Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-05-06
HOME ONCE MORE
Americas Gallant Fleet Which Has Been Absent Nearly <
 Five Months.

months and twenty days out from Hampton roads, the Atlantic fleet of
 battleships and the second American
 torpedo fiotilla steamed to-day with
 in the Golden Gate and cast anchor
 in the harbor of San Francisco,
 where welcome characteristic of truly western hospitality awaits
 them. All last night the sixteen bat
 tleships lay at anchor of the outer
 lightship, gently rolling in the sweR
 of the Pacific, with the six accom-
 panying black hulled destroyers bob
 ping about in their restless manner
 and making life uncomfortable for
 everybody aboard. The glow of the
 city lights in the midnight sky could
 be plainly seen from the ships and
 made officers and men alike impa-
 tient for the completion of the last
 leg of the originally planned cruise
 of the heavy squadrons. The path
 to the Golden Gate lay to the east
 ward, while few miles away in the
 wake of the long dimmed sun the
 night lights of the tiny Farallone
 Islands twinkled their domestic
 vigils in entire ignorance of the i'm
 mediate presence of the most distIn-
 guished naval visitors ever sent to
 the west coast of the United States.
 Wireless dispatches sent from the
 ships to the shore during most
 lhe long night hours told of the un-
 kventful journey fromN Santa Cruz,
 the last stopping place, and of ti.e 1 preparations. for the impressive entry into San Francisco bay under the glare of the monday sun.
 The movements of the fleet have been so timed by the navigators that
 the Connecticut will pass within the
 headlands of the gateway, Point
 Bonita on the north and Point LoboS on the south. exactly at 12 o'clock. Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, who
 left the fleet after the first ten days of target practice at Magdalena bay and came to Paso Robles hot springs for treatment, rejoined the fleet yes- terday at Monterey and took up h,s qudfters in the emergency cabin of the Connecticut, where he spent most of his time during the long trip down the eastern coast of South America, through the straits of Magellan and on up the western coast of the hemisphere, to be at the head of the line of sixteen ships ou this day of their trihmphal entry into the historic bay of the far west. ern metropolis.
 It was estimated by railroad of ficials to-day that more than 300,- ! 900 strangers have been brought Ainto San Francisco alone during the last AS hours. The fleet has been the topic or every city, town or hamlet within several hundred miles of San Francisco during the past two months and every person able to make. the trip either by railroad or horse drawn vehicle-has come to witness bo.h the arrival to-day and review of the fleet in the harbor by Secretary Metcalf on Friday. The secretary has been in tA, city for Erveraf days and on board his re- viewing ship the Yorktown will see the entry of the magnificent line of fighting vessels to-day from just within the harbor gates. Every | hotel, boarding house and private residence within the neighborhood | of San Francisco is taxed to over flowing and the crowded conditions | are expected to continue most of the 10 days programme of entertain | ment provided for the officers and ] men of the visiting ships. With the earliest streaks Of the coming day, | the thousands who wished to view tha historic spectacle of the fleet en- trance began this morning to make | their way to points of vantage along the shores running both | north and south of the Golden Gate. The harbor itself was damned with pleasure craft from the earliest | hours of the day. The salutinR can- non of the presidio under special di- rection of General Funston will | boom a welcoming national salute of 21 guns in honor of the ships as they pass within the harbor. First | will come the Connecticut and then will follow at equal distances and in single column, the seven other vessels of the first squadron. the Kansas, Vermont, Louisiana. Georgia. New Jersey, Rhode Island and Virginia, augmented by the first of the new comers that are to join the fleet permanently at this port and which were picked up of the High ship the Nebraska. After the first squadron will come. the two divisions of the second, the flagship Minnesota with Rear Admiral Thoin- as on the bridge. having resumed her old time position at the head of the list of vessels, which include the Ohio. Missouri. Maine. Alabama. Illinois. KearSarEe and Kentucky, win the second of the new corners, the Wisconsin bringing up the rear. Alter these IS battleships come the six destroyerE of the second hotiIIa. The real little heroes Of the eruise around the southernmost end of America. These indefatiEabie It, lie craft have had to fight every inch Of their wsy from Hampton roads. even Co the cruise up the usually calm California coast which during the past vsek has been upse. and beaten by a flashing gale Of excep- tfonal InteAsify.