Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-01-18
RIO WELCOMES FLEET
Great Demonstration As Battle
ships Enter the Harbor,
NATIONAL SALUTE WAS FIRED
Meg Than $4,000 Men Aboard the
sspsesi~,os Have Their First Ex
pmlence Crossing ''the Line.'s

Rio de Jansevp. Jan. 13.--The ID
great fighting ships composing the
American battleship fleet. Rear Al
miral Robley D. Evans commanding.
arrived here at O'Clock yesterday
afternoon. When the fleet arrived OF
Cape Frio, so miles TO the eastward
OF Rio de Janiero It was met By the
tender Yankton. Lieutenant Gherardi
commanding. which arrived here last
Friday. she having been dispatched
from Trinidad In advance of the fleet.
The yanlston delivered to Admiral
Evans dispatches containing iustrnc-
lions regarding the anchorage Of the
ships in the harbor here, details OF the
official plans for the entertainment OF
the officers and other matters concern.
ing the visit OF the battleships.
The voyage OF over 1000 miles from
Port OF Spain, Trinidad. was unmarried
by any serious accident.
The feet weighed anchor at :
clock on the afternoon OF December
20 at Port OF Spain, and exactly at 4
O'clock today the VESSELS were swing
ing at their anchors In this beautiful
harbor All OF the battleships are
here, but the supply ships Culgoa and
Glacier are still at sea, not having
been able to keep along with the 9TH
ers. The fleet has now covered about
1900 miles--about third the dis
lance of the voyage to San Francisco.
A Magnificent Scene.
As the fleet passed the lighthouse
on Cape Frio, a signal, set by order Of
the government, conveyed welcome
from the Brazilian people. AS the
warships came UP the bay every man
who uld possibly do so was II deck
to view the picturesque scenery, for
which Rio de Janiero Is noted the
world over Bach warship moved to
the anchorage position assigned to
her, anchors we're dropped and the
fleet presented a magnificent picture
to those having the slightest interest
In nautical affairs. But before the
ships reached their anchorage--in
| fact. when they were IL miles distant
they were met by cruiser and two
torpedo boats belonging to the Brazil
ian navy which had been dispatched
by Rear Admiral Alexandria de
Alencar. minister of rarine, to escort
them up the bay
There were IL Brazilian warships
and one German cruiser, the Bremen,
in port. AS the Americans passed the
Notifications national salute was
fired, which was replied to gun for
gun by the battleships Then follow
ed the salutes between the Brazilian.
German and the American warships,
and for time the noise was thunder.
Gus. F ~ 1x' y~-
Thousands OF persons went to the
waterfront TO welcome the visitors
and their greetings were tumuItous.
On January the fleet crossed the
Equator. and the occasion was mark
ed by a great deal of fun among the
jackies. Long before the date Il was
learned that there were 12.500 men
aboard the ships who had never cross
ed 'the line" and they were .argets
OF sport for the more seasoned blue
Jackets and officers, whose expert
ence had previously taken them-across
the Equator, which made them i'm
mnne from the attentions OF King
Neptune. who had the greatest day in
his career. His royal flag was dis
played from the mainmast OF each Of
the ships. and he came aboard In the
time-honored manner over the bow TO
see that all the neophytes were duly
initiated into the mysteries Of his
court. Discretion was indeed the bet
ter part OF yalor in treating with His
Majesty When any OF them tried to
resist the rather rough attention paid
to them by the Kings courtiers they
only called down on themselves much
worse treatment Various ceremonies
were INDUCED in and everything pass
ed of in most laughable manner
The Neptune VINO visited the Louis
lana was in a particularly gracious
humor, and 'as few offered any desper-
ate resistance to his royal attentions
he condescended to announce that
special honorary certificates would be
forwarded to President and Mrs
Roosevelt in due recognition OF the
fact that they had visited Panama.
which was near the ROYAL domain His
Majesty declared that although the