The Cairo bulletin., 1909-02-21
ATLANTIC FLEET
OFF THE CAP[S
READY TO STEAM INTO HAMP.
TO-. ROADS IN REVIEW or
THE PRESIDENT.
IMPOSING SPECTACLE
VIII outciass Display When Ships
Departed Fourteen Months AGO
Hundreds of Thousands
Wit See Parade.

Fort Monroe, Va. Feb. 2O.--Whfn
the saiiitihg guns on the forward
bridge OF the armored cruiser No ta
Carolina doomed thirteen times 10.
day in honor of the blue flag Of Rear
Admiral Snerry on the battleshlp
Connecticut the confined forces that
are TO enter the Virginia capes Men
Cay to be reviewed by Presii Mt
Roosevelt the world cruise Of the
aixteen American battleships vas
completed.
The feet Is near enough to the Vir
ginia Capes tonight to insure It's ar
rival off the entrance 10 Hampton
Roads some time tomorrow The
fleet will rerqil of the capes tomor-
rGw aftc ntCn and evening and wi
grt Cader way Monday morning in
Line to pass into home waters AMI
begin filing by the Mayfiower exactly
at the hour arranged
The arrangements and details of
tho review are being carried forward
with the same degree of certainty as
though tn battleships and their eE-
eort were already in view of the Vif-
ginia coast Scores OF officers wives
are already at the hotels here. Among
them are nineteen who made the
Journey all the way around the world
or merchant ships and who cyeftoek k
)r awaited the naval vessels at vail
Gus ports visited.
Officers Wives Await Them.
Some OF these intrepid women even
went all the way to Australia. but
most of them remained in Japan
| while their husbands wore iR the afs- n
tinodes. There are other wives here
lwho went with tn fleet as far as
California. Still others there ara
Sho contented themselves with Wit
nessing the departure from here four
teen months ago and who tlen re-
turned to their homes In various
parts OF the country.
The social feature of The fleets re-
turn and stay in the Roads is to be
as notable as the departure.
From Washington and other points
large parties have arrived for fleet
week" and thousands more are ex'
pected within the next two days.
Washington's birthday is to be
celebrated as holiday more gener-
ally than ever before in this sectios.
and all residents OF Norfolk, Newport
News. Hampton and other cities who
can possibly do so will either be
ai0at or gathered along the shores
Of the roadstead to witness the ar
rival of tbs ships and the ceremonies
attending the visit of the president.
Norfolk, Va. Feb. 20.-A mighty
feet Of warships is lying on the Vir-
ginia capes today In readiness for the
great naval parade and review Mon
lday when the sixteen battleships OF
Rear Admiral Sperry's feet, accom-
Ipanled by the welcoming squadron OF
lhalf dozen battleships and cruisers
under the command of Rear Admiral
Arnold. will steam into Hampton
loads. to again ride the windrippled
waters where they weighed anchor on
| the memorable sixteenth OF Decem-
iber, 1907, and departed on Sht "
lmarkable cruise around the world
imposing Spectacle.
The arrival of the fleet will be
much more imposing spectacle than
was the departure. When the fleet
Isalled out into the broad Atlantic
over year ago there were sixteen
Ibattleships in the column that passed
lin review before the president. On
Monday there will be more than
Iscore of hattleships In the naval pa
Trade. besides several cruisers aud
smaller craft The Alabama. one OF
1.-THE sixteen battleshins that departei
Ifrom Hampton Roads. will be missing
The new ships that viii be in line VIII
be the Nebraska. never before on the
lAtlantic; the Wisconsin, the New
Hampshire, the Idaho. the MississiP-
Ipi. the Montana, the North Carolina
land the Chester. Salem and Birming-
ham. the three new sister scout eruis-
lers