The Mena weekly star., 1908-04-23
AFTER THEIR LONG CRUISE BAT TLEsHlPs DROP ANCHOR AT
 SAN DIEGO, cAL-
ENTHUSIASTIC GREETING BY CITIZENS
The Magnificent vessels Reached Their First Home Anchorage Just fs Minutes Ahead of Their Schedule --0ov. GIlIett and and Rear Admiral Thomas Exchange Calls.

Ban Diego, Cal. Apr. 16.-The AmerioAa battleship nee< sailed Tues day on 6 summer sea. Sapphire waters. refiecting the deep blue of cloudless southern sky; tropical islands jutting boldly out of the ocean in the path of the western horizon, mile of sandy beach crowded with en- thusiastic patriots proud to welcome the navy to California and the green lawns and towering gardens of Coro- nado formed the setting for the most notable marine spectacle the west coast of the United States has ever known. In four egularly-intervaled columns. with flagships leading abreast and pointing the way to the first home anchorage. the fleet has found in it's four months of cruising around the southern-most end of the western hemisphere. the 16 ships swept into the sheltered cove of the sea behind the towering headlands of Point Loma and halted for four days of merry-making for men and officers. Gov. James N. Gillett was here of ficially to welcome the fleet and his call upon Rear Admiral Thomas. com manding In the absence of Rear Ad- miral Robley D. Evans. who took the fleet out of Hampton Roads last De cember, was repaid during the after noon. Local committees also went to the Connecticut to tell Admiral Thom as and through him all the men of the fleet how glad the people of Cali fornia are to see such a splendid repre- sentation of the American navy as the battle feet" constitutes. Tuesday Admirals Thomas, Sperry and Emory and the commanding officers and mem- bers of the various staffs were enter tained at an elaborate but informal dinner at the Hotel Del Coronado. It was their first taste of the hospitable functions which have been planned in their honor all the way to San Fran cisco and beyond. Coming after the decidedly limited fare offered by the desoiate country surrounding Magda- lena bay, the dainties furnished were rarely relished. The beauty of the day spectacle when with flashing sig |nals and wonderfully executed maneu- .vers the ships were brought to anchor h the lazy rolling Pacific waters was rivaled Tuesday night when for three hours every vessel was outlined in Ire. Thousands of incandescent bulbs were strung along deck lines, up mili- tary masts. far out on the signal yard arms, up and down the huge ftinnels and down to the waters edge at stem and stern. In fairy-like form the ships stood out against the night and In letters six feet high the name of every vessel was spelled across it's forward bridge. The glow of the lights
 flooded the sea for thousands of yards away, the gleaming outlines simmer Ing in phantom-like reflections.
 During half an hour of the period of illumination q searchlight display was made, adding infinitely to the wonder ful effect. The flashing shafts of pow erful white lights were sent dancing over the waves. playing now and then on the crowded beach of the brilliant ly illuminated hotel. then reaching far away to the south to conjure from the night the peaks of the coastal range of mountains which mark the boun- dary line between Mexico and. the United States.
 During all this radiant display the old lighthouse marking the ruonding point to the north--Point Lomas lonely beacon--fiashed it's alternating red and white signals in democratic simplicity and wholly unmindful of the spectacle the coming of the ships and their illumination afforded. On shore scores of red signal fires were maintained throughout the evening as welcome sign and above all, high In the reaches of the sky, shone a bril- liant southern moon. hurrying its way to romantic fullness. The thousands who journeyed from San Diego to the beaches of Coronado to witness the arrival of the fleet, remained to view the beauties offered by the night
 The fleet let go It's anchors-all splashing in the water with precision at 12:47 D. m. just 13 minutes before the announced hour of arrival.