The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-22

her was the New Hampshire, whil
 opposite them ill the second column
 were the Mississippi and Idaho. Be
 hind these. one in each column, wer
 the armored cruisers North Carolin
 and Montana, and in the rear. with on on either side and one in the cente 1 aStern, were the scout cruisers. Salem Chester. and Birmingham. Thi Squadron, which g. week ago met thu fleet about 800 miles northeast of tn,
 Bermudas. led the way to the Virgini; l Capes. when it dropped back and le the Connecticut come in with the maf1 fleet first. In passing the Mayf1ower Admiral Arnold was about 1000 yard. behind the last ship of the main fleet far enough away so that the battle ships which made the cruise would
 stand out by themselves.
 When the Third Squadron had pass. ed. the Mayfower lifted anchor and 1 followed slowly at Q distance. Some time was necessarily consumed. owing to the current in the Roads. caused by the tide. in the ships settling into theii berths. When this was completed, up. l on the flash of signals from the Con. necticut to the Mayfower. Admira 1 Sperry personally greeted the Presi. | dent and Secretary of the Navy and 1 announced that he stood ready to re-
 port the end of his cruise. This report l was then made in personal. Admira. i OpSIIy DelI1E 10 the May
 flowers in launches by the three other
 rear admirals of the fleet and the shiI captains.
 1 President Roosevelt's Address.
 President Roosevelt delivered the following address of welcome this aft
 ernoon on board the Mayf1ower when Admiral Sperry and his fleet command
 CTS and captains made a call to nav | their rQSnnnfS Of xuI,o +r,o President visited the dagships of the fleet he repeated substantially the same words to officers and men on the vessels:
 Admiral sperry: Officers and Men of the Battle Fleet:
 Over a year has passed since you steamed out of this harbor and over the worlds rim and this morning the hearts of all who saw you thrilled with pride as the hulls of the mighty war ships lifted above the horizon. You have been in the northern and the southern hemispheres four times you have crossed the line: you have steam ed through all the great oceans: you have touched the coast of every con- tinent.
 Ever your general course has been westward and now you come back to the port from which you set sail. This Is the first battle fleet that has ever
 
 perform the feat again can but follow in your footsteps.
 The little torpedo fotilla went with you around South America. through the Straits of Magellan to our Pacific coast. The armored cruiser squadron met you and left you again when you were half way around the world. You have falsified every prediction of the pfo1ects failure. In all your long cruise. not an accident worthy of men, ton has happened to a single battle ship nor yet to the cruisers or torpedo boats. You left this coast in a. high state of battle efficiency and YOU re- turn with your efficiency increased: better prepared than when you left. not only in personnel but every ma terial. Always during your world cruise you have taken your regular gunnery practice and skilled though you were before with the guns. you through practice you have improved in battle tactics. though in that there is more room for improvement than in your gunnery.
 Incidentally suppose need hard 1y say that one measure of your fitness must be your clear recognition of the need of being always ready to strive to render yourselves more fit; if you ever grow to think that you are fit enough. you can make up your minds that from that moment you will begin to go backward.
 "As a war machine the fleet comes back in better shape than it went out, | I believe Ynu, the officers and men of this formidable fighting force have shown yourselves the best of all possi- | ble ambassadors and heralds of peace. l
 Wherever you have landed you have borne yourselves so as to make thoSe'l at home proud of their countrymen.
 nf a "a chi all the men in this whole fleet and we welcome you home to the country whose good repute among nations has ] been raised by what you have done."
 Following the Presidents reception 1 of the officers. the Mayfower started | back to Washington and the officers and men as many as could be spared | at one time. rushed ashore. most of | them to Old Point. to greet the mem- 1 bers of their families and friends who | had come from various parts Of the l country to welcome them home. The l other officers will be given this tenn | porary shore leave in relays of about 1 one fourth of the number on each ship | at one time, until all have had the | round After that. they will be grant ed such liberty as they can be spared for until the ships proceed to their home yards for docking and repairs
 As the battleships came in to-day ooking their fittest and apparently 1 none the worse for the wear of the ong voyage of 42.227 miles, equal to almost twice the distance around the equator, the naval authorities drew a breath of relief. Not that there had been any apprehension at any time of matter of navigation or possible nili- ,ary work to do. but becm'se the handling of sixteen of the most mod srn and formidable sea-f1ghting en- zines of the world, the supplying them with coal. oil and food at the different ports where stops were made. and pro- viding the ships with the pick of the ,fficers and men of the navy while on oreign view. required careful and al- nost constant attention. from the time he cruise was first protected. in July, 9o7. until the command left Gibraltar ] little over two weeks ago. The successful completion of the ruise without noteworthy accident or 1