Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-19
BattIeships Are Received
in Impressive
Silence
VAST THR0NG is AWED BY
EVANS GREAT
FLEET
NIGHT ILLUMINATION A SCENE
OF DAZZLING, RADIANT
sPLENDoR
Transportation Facilities Are Taxed to
Utmost Capacity to Carry Un-
precedented Crowds
to Beaches

ON a hazy horizon, out of a sky OF
~ placid blue and over sea that
~ shimmered in the SUNSHINE and
whose green displayed the white hulls
of the ships under the black line of
the smoke from it's tunnels, the great
Atlantic fleet sailed into San Pedro
harbor and cast anchor in safe holding
ground yesterday
With the exception of desultory can
non firing at Long Beach and San Pedro
it was a noiseless entry. but noise was
not needed to add to the impressive
ness of the picture. A salute from
the ships, or fusillade from water
craft or from the shore would. have
destroyed the imagery of the poetic
picture.
Probably no better viewpoint on the
whole bay than the new Virginia ho-
tel could be found for the approach
of the fleet 1t was south far enough
from the anchorage, inside the break
water, to permit a close view OF the
entire fleet as it steamed in single
column to the anchorage. And 1t was
about the middle point of the great
crowd that lined the shore and gazed
in awe at the imposing spectacle. And
this crowd, estimated at 200,OOO,
stretching from Point Firmin to the
lower end of the bay, was OF itself
a spectacle for the ships to gaze at In
awe.
Fleet Is Sighted
It was shortly before o'clock that
the horizon south of the bay disclosed
the certain indication of the approach
of the fleet. The low cloud that
seemed to rest along the horlzon anu
which tapered to a point at It's west
end was the smoke from the tunnels
that may always be seen before the
ships themselves are visible, even un-
der a powerful glass. Then came Inc
uncertain speck indicating the appear
ance of the Connecticut. 1t seemed
to appear and disappear until the
thousands of watchers on the roOr
and upper floors of the Virginia and
the thousands on beach, pier ana
housetops doubted whether their eyes
were playing tricks or not. But there
was no mistake. The speck was real,
and it grew until it disclosed nrst the
irregular form of the superstructure.
then the masts and funnel tops, and
then-suddenly-the white OF the nun
and the yellow of the upper decks ana
turrets.
In quick succession other specks fol-
lowed the same development until uD-
der the black cloud of smoke severat
could be seen by the naked eye Five
minutes more and the chain or specks.
turning constantly to white. reached
out into the hazy south. Those with
strong glasses could easily count the
number and when sixteen had been
disclosed by the hazy atmosphere the
watchers knew that the great fleet was
in sight.
Coming Into View
The remainder of the coming was
one of gradual expansion. The Con-
necticut became more and more real.
II became larger than the Kansas,
which followed, and the Kansas a lit
tie larger than the Vermont, and so ON
until the last one, the Kentucky,
seemed but ships boat in compari-
son. That was the difference between
the first and last ships of a column
over three miles long.
1t was when the column neared an
chorage that the harbor crowds saw
the best picture. With background
of sky whitened by the descending sun,
the ships rode almost imperceptibly
into the anchorage. Behind them the
water line was unbroken, except where
the heights of Catalina told there was
big island not many miles distant
Un1t WOulQ S6INS DIS d plOICONAOAA W NAAS
great fleet from heavy seas. The fleet
moved from the unbroken water line
into the shadow of this big island, and
as each one passed into the shadow It
seemed to lose some of the romance
that haloed it and to become more a
a thing of practical purpose rather
than a wizard vista of the imagination.
With a setting of water and sunlit
sky. islands that loomed black and the
sandy point that shone golden In the
sun, the spectators found picture
that pen or brush might ever fail to
adequately portray.
Miles beyond the anchorage the
great white column was met by small
craft, which came out to join the iarg-
er boats, such as the Roanoke and
the Hermosa. in the welcome. They
represented the outstretched arm OF
Continued on Page Three)