The Washington times., 1908-05-06
FLEET WELCOMED
At SAN FRANCISCO
BY GREAT THRONG
Secretary MetCalf Views
Impressive Arrival of
Big Warships.
Entire City, Mad With
Pleasure, Gives Cen
erous Greeting.

SAN FRANCISCO, May s.-The anch-
ors OF tho Atlantic battle fleet were
dropped into san Francisco bay today.
ard the first half of the worlds famous
cruise was completed.
Never ia the worlds history has
there been such a magnificent spectacle
as that presented when the combined
fleets. forty-four ships of war. led by
the flagship Connecticut, with Fighting
Bob Evans on the bridge, threaded
their way down the bay between hills
and Islands black with humanity. add
ing lusty greeting to the myriad arti-
ncial signals OF welcome.
Ali night long thousands of people
slept in the open, on the military reser-
walton on both sides Of Golden Gate
and on the beach IN the vicinity Of
Sutro Heights. With the first gray
streaks OF dawn they were up and
49ohing seaward to catch the first
6HhIpse OF the ships. A mist hung
over the sea, and only the faint outline
OI lhe vessels could be discerned, but
wlth the lifting OF the haze the mon
Ster sea-hghters stood out in bold re-
The crowds began 10 pour into San
rai'clscO as soon as the ferries start
ca, ana en- the railroads trainload after
u tuISlhioad came into the depots on both
Sides Of the bay.
Go to Meet Warships.
BY O'clock hillsides. housetops. ex-
cursion boats, from tiny. wheeling
launches to great ocean liners. were
crowded The excursion boats. gayIy
decorated with bunting and the national
colors, steamed toward the Golden Gate
early in the morning. At the entrance
there was riot OF color. Sirens
screached and handkerchIefs were
waved.
1t was little past no1n when the up
anchor signal was given. There was j
wild demonstration that swept from
Point LObOs down past the crowns in
waiting on the hillsides, and all along
Inc waterfront. Slowly the Connecticut
pointed hex nose 10 the north. and made
her way from the san Frsincisco light
snip, the other warships falling in in
single file. on the entrance the flagship
turned sharply. and then steamed
straight In, her fifteen companions
strung out behind her in one long line.
As the Connecticut passeI Point Bonita
light and near Fort Baker, the twelve
inch batteries OF the Preside doomed a
saiute.
The batteships swept majesticaIIy
ACWA the gate past the BFeSlGlO and
Ort Point, the last Of the forts on the
san Francisco side of the bay. There the
head of the column swung squarely into
the bay and headed for the deep channel
between the west shore and Rocky Al
catraz. As the Connecticut passed Angel
Island. she answered the salute Of the
ships Of the Pacific feet. which Law at
anchor OF the island These fell into
line when the last vessel Of the Allan
tic fleet had passed.
At the south end of Angel Island, the
ships fell into squadron formation the
Connecticut. Kansas. Vermont. Louisi-
ana, Georgia New Jersey, Rhode Island.
and Virginia leading The Nebraska
latefy arrived from Bremerton Navy
Yard, fell in behind them and ahead of
the second Atlantic squadron, tre Min
nesota. Maine. Missouri Ohio. Alabama
Illinois. Kesrsage. and Kentuckv.
Following the Kentucky came the Pa
CHIC fleet, made IN Of the West Vir-
glania. Colorado, Maryland. Tennessee.
Caiifornia, Washington, South Dakota.
Next in line were the black-hulled
destroyers. the Atlantic flotiua and the
Pacific fiotilla, and bringing up the
rear were the auxiliary ships Of the
Atlantic fleet
Metcalf Is Waiting.
Awaiting the warships on Man-of-war
row, as the portion Just south Of the
San Francisco-Oakland Fairway is
known, with Secretary Of the Navy
Metcah on board, was the gunboat
Yorktown. and. as the Connecticut
turned about to seek an anchorage.
she saluted the head Of the navy, as did
all the vessels
All Of the ships having arrived at the
spots assigned to them for anchorage
the signal was shot up from the Con
nscticut and the anchors were let go
with a mighty splash
moment later the little steamer
Hartley. with Mayor Taylor and the
reception committee aboard drew
alongside the Connecticut. and San
Francisco's formal welcome to the fieet
was extended to Rear Admiral Evans
Then the officers and men Of the fleet
turned their eyes toward San Fran
cisco. Every building, as far as the
eye could see, was decorated with the
national colors, in flag ana stre5rofrs
(CnDffurrpd On