Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-04-20
GALA DAY FOR FLEET
Monster Welcome For Battle
 ships by CaIifornians.
SEPARATED FOR FIRST TIME.

Four Harbors Holding Four Vessels
 Eaeh-Men Go Ashore to Inspect Los
 Angeles While Citizens Flock on
 Board Ship.
 Los Angeles, Cal. April 20.-For the first time since leaving Hampton Roads the battleships of the Atlantic fleet are separated In four harbors, few miles apart they lie at anchor in di- visions of four. and these positions they will maintain until next Saturday morning, when the sixteen fighting craft, again united under the flag of Rear Admiral Thomas, will get under way for Santa Barbara, the next port of welcome.
 The shores of San Pedro harbor and the hills overlooking were well covered with spectators. eager to witness the maneuvers of the warships. While the crowds ashore watched, suddenly the signals began to fly, and within few minutes the second division, led by its flagship, the Georgia, steamed slowly out of line and proceeded three miles across the harbor to point op- posite Long Beach. The third and fourth divisions rounded Point Firma for a long cruise to San Pedro, the four ships led by the flagship Maine proceeding to anchorage in the most sheltered portion of Santa Monica bay, and the fourth division, with the Ala bama leading, dropping out of the col umn to anchor few hundred yards off the pier at Redondo.
 Crowd Beaches to View Ships.
 At an early hour the steam and cleo tric roads were transporting tens of thousands of visitors to all four ports, and as the day advanced the over crowded beach cities sent their surplus thousands of people along the stretches of sandy beaches out and along the piers and along the hills that com mand the best views of the vessels at anchor.
 For nearly thirty miles the coast seemed to be fringed with people. Steamers, launches. sailing craft, tugs, yachts and power boats swarmed over the water. Every craft was loaded to the gunwale, and every throat of the yelling thousands was soon as hoarse as a fog whistle. The California fleet frenzy extended far out to sea and far along the shore.
 Almost as soon as the ships anchored liberty parties were summoned aft. About 5000 men were sent ashore. The sailors were given liberty for twenty four hours. something they have not had in any port since the cruise be- gan. ....-
 Honor Sailors In Churches.
 A striking feature of the service in each of the big churches of Los An geles was the presence of squads of sailors in uniform, who were without exception given places in front pews and to whom in nearly every instance the clergymen addressed portion of the Easter sermon.
 The church squads" composed of first class liberty men, after attending devotions were given time to see the city. Armed patrols were landed al the beach cities and sent into Los An geles. but up to late hour there had not been a single instance of disorder.
 Throughout the next five days and while officers and men of the fleet ars participating in the round of banquets balls and other forms of entertain ment devised by various committees the people of southern California vii be welcomed aboard the battleships and each night there will be a repeti tion of last nights splendid illumina tions. It is safe to say that a quartet of million people will make the eff fort to inspect the big guns at clos' range and learn how Jack lives aboard shin