The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-21
Government Officials Will Take
 Prominent Part
CROWD WILL BE IMMENSE
President Roosevelt Will Welcome Admiral Sperry and Elaborate Receptions and Dinners
 Will Be Given.

Washington. February 20.--(Special)- )-No ever received more real welcome than the one which will be accorded to the Amer lean fleet which arrives In Hampton Roads Monday by official and diplomatic per- sonages, headed by President Roosevelt and thousands of citizens.
 The President, as the official head of the army and navy, with a few invited guests, will sail tomorrow for Norfolk aboard the Mayaower. In company with the Mayhower the Dolphin will sail, carrying the members of the naval af- fairs committees of the Senate and House.
 More than 100 members of Congress probably Will make the journey down the Potomac river and aid in extending the national official welcome. A number of members of the House have chartered the steamer Washington of the Norfolk and Washington line and she. with about 50 of the representatives and their friends, will sail tomorrow evening
 The party will breakfast at the Hotel Chamberlain early Monday morning, and will then go aboard again and sail di- rectly for the Virginia capes in time to get the earliest possible glimpse of the fleet.
 Only the two regular vessels of the Norfolk line, sailing tonighs and tomor- row night, will be available for other clti- zens who wish to go down to the home 1 coming. Already passage abroad these Is at a premium.
 | Today the battleships were less than 300 l miles from the Virginia capes. but 1t l was impossible to get into direct wire | less communication with them Today | the cruiser Montana, which with her sister | ship, the North Carolina. left Hampton l Roads yesterday to join the fleet, was heard in Norfolk relaying government wireless messages from the fleet to the navy yard
 Admiral Sperry is to tell before the Navy club on Monday night all about the handling of the great fleet. Captain Ere mont is to tell about the Modern Battle ship
 The recital is one of unparalleled in terest and that interest Is immensely in- creased by the fact that at least one-half of this aggregation of war dogs may soon again double Cape Horn to take station permanently in the Pacific waters.
 The homing vessels will be conveyed by the newest battleships such as the Idaho, the New Hampshire, the Missis- sippi and the Montana and North Caro- lima
 President Roosevelt is to make four speeches. one on each of the fagships.
 The flagship Connecticut will reach the Mayiiower exactly at Il a m. The long single column will pass the Mayhower and take up position in the roads
 At 1:30 p. m. the vessels will drop anchor in two-column formation. The barges of the admiral's fleet will visit each ship of their respective divisions and pick up the captains of the fleet They will then steam alongside the Mayflower, reaching her at D. m.
 Accompanied by the commander-in- chief the President will leave the May flower at 2:30 p. m. and proceed to the Connecticut, spending 25 minutes there and then go to the Louisiana. the flagship of the second division, arriving there at 3:05 p. m.
 He will visit the Georgia, flagship of the third division, at 3:35 D. m. and the Wis consin of the fourth division at 405 D. m. The President will reach the May flower on the return at 4:40 p. m. and that vessel will then steam for Washing ton.
 The battleships which will remain at anchor in Hampton Roads until after March in order to send battalions from their crews to the inaugural parade in Washington are the Connecticut. Yer mont Louisiana, Wisconsin, Georgia, Illi- nois Kearsarge and Kentucky.
 The remaining eight battleships will leave Hampton Roads for their home navy yards immediately after inspection by the admiral.