The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1908-04-23
BIG BATTLE FLEET
IN HOME WATERS
A Splendid Spectacle al Coronado
Beach, Cal.

San Diego, Cal Especially. - The
American battleship feet sailed Tues
lay on summer sea. Sapphire
waters. rejecting the deep blue OF a
sloudless Southern sky; tropical
Islands jutting boldly out of the
ocean in the path of the Western
horizon. mile of sandy beach crowd
ed with enthusiastic patriots proud
TO welcome the Navy to California
and the green lawns and flowing
gardens of Coronado formed the set
ting for the most notable marine
| spectacle the Wes. Coast of the Uni
ted states has ever known.
In four regular intervaled columns,
with fagships leading and pointing
| the way to the first home anchorage,
the fleet has found in it's four months
OF cruising around the southernmost
end of the Western Hemisphere, the
10 ships swept into the sheltered
cove OF the sea behind the towering
headlands of Point Lama and halted
for four days OF merrymaking for
men and officers.
Gov. James N. Gillett was here
officially to welcome the fleet, and
his call was paid during the after
! noon. Local committees also went
to the Connecticut to tell Admiral
Thomas, and through him all the
men of the fleet, how glad the peo-
pie of California are TO see such
splendid representation of the Amer
lean Navy as the battle fleet" con-
stitutes.
At night Admirals Thomas, Sperry
and Emery and the commanding ofIl-
GERS and members of the various stalls
,t ,lo
but informal, dinner at the Hotel
Del Coronado. The beauty of the
days spectacle, when, with flashing
signals and wonderfully executed
maneuvers, the ships were brought
to anchor in the lazy, rolling Pacific
waters, was rivaled, when for three
hours every vessel was outlined In
fire.
During half an hour of the period
of illumination searchlight display
was made, adding to the wonderful
effect.
On shore scores of red-signa fires
were maintained throughout the even
ing as a welcome sign, and above
all, high in the reaches of the sky,
shone a brilliant Southern moon,
hurrying its way to romantic full
ness The thousands who journeyed
from San Diego to the beaches OF
Coronado to witness the arrival of
the fleet remained to view the beau
ties offered by the night.
The fleet let go its anchors-aN
splashing in the water with preci-
sion at 12.47 p. M.-just l3 minutes
before the anchoring hour arrived.
For two hours the ships had been
in sight, and their coming had been
watched with wonder by the waiting
throngs
The splendid condition OF the ships
was manifested in every way. Gut
wardly they were the same sparkling,
white and buff units of a powerful
aggregation of fighting force that
pointed their way out OF Hampton
Roads on a home coast 5000 miles
away, with the President showing
the way on his cruiser yacht the May
flower. Internally the ships were in
better condition than when they start
ed-engines working with the smooth
trust and throw of perfect bearings
and careful handling, and boilers
making steam with less consumption
of coal because of the increased ef-
ficiency in the firing-rooms.
Rear Admiral Charles M. Thomas.
commanding, was on tho bridge OF
the Connecticut as the fleet steamed
to its anchorage. The absence OF
Rear Admiral Evans. who is i'll at
Paso Robles. is deeply regretted on
all sides. Admiral Thomas at the
dinner referred to the matter with
much feeling.