aud should be ended by II 80 O'Clock.
Threatening weather and occasional rain
squalls marked the last day Of the fleets
stay in port but tonight a cold wind froil
tho west dlspelled the STORM clouds and
tho slxteen battleshps were bathed in
moonlight Tho view down the long twin
incs Of tho fleet was most impressive.
An occasional seerctlisht fash or the red
and wk'te SLOW Of an ardois signal from
tiie yafd5rin -of one of The big fshtcrs
added 70 the picturesque effect On shore
3 the hotels we're filled almost beyond their
caracty by wives. sweethearts, officials
aud friends, who have come to say good
bye. Many of these will have TO sit up
Throughout the night or lounge as best they
can in the chairs of the hotel Hobbies.
The clearing weather was unexpected
and gratifying. A smiling sun is predicted
for tomorrow.
shore liberty for the sailors ended at
10 a. M today and at that hour the en-
listed fdtce Of each ship, numbering nearly
1000 men to the company, was lined up at
quarters TO listen to the reading of the
articles OF war. The men seemed deeply
impressed, as they were also with personal
words which came in orders from Admiral
Evans the commander-in-c n-chief, and from
. he, FhWnn
visional nagships Every man was told
what his duty was to his country. to his
flag and to his superior ofiicers. They
were cautioned TO uphold the dignity OF
their uniform when going ashore at South
American ports and always conduct them
selves in an orderly and sober manner.
President starts for Review.
WASHINGTON. Dec. IS 49, President
Roosevelt, accompanied by Mrs. Roosevelt
and a distinguished company of guests,
sailed on the naval yacht Mayfower from
the Washington navy yard at 800 o'clock
today for Hampton Roads. The president
in his capacity as commander-in-chief of
the United States navy viii tomorrow give
the word OF command which viii send the
Atlantic battleship feet on its cruise TO the
Pacific AS the ships pass out to sea their
last farewell will be from the president.
ON the deck OF the Mayfiower he will lead
the ships through the Virginia capes, then
give way to the hagship Connecticut as
the double line Of sixteen armor clads set
their course TO the southwark. Thus will
begin what the president has planned as
the supreme test Of the American navy.
The announced destination Of the feet Is
San Francisco bay, but when and where
the cruise viii ultimately end seems as yet
an immature plan OF the future. The de-
parting scene from the Washington navy
yard was typical Of the punctuality of the
president
The Maynower was spick and span and
spotless in white; the jaeknes in their
winter garb Of blue lined the rail, and
;ho cherries, raw day seemed to lend
itself to an expression OF their feelings
al being left out OF the big trip. Marines
patroled the clean-swept deck and kept far
back from the gang plank the hundreds
or more persons who had come TO see the
president depart. Secretary and Mrs. Net
calf were piped over the ships side a
half hour before the arrival OF the presi-
dent few minutes following the ar
rival OF the secretary the boson's whistle
sounded the honors to Assistant Secre-
tary and Mrs. Newberry, who are also
guests OF the president on the trip. then
followed Rear Admiral and Mrs. Brown
son and Commander and Mrs. Sims. In
a White House carriage preceding the
president came Miss Ethel Roosevelt Miss
C0rTine Robins and Miss Hagner Rear
Admiral and Mrs. Cowles rode with the
president and Mrs. Roosevelt.
As the president stepped aboard the flag
OF the eommander-in-chief was broken out
at the main yard. the hawsers were slipped
and the MayflOweF was under way in Just
five minutes The president. as he drove
on the wharf. acknowledged the greeting
Of the crowd. and as the yacht began to
move he raised his hat from his place aft
on the main deck when cheers were given
from the wharf. The Mayfiower Is expected
to clear the bad places IN the Potomac be-
fore dark, when nvslier clip viii be taken