The Washington herald., 1908-05-07

San Francisco May 6-The battle-ship
feet which was led into port by Rear Ad-
miral Evans in person. anchored of the
southern par Of this city at 2:15 this aft
ernoon, and San Francisco went into a
transport Of joy.
Hundreds of thousands crowded the
hills for miles. All seemed to go mad at
the sight Of the fleet The yellow peril
faded cut Of sight Japan for the time
being was wiped of the map.
San Franeisco's dream had come true.
She had about all the battle ships Uncle
sam could scrape together right where
she could see them. She was as happy as
mother hen clucklng her brood to-
gether No international hawk could
scare her.
The entrance into the Golden Gate was
as dramatic as even President Roosevelt
could have wished it. The ships anchored
over night at the light snip. ten miles out.
soon after daybreak a fog shut out the
Golden Gate.
It remained closed until Evans gave the
orders for the fleet to get under way.
Then old Sol decided to get into the game.
he burst through clouds, drove the fog
away and opened the Gate wide It was
just as If he said.
Evans, everything is now ready;
kindly sail inside -
The feet consisted of eighteen battle
ships, the torpedo hotiHa, and half a
dozen auxiliaries as it sailed in. The bat
tie ships Nebraska and Wisconsin. which
are to go around the world with the fleet,
displaclng the Maine and Alabama, took
their places in column. the Nebraska join
ing Admiral Emory's division and the
Wisconsin Admiral SperIy's
Floti1ia on Left Flank,
The torpedo fotnla and Yankton were
on the left flank Of the fleet. All the ships
h1d battle nagg AT The fore and main.
The feet sailed in at a ten-knot speed.
Long before the Gate was reached. vast
crowds on the hills could be made out.
1t was such an outDouriig as the fleet
has not seen anywhere on its voyage. not
even at Rio Inside the harbor, shiDpfng
was eongregated clear Of the fairway.
which was a half mile wide As soon as
the Gate was reached, the hubbub BEGAN.
1t really amounted to tumult one could
hear the tens Of thousands cheer on the
hills. Every eminence was packed. Hun
dreds Of boats. ocean steamers. yachts,
ferryboats, sailing vessels. and rowboats
were loaded to the gunwaIes. All the
large ships in the harbor were anchored.
and all the smaller ones had 20 keep out
OF the way. The navy had the entrance
all to itself
The spectacle was more imposing than
any Of its kind the United States has ever
seen before. AS soon as the Gate was
passed the forts on both sides Of the
harboF, Winfield Scott on the south. and
Baker on the north, fired the national
salute. That Of itself was unusual.
Black Powder Used.
The disappearing guns at the harbor's
mouth used black powder. and as the
guns Doked their muzzles above the
ground and doomed they sent up great
geysers Of smoke. The Connecticut re-
sponded before Fort Baker had finished
saluting.
Soon there came into view around
Point Angel Island, Admiral Dayton's
Pacific squadron. eight four-stacked
cruisers. "Bangw went the salute to Ad-
miral Evans. and bang went the an
swer. Then Goat Island was passed. The
government had allowed the people to
assemble there.
It was so crowded that it seemed to
have a list toward the fleet, like all ex-
cursion craft.
Bands OF music were playing on all sides.
From Point Lobos and Point Bonia, out
side the Gate, clear into the upper San
Francisco part of the bay. everybody
was now cheering and waving flags. Mob
Hill. Telegraph HIl, and Russian Hin
were so black they seemed half ready to
sink. Flags fluttered everywhere. every
hOusetOp was crowded All the tall build
tngs and half OF those IN skeleton form
In the course Of construction, were in a
flutter
1t was said that San Francisco was
having a commOtiOn such as she has not
experienced since the earthquake
MetcaIf on Board.
The Connecticut had reached a point
almost opposite the Ferry House when
1t was approached by the Yorktown This
time it was the Connectlcuts business TO
salute first as Secretary Of the Navy
Metcalfs pennant was flying from her
main.
Admiral Evans was glad to see his old
ship again. Seventeen guns roared out.
Each ship, as she passed the Yorktown
sounded four ruffles, the band PLAYED and
the marine guard presented arms. Then
up the channel came Daytons SQUADRON
It Joined the column with its torpedo
boats fisnking it just as the fotilla thai
has come around South America fanked
the Atlantic fleets column.
The auxiliaries were also in line. and
the fleet now consisted of AZ war ships-iS
battle ships. 8 armOred cruisers. and the
torpedo boats and auxiliaries. II was five
miles long and the most powerful collec-