The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-23
BATTLESHIPS
 IN REVIEW
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 eral times in honor of the President and almost in midst of the dificult lmanouvres of swinging 'the ships into anch orage position. tribute to the father of this country was not forgot ten, Exactly at noon, in unison with the cannon showing their muzzles over the crowded ramparts of Fortress Mon l. roe. the fleet fired a salute of twenty one guns. each ship letting go simul- taneously.
 A Spectacular Scene. The first glimpse of the ships today by the President and his guests on the Mayfiower and the thousands who journeyed down to the Virginia Capes on the greatest fleet of excursion ves- sells ever seen in Hampton Roads. was when the black crosses formed by the aignal yards at the mastheads loomcd above the horizon. The day was so overcast and gray that the naked eye icould scarcely distinguish where wa iter ended and sky began. The smoke from the fleet mingled with the low lying clouds and hung like a pail over the approaching vessels. But gradual lay the white hull and the bun super structure of the Connecticut, leading the long column of returning battle ships and their escort, took form out 'of the mist.
 Only the leading ships in the long straight line were visible when a flash of cannon from the flagship started the salute to the Presidents flag, flying at the mainmast of the Mayflower. The salute was caught up by every other vessel in the far flung column, which seemed to disappear down the near distance of the close drawn horizon. The flashes of fire burning through the mist appeared to extend far over the eafth's rim. The roar of the cannon at the height of the volley was deafen- ing. but the noise diedsaway at the fin 'ish like distant thunder, the nearer ships finishing the toll of guns some moments before the echoes of the last shots by the trailing escort were heard.
 In the wake of the sixteen return ing battleships were four other bat tleships of the home station and five giant cruisers. In the matter of bat tleships 1t was the heaviest fleet ever gathered under the flag. The escort ing ships were garbed in the new grap prescribed for all the vessels of the navy and appeared at a distinct disad- vantage alongside the white and bufi vessels of the world-girdling squad rons. The latter vessels as they go to navy yards for docking and such minor repairs as are needed at the end of tf1ls memorable voyage of 45,000 miles will join the company of stay-at-homes in their dressing of neutral gray and one of the distinctive features of the American navy will be a thing of the past.
 The fog of the morning and the in- cessant rain, of the later day did not deter any of the thousands who had planned to visit the ocean beaches and fba ahorea of hay and rOadstPad
 Old Point Comfort never had such throng as today and a strong detail mfiffaccomp Teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
 o fartillery from Fortress Monroe was required to keep the crowds from pushing those in the front ranks of the lines of spectators overheard into the sea. Swerving far out into the ,roadstead the Connecticut led the ships to anchorage. making a long graceful! turn and pointing her prows again toward the capes to face the in- looming tide.
 Tonight the fleet once more at home rests in two long lines. The vessels were brilliantly illuminated during the evening, the outlines of their hulls cir masts and their towering fun nels being painted in the brilliant flare of electric bulbs against the black back ground of the night.
 Guests at BanQuets Ashore the admirals and the chp- ttains of the fleet. together with tive score or more of officers, were guests at the annual banquet of the Navy League of the United States, the speak ers being Rear Admiral Sperry. who responded to the toast '"rhe Fleet; Cptain John c. Fremont of the battle ship Mississippi, whose subject was "The Modern Battleship"; Lieutenant- Commander Ridley Mclean. who spoke on Blue Jack ets"; Governor C. A. Swanson. of Virginia; John w. Weeks and Colonel Robert M. Thompson whose toast was Welcome Homs." The banquet was held in the Hotel ChamberIin ball room. Teh parlors and spacious lobbies of the hotel were thronged with officers in uniform. All of the ships will remain here for q week. and at least one-half of the twenty-five vessels in the roadstead 1 will remain until after the inaugura. tion.
 The half-score of Turkish naval off cers who came home at passenger. with the fleet were picturesque figure. are much like the Americans. but in. stead of cap they wear red fezzes.
 Description of Arrival.
 Fort Monroe. Va. Feb. 22.-Sixteer battleships from 'round-the- world with an honor guard of four mighty men fighting men. ships of the line to the number of score, sixteen battleshipf that ciroled the globe. with their shot. ted tongues, all mute with never 6 grain of powder spent except in friend fly salute.
 Into Hampton Roads they sailed to- day. this fleet. with history In It's wake just at noon. when the guns of Fort Monroe were firing the national salute in honor of George Washingtons birth coming.
 AS a spectacle, the arrival of the homeward bound fleet was marred by 2