Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-05-15
Highland Boy Furnishes Us With
an Interesting Account of the
Fleets Visit to California


+ The arrival, Tuesday April 18th
in San Diego harbor, of the Allan
tic Armada, after the wonderful
cruise around Cape Horn, serie
of remarkable receptions in foreign
ports, seals securely the most glor
ious achievement Of Uncle Sam''
magnificent navy, in times Of
peace.
The Is battleships, 6 torped
boats and 4 auxiliaries, exclusive
of the Connecticut, which added
200 miles BY conveying Admiral
Evans to San Diego, have covered
1920, The fleet left Hampton
Roads December 10Th. The time
is remarkable, considering the
stops, etc. No accident marred the
record. Admiral Evans illness was
the one serious misfortune.
San Diego, the first American
harbor to be reached by this fleet
since leaving Hampton Roads lest
December, stretched out its hand
across it's sunlit waters in welcome
to the Nays sea fighters.
While The big guns at Fort Ros-
ecrans we're still roaring their
hoarse greeting, the City's official
reception committee climbed to the
deck of the Connecticut and for
mally opened the greatest demon
stration in the history Of Southern
California. The celebration open.
I'd Tuesday evening, April 18th
" hen tons Of fireworks were dis
charged on the water front. Up
to late hour, the entire city was
a blaze of. red lights, and from ev-
ery window, door and post, from
every place where flag could fly
there was futtering and swapping
of Bunting,
Hours before the time set fol
the arrival of the fleet, hundreds OF
people had flocked out to Point
Lonid and Point of Rocks to secure
points of vantage, from which tc
view the coming of the ships. Sci
dom has there been pageant il
this country like the parade OF thu
1900 officers and men of the bat
tleship fleet.
After the landing of the grea
throng of fighting men amid thu
cheers of the crowd, they were
drawn up into marching order
with Maj. Hugh G. Gwyn as CRANE
marshal. While the pageant wal
in motion it was blocks long. Ma
ny an eye was moist for a moment
as The platoons of sailor boys tilet
| by. The ceremonies at City Park
were opened with an address o.
welcome to California by Gov. Gil
lett, and replied to by Rear Admir-
al Thomas, Senior Admiral IN tn
absence Of Rear Admiral Evans
Thursday, April 16th,< was tn
fist day the public was allowed
aboard the battleships, and thou
sands awaited themselves of the op
portunitv to inspect the fleet. Th
flagship Connecticut bore the brun
of The rush, as everybody wante'
to see lighting Bob" flagship
and what they saw was we'll wort
seeing, for they saw great fighting
monsters-great guns - and tn
men who serve behind them.
The battle of Oranges was thor
oughly enjoyed by all, and too, tn
auto picnic, which consisted OF fol
tv.six machines, a selected list .
officers, two admirals, twelve car
tains, seventy lone officers and nine
ty.t two guests. This imperial prt
cession swept through the city lik
an express train at Full speed, an
out into tho rolling beautiful cour
try. Children tossed fruit an
flowers into the machines-youn
women threw orange blossoms
troops of women strewed the ollie
WAYS with flower petals, roses, q
raniums, peoples, smilax and hello
trope. They partook of col
lunch in deserted canyon, an
Admiral Thomas, amounting
rough pine table under great GA
/ tree. cried out: I'VE give it up.
is not often the Atlantic feet doe
this, but to- day YOU are too niue