The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-17

until other arriving flag and commanding
 officers set the reception into full swing.
 When Admiral Evans was about to take
 his leave and get the fleet under way. the
 President followed him to the gangWay
 and then called him aside for nearly hve
 minutes Of earnest conversation. The
 President spoke with his usual emphasis
 and the admiral listened intently with
 constant affirmative nod of his head.
 During the reception the President was
 photographed with the officers grouped
 about him A marine guard and band
 were stationed on the Mayflowers decks
 and the ceremonies of receiving and send
 ing away the visiting officers gave
 martial touch of color to the occasion.
 Rear Admiral Berry, commanding the
 Norfolk navy yard, journeyed to Hamp-
 ton Roads on the torpedo boast String
 ham to pay his respects to the President
 and his dark-hulled, raklsh-ooking craft
 passed in among the white-clad battle
 ships and added something of the sinister side to the purpose of navy's being. In
 parting with the officers of the fleet,
 President Roosevelt was wholly informal.
 and to each had a cordial handclasp, T
 grasp of the uniformed shoulder and
 hearty "Goodbye, old fellow, and good luck"
 Early Preparations. The waiting fleet prepared early to well
 come the President and later bid him adieu. Long before the first gray shad- | ows of the breaking day slanted through ! the open gateway of the eapes, the red
 and white ardois lanterns on masthedds 1 were flashing signals from divisional flag | ships.
 , It was not long after the anchor lights ! had disappeared that the slim white hull of the Mayflower could be made ont in the distance. Then the final preparations
 tt .sffH 1ta1 given to dress ship at 8 o'clock and the last bell of the morning watch had not been struck when the dressing lines, aflut- ter with vari-colored signal flags, were lifted to the truck above the fighting tops. The gay dressing appeared as If by magic
 on every ship of the fleet and remained
 afioat until the President had taken his
 place at the head of the line then came tum bling to the decks and the ships had
 once more assumed the simple garb of the cruising trip. The Old Point shores and the ramparts of the historic old Fortress Monroe were lined with thou sands of persons as the fleet lifted anchor
 and set sail. Other thousands were gathered aboard excursion crafts of all descriptions.
 The government pier projecting far out into the roads at Old Point was liv- ing mass of humanity. In the crowd were gathered wives, sisters and sweet hearts of officers and enlisted men. all
 feeling the common impulse of mingled admiration for the vast marine picture i unfolded before them and the heart burnings of long parting with rela- tves and friends. If was peculiarly nt- ting therefore that when the flagship Connecticut swept by the pier the band assembled on the quarter deck should play "Fhe Girl | Left Behind Me. and then more piaintively came the strains of "Auld Lang Synea followed In turn by "The Star-Spangled Banner It was l a pretty indication that amid the regrets of parting, the call of patriotic duty was at last the one thing to be considered. Not Hitch In Detail. There was not a hitch in any of the details of the we'll planned programme.
 but there were a number of amusing in- cidents. not the least of which were the antics of four sailors who had overstayed their leave on shore and were frantical- ly calling from the Old Point pier for
 a boat to pick them up. At last one of the quartet conceived the idea of wig wagging their plight to the commanding officer Sezing his own cap and another from his companions. he mounted to pilehead and for nearly ten minutes waved arms and caps according to the signal code. But 1t was too late to stop for stragglers. and the disappointed sail 1 ors their ditty-boxes' and clothes-bags
 safe aboard the parting ships, were left behind
 When the President and his officers
 were posing for their picture Admiral Evans called forth laughter by exclaim- ing to the group of photographers; Shoot fast. you fellows; you need some training at a navy gum
 Tonight the 16 ships of the massive fleet continuing in single order and steaming at the uniform speed of ten knots an hour, according to orders. are well down the coast toward the treacherous waters of Hatteras.
 The first lap of their journey will brins them to Trinidad on Christmas eve and there, amid the heat of the tropics, the Christmas celebrations will be held. Hundreds of goodbye telegrams were flashed to the ships by wireless telegraph as they left the roadstead and had turned down the southern coast.
 The President, after the review at the Horseshoe was complete, returned to Washington, the Mayfower weighing an- chor for the trip up the Potomac short ly after noon. The fleet got under way i just after 10 o'clock in the morning and ! in less than two hours had cleared the l capes and had begun in earnest the most notable practice cruise in all naval his- [