Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-05-15

Connecticut in lead, her sister ships
following her in one long col
umn. Over the water faint and
far away, the whistles of Long
Beach gave their screaming well
come. There was no sound from
the great white squadron. A string
of flags flutter from the Connect.
cuts foremost. Ship after ship fol.
lowed her, like great white swans
sailing across a pond. Who could
blame Joaquiss Miller, the venera->
BILE poet of the Sierras, for shout
enthusiastically. "Who isn't glad
he's an America? Glory to God
we are Americans. Yell! We're
Americans, and this dav we are
big"
Immediately upon the arrival Of
the fleet at San Pedro, Admiral
Thomas gave the signal to break
up the formation, and the squad
rons were distributed in sets of
four, at four of te different sea-
side resorts to which they were as
signed, viz: First division at San
o-Battleship Connecticut, and
FIagships Kansas, Vermont and
Louisiana. Second division, Long
ach-Flag ships Georgia, New
Jersey, Rhode Island and Virginia.
Third division, at Ocean Park
Battleship Maine and Flagships
Ohio, Missouri and Minnesota.
Fourth division at Redonda Flag
ships Alabama, Illinois, Kearsarage
and Kentucky,
The writer regrets that he cam
not be more explicit and enter into
detail the many interesting social
events, given in honor of these
men of war, by the Los Angeles
people, but will briefly describe the
banquet to Amiral Thomas and his
officers, at hotel Alexandria, which
outshone anything ever given be-
fore in this city.
The walls and the arehed roof
were entirely hidden with hanging
ferns, out of which peeped roses
and fairy lights. Somewhere in
the hidden depth a bird sang. The
table was a canopy of lilies OF the
valley and for get-me. nots. The
sides and walls Of the banquet hall
were trelllsed into an English rose
garden. Hidden away in this foli-
age were so bird cages containing
canaries. As Gen. Chaffee and Ad-
miral Thomas stepped through the
latticed arbor into the rose garden,
the hoods we've removed from these
cages and the birds warbled well
| come to the distinguished guests.
The only shadows of the evening
Law about the vacant chair, and the
great heart of this city throbbed in
sympathy and regret because OF
the illness of Rear Admiral Evans,
honored commander Of this world
famed fleet, from Hampton Roads
to Magdalena Bay.
The entertainment provided for
the enlisted men Of the fleet by
Los Angeles was duly appreciated,
and many were loathe to depart,
but all things come to an end. and
on the morning of April 70, bright
and early. the. automobiles were
astir. By 6 o'clock, the Venice
road was one long dusty process
sion. BY 7 o'clock, the beach be-
between Venice and Ocean Park,
was one mass Of people. At first
one could only discern in the dis
lance white specks on the water.
The first white speck headed
straight for the shore. When the
, sixteen ships were strung out IN a
long line, the Connecticut slowly
turned out to sea-they did no
|stunts-they loafed along past the
bluffs. not fast enough to raise a
ripple OH the surface of the bay,
slowly. slowly, and thus passed
away to the northward, sixteen
. great white ships, al in line.
From here they 70 to Santa Bar
bara. San Francisco, Honolulu, Sa-
moa. Australia, Sydney, Melbourne,
Manila, Yokohama and to Cheefoo,
Oct 20. The fleet then returns to
Manila for a months target prac-
tice; thence to Colombo, Adeu,
!. N.I~lIa Tha Lost NO M /.