The San Francisco call., 1908-05-07
Men of Armada Forget to Eat When
Golden Gate Is Sighted at Last

duty. So the dinner hour went IN
needed and the men OF the feet gazed
with hungry eyes on the unfolding
wonders OF city and shore.
With powerful glasses the surf line
OF the beach was at last in visual
range and the thousands Of black
forms that covered II and specked
every hiu and enineuce gave first
proof that San Francisco was in the
grip OF a crowd such as II has not
known since long before the fire The
street railway cut that belts the cliffs
north OF Sutro baths and the seal
rocks was marked as a single heavy
black line. packed with humanity
while above and below the Scared
hillsides were almost hidden BY count
less thousands OF people The fash OF
heliographs from Point DiabIo rand the
summit OF the Preside reservation
told Us that the story OF our coming
was already being sent back and forth
across the bay and out over the land
70 every part OF the world.
FORM PARADE LINE
The battIezhips were still moving in
the single column formation which has
been their fayOriJe alignment ever since
leaving Hampton roads. but with two
vessels added 70 those which made the
It's anchorage az the Eghtship. the Ne
oraska dropped into the line at the rear
OF the first squadron. while the Wiscon-
sin took Up q similar position. with the
second squadron AZ the very end Of the
feet These are the two ships which
are 70 take the places OF the Maine and
Alabama when the latter leave 10 pre-
csde the others on the trip around the
world, and have been assigned respec-
lively 70 the second and fourth divf-
sions-
Even with the port bow Of the Con-
necticut steamed the WhippIe. flagship
OF the famous little mosquito" TO
tiIls. which has steamed a thousand
miles farther in the trip around the
Horn than the big warriors OF the feet.
and behind IL were the other FIVE tor
pedo destroyers, forming q danking col
umn- Still farther out 70 the left OF
the flagship was the special dispatch
tender Tankton. and following behind
the armored men-o'-wsr came the sup
ply ships Culgoa and Glacier, the float
ing machine shop Panther. the hospI-
tai ship Relief and the Arethusa. which
left Hampton roads as chzperon for
the mosquitoes" but found the lively
youngsters so energetic that she caught
sight OF them only at rare intervals.
BIG Guns BOOM WELCOME
So the armada steamed through the
Golden gate From the Presidfo there
came bright fash and pun OF
white smoke that announced the begin
ming OF the hrst salute, but il was
many seconds before the detonatfon
reached our ears A second fash and
a second white puff came before we
had heard the report Of the first Other
flashes and pu1s followed in quick sue
cessi0n until 2l guns had doomed the
welcome 70 Admiral Evans and his
command From Fort Baker at the
north another salute began and came
10 Us in flashes. pufrs and reports as
the first had done. Then. at the head
OF our line. there was the reco gnftfon
from the flagship
Belching clouds OF smoke alternately
from starbosrd and port three pound
ers. the Connecticut was answering the
salute In the emergency cabin on its
after bridge sat the man who has
brought this feet safely on its wonder
ful cruise and who has made the last
great struggle OF his life that he mi ght
voyage
As we entered the channel little
group OF sezmen and petty officers at
port and starboard were busy heaving
the lead 10 sound the depth as we pro-
gressed and reporting at every success
sfve throw that there were fzrhoms of
water 20 spare Down IN the depths
OF the huge steel bound hull there were
other men at work-at the careful work
Of generating $1,000 horsepower and
holding II in so perfect leash that the
immense ship should not creep ahead
OF lag behind its position. and up on
the forward bridge were other busy
men directing every force within the
massive floating fortress
THOMAS on THE BRIDGE
But Il was up on the after bridge
with Admiral Thomas that the most abb
sorbing interest centeFed. for there not
one ship alone but all nine ships OF
the second squadron came under the
direct command Of single man and
man whose eyes were quick TO catch
and note the need OF q maneuver here
or 4 change there. the precise execs7-
ton Of command or the making OF
single mistake And the hands and
brains that guided those nine ships