The Washington herald., 1909-02-14
THE RETURN OF THE FLEET
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

A week from tomorrow the famous
Atlantic feet win steam into Hampton
Roads after the most wonderful cruise
that the world has ever known The
President VIII be there 70 review il. as
he did when It sailed out, on December
ls, 1861, and II win pass before him in
the same formation, with the same Off
GERS and men On board-with the notable
exception of Rear Admiral Evans, who
retired from command with fun honors
at San Francisco last spring. Ths ships
viii be a trifie seaworn. the paint may
not be quite so fresh. bat the gieam OF
brass IA the sun-ght VIII be as bright
and the sailors win appear as trinity
clad as when they sailed away fourteen
months ago. A world record VIII have
been made when the feet comes home,
precedent set for nations 10 follow. IL
they. too. would show their invincibIe-
ness 70 the world. and q lesson IN the fit-
ness OF the American battle ship and its
men wiz have been demonstrated.
Never has the navy been able 70 boast
Of so efficient a body OF men aboard the
ships. The news OF the great cruise
Z
Canada to Texas, drew an army OF re-
cruits that lifted the seaman Tar above
the average hitherto known. Sailors.
formers. students. adventurers, journal
ists, soldiers OF f0rtune-ail came 70 en-
list Twenty per cent came from sailing
vessels; S. Der cent came from the
farms Of the Middle West-There Rear
Admiral Evans claims the best sea-fght-
ers grcw-from the farms OF Virginia and
New England. These. with the thousands
q able seaInen already on board, were
massed into a city population 1900 strong
and were given training on these sixteen
battle ships such as no civilian has ever
had; fer there was perfectfhoDe comfort,
good food. good discipline, and superb
sanitary conditions. such as the average
civilian has never known in his own home
town.
The outgoing battle ships passed IN re-
view before the President over year
ago. The line was so long that the Con-
necticut was only a blur OF smoke on the
horizon four miles away when the last
ship vas firing its last gun They formed
into a giant checker board, and kept al
ways q certain formation that was not
broken even IN passing through the
Straits oe Magellan Once fog swung
down Ike a great, gray curtain, and for
twenty-fOur hours shut out from each
ship the others ships. the sea and the
sky, but when It finally lifted the great
checkerboard was swinging along with
undiminished speed and in perfect for
nation.
These ships have retraced the steps OF
the Oregon on the WOrld-famous run OF
1855. They have taken peaceful possession
OF the Pacific. throwing force of eight
cen battle ships and eight armOred cruis-
ers on the Western coast IN proof OF the
nations ability to hold its own as second
sea power II need be. They have put
girdIs about the world and the trailing
smoke from the tunnels and the white
foam IN their wake has spelled out across
the seas the efficiency OF a people not yet
& century and a half old, who are in the
van OF naval supremacy, with older IA
tons left far behind.
Ports OF call on tbs route were chosen
with a view to their convenience as coal
ing stations or in answer TO diplomatic
invitations Weeks before the ships sailed
their itinerary had been named. and they
touched at each port as planned with so
little detection from the hour and day
named that it was not worth considering.
Only the recent earthquake troubles in
Italian waters caused any changes in
tie year-old plan, and these were made
IN accordance with the altrulsm OF na-
ton that would send It's ships to succor
those fl need and divert the provisions
intended for the feet TO the more i'm
mediate needs Of the homeless, starving
thousands OF Sicily.
Leaving Norfolk IN winter time. the
ships rushed through eight seasons CT
summer and winter before they reached
san Francisco. and returning again on q
winters day. they will have the memory
OF the Mediterranean summer only three
weeks behind them Puck's putting q
giTdie about the earth IN forty minutes
is a tame feat compared 20 that Of the
Atlantic feet and its fourteen months
achievement The ships kept an ordinary
cruising speed OF ten knots an hour with
out interruption for froEl eight 70 fifteen
days, and then they remained in some
port OF call for from FIVE 10 ten days.
Christmas they spent on Trinidad.
where New England Christmas trees and
tropical palms adorned ship and mess
table. New Years day was spent of
the coast OF Dutch Guiana The middle
Of January they arrived at Rio JsneirO
TO be guests OF the city. Two hundred
and fifty miles of the coast OF Argentina
the sixteen inTincibles were net By a
feet OF four Argentine cruisers. and as
the Atlantic feet fen ;nto iine, with Ar
gentine flags displayed and guns firing
salutes. the most unique midocean cere-
mony ever known TO the civilized wcrld
was witnessed
In the tracks OF Magellan they passed