The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-02-25
.BA1TLESHIP FLEET
IS WELCOMED HOME
FROM WORLD CRUISE
Led by Flagship Connecticut,
Vessels Parade Past the
Mayfower.

Old Point Comfort, Feb. 24.-With
homeWard-bound %pennants streaming
far behind them, % bands playing the
Star Spangled Banner" and saluting
with cannon-roaring tribute the presi-
dent of the United States, the battle
ship fleet Of the American navy ended
its world cruise here today.
After steaming in review before the
president on board the cruiser yacht
Mayflower, 16 white battleships finally
cast anchor in Hampton Roads, whence
they started IA months ago on the
notable journey of $4,000 miles.
AS a spectacle the arrival of the
fleet was marked by a steady rain
throughout h day, making the weather
30 thick on the water that the range Of
vision of h thousands on the shore
was limited to a few hundred yards.
Rain could befog vision but it could
not dampen the spirits OF those who
gathered about the roadstead to well
come home the ships and men. The
shore lines We're black with umbrellas.
Every point that offered vantage held
It's groups OF dozens or hundreds. For
eign naval attaches, immense parties
Of government officials, high officers
Of the army and navy we're aboard the
Meet which steamed out to greet the
incoming vessels and witness the re-
view by the president at the all Of the
horseshoe.
The Mayflower, which came down
from Washington last night with a
anchors in the same waters today
where she took up a position at the
sailing of the feet.
After the ceremonial greeting of the
battleships and their escort the May
flower steamed herself at the end OF
the long column into Hampton Roads,
and when the homecoming vessels an
chored, h took up a position in the
center of the fleet. Admiral Sperry
and other flag officers. together with
the captains commanding, were on
board. and to them President Roose-
Welt extended h cordial thanks which
he afterward expressed anew to the
officers and crews of the four divisional
hagships Connecticut. Louisiana,
Georgia and Wisconsin-which he WIS.,
tied later in the afternoon.
Mayflower Arrives.
Norfolk, Va, Feb. 24.-The Mayfow-
er, with President Roosevelt, aboard.
arrived at 1915 o'clock this morning.
The weather was very thick, becoming
thicker all the time. At 10:45 o'clock
the feet vas passing through the
capes.
At 1883 the flagship Connecticut
reached h Mayfower. The "a tncom-
ing warships fired a simultaneous sa-
Lutte of 81 guns in honor of the presi-
dent.
The Mayfower at 11:25 weighed an
Choir, followed the feet to It's destina-
ton, Hampton Roads. off Old Point
Comfort, where a reception on the
Mayflower was held. The feet fired
another salute on reaching Fort Mon
roe. &,
The inability of the wireless appa-
ratus to work well on account of at
mospheric conditions has resulted in "a
congestion of outgoing messages at the
Ngrfolk station which probably never
will be fully Strengthened out until the
fleet actually is in port.
Hundreds Of the messages are from
wives. s~Weethearts and relatives of the
officers Of the various ships. Others
have to do with the details Of the en-
t~ertainments being planned for the Of
f1cers and men of the fleet. Scores Of
officers wives are already at the hotels
here. Among them arc about 10 who
made the journey all the way around
the world on merchant ships and over
took or awaited the naval vessels at
the various ports visited.
Some of these intrepid women even
went all the way to Australia, but most
of them remained in Japan While their
husbands We're in the antipodes. There
are other wives here who went with
the fleet as far as California. Still
others there are who contented them
selves with witnessing the departure
from here IA months ago and then re-
turned to their homes in various parts
of tho country