Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-13
Battleships on Way to Pacific
Arrive aud Are Warmly
Welcomed
MERCHANTMEN MIKES THINGS
Sails Among Fighters But No Harm
Results = Fleet Delayed by Trade
Winds - King Neptune Visits Flag
ship and Praises President First
Disorders Reported.

Rio Janeiro, Jan. l3.-The sixteen
tleship fleet on the way to the Pacific
Rear Admiral Robley ID. Evans COM
manding, arrived here Sunday after
noon
AS the fleet passed the lighthouse on
Cape Frio signal, set by the order
of the government. conveyed well
come from the Brazilian people The
vessels were met by cruiser and two
torpedo boats belonging to the Brazil
ian navy, which had been dispatched
by Rear Admiral Alexander de Alencar
minister OF marine. to escort them up
the bay There were twelve Brazilian
warships and one German cruiser, the
Bremen, in port.
cations national salute was fired,
which was replied to, gun for gun, by
the battleships. Then followed the sal
utes between the Brazilian, German
and American warships, and for a time
the noise was thunderous.
The news of the approach of the
fleet had spread thru the city long be-
fore the Warships were near the town
and thousands of persons went to the
water front to welcome the visitors and
their greetings were tumultuous. The
sailors on the merchant vessels in the
harbor also cheered and shouted cries
of good will.
The newspaper world of the capital
was wide awake to the Importance Of
the event and issued special editions,
telling of the arrival and reception.
The fleet was due to arrive yester-
day, according to the official schedule,
but, in addition to some delay in the
coaling at Trinidad. strong trade winds
and heavy swells were met with as the
warsfips passed along the northeastern
coast of South America and the fleet
was delayed.
On Jan the fleet crossed the equa-
tor and the occasion was marked by
great deal of fun among the fleet. Long
before this date it was learned that
there were 1880 men aboard the ships
who had never crossed the line and
they were the ones who furnished the
sport to the more seasoned blue jack
cts and officers whose experience had
previously taken them across the
equator. which made them immune
from the attention of King Neptune.
who had the greatest day in his car
Ger.
The sea monarcl's royal flag was
ec,f 1f.I,
of the ships, and he came aboard in the
time honored manner over the bow to
see that all the neophytes were duly
initiated into the mysteries of his
court Discretion was indeed the bet
ter part of valor in treating with his
me- ~. Did any of the initiated at
tempt to resent the rather rough at
tention paid to them by the kings
courtiers, they only called down on
themselves much worse treatment
The King Neptune who visited the
battleship Louisiana was In particu-
larly gracious humor and as few of his
victims offered any desperate resist
ance to his royal attentions he con-
descended to announce that special
honorary certificates would be for
warded to President and Mrs. Roose-
Welt in due recognition of the fact they
had visited Panama, which was near
the royal domain.
On the night of January 9 a north
bound barkentine with lights burn
ing dimly was sighted close to the
fleet For some unknown reason 1T
did not hold it's course, and ran among
the ships Of the first squadron of the
first division. The barkentine passed
between the Louisiana and the Georgia.
the latter being the flagship of Rear
Admiral William II. Emory, command
ing the second division of the first
squadron. Then the sailing vessel ran
back to it's original course.
The battleships were thrown into
some confusion by their efforts to avoid
a collision, but as soon as the danger
was past they speedily resumed their
alignment. The barkentine had mir
aculous escape. On the night of Jan.
8 there was a spectacular searchlight
drill, lasting half an hour. ninety-six
beams being thrown in every direc-
ton.
Early on Friday morning gun
doomed from the Missouri, this being
a signal that man had fallen over
board. Every ship at once stopped it's
engines, boats were lowered, and the
searchlights were thrown all over the
face of the sea. For half an hour the
search was kept up in vain, the boats
rowing in every direction. Then the
boats were signalled to return to their