Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-26
HEAVY FOG DELAYS FLEET
ON JOURNEY NORTH
Special to The Herald.

Special to The Herald.
SANTA BARBARA, April 25.-Santa
Barbara has surrendered to the At
lantic fleet. The men of the American
navy, now in this port, own the town,
and on every hand is extended to the
guests most cordial greetings.
Santa Barbara's greeting to the men
of the big armada has been spontane-
Gus and cordial in the extreme. Every
body is vieing with his neighbor to
outdo the other in felicitationS for the
jolly tars and the officers
The fleet dropped anchor at 4:30, half
an hour behind the schedule. The fleet
encountered heavy fog at o'clock
this morning and proceeded slowly un-
til 1870 o'clock, when the fog lifted off
Ventura. 1t was necessary to keep the
fog whistles blowing constantly and to
tow spars astern during the morning.
AS Santa Barbara was sighted the
fleet maintained a speed of only eight
knots. For a portion OF the voyage
| from Santa Monica, whenever the fog
lifted, the ships log showed the full
standard speed of liz knots.
All the men of the fleet received their
pay aboard ships today before arriving
| in Santa Barbara.
| What a naval pageantry it was when
the fleet hove in sight sailing in two
divisions. eight ships abreast, like
column of soldiers. Santa Barbara is
| the first port where the ships have
entered their destination in division
formation, and that feature alone was
worth going many miles to see. Grace
| fully the big ships slid along the placid
Santa Barbara channel. At this port
the ships have shown to better advan-
taGe than at any place so far along the
western coast, and it is probable that
at no port, with possibly the naval re-
view in San Francisco bay, will the
fleet be able to maneuver as was done
today as Rear Admiral Thomas swung
his ships in line and each division
came to its anchorage simultaneously,
like squad of well-dressed soldiers.
Announce Arrival
The arrival of the ships was an
nounced by long blast from a siren
near the ocean front. From that time
on the feverish excitement of the peo-
pie knew no bounds. With deafening
shrills from ten sirens, 100 honking
automobiles, 1000 American flags with
as many gentle caresses from the
ocean breezes waving signs of greeting
and 10000 loyal Americans lining the
broad walk of Esplanade del Mar for
two miles along Santa Barbaras pub
lie promenade on Old Oceans edge.
Beautiful Picture
Imagine for a moment the quaint
city of Santa Barbara, with it's mission
architecture, it's vineclad homes and
it's wealth of redolent blossoms, all
nesting so admirably set by nature.
Just as the jeweler would set a precious
stone, in the vale between foothills ly-
ing on the west, north and eastern
sections, and with the wide expanse of
ocean at it's very feet, and at this time
that ocean dotted with sixteen of the
ships of the Atlantic fleet, the back
ground for which are three majestic
islands, standing as monitors and de-
tenders for the ships that shall seek a
haven here.
Early in the afternoon every avail
able pleasure craft In the harbor and
numerous craft from San Pedro, the
steamship Cabrillo with capacity of
nearly 1000 passengers, and other large
passenger boats were busy taking care
of the crowds that wanted to go down
to sea to the sooner be at hand to
extend greeting and to get close
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