Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-02-26

will leave the tariff higher than it in
tended, and thus the trust will gain
it's point.
The Southern Ry. is said to be ready
to begin Operations at Lynchburg
again which were stopped by the panic.
FLEET HOME.
GREAT AMERICAN VESSELS COME INTO
HAMPTON ROADS-PRESIDENT
GREETS THEN-250, 900 VS.
IToRS THERE, ETC.
Fort Monroe, Va, Feb. 23.-Fog and
rain blanketed the returning battleship
fleet as it approached Hampton Roads
and shrouded the welcoming craft
which had gathered in the famous wa
terway from which the United States
warships sailed forth in December 1907,
on their word circling cruise.
Back from its AZ, 600 mile globe grid
ling journey, the greatest fleet of bat
tleships the world has ever known was
greeted by the cheers Of 100000 people.
AT the dawn twenty-three grim ships
of war began to poke their noses over
the horizon at the cape, and with stars
and stripes swapping, with officers and
crew Respondent in immaculate uni
forms, the huge fighting machines
steamed majestically to their anchor
age past the Mayfower, with the chief
executive on board, who reviewed the
ships and was in turn greeted by thun-
derous salute from the great guns, of the
fleet.
REVIEWED BY THE PRESIDENT.
Foreign naval attaches, parties or
government officials, high officers of
the army and navy, were abroad the
fleet of welcome which steamed out to
greet the incoming vessels and to wit
ness the review by the president at the
tail of the horseshoe.
The Mayfower cast her anchors in
the same waters where she took up po
sition at the sailing of the fleet.
After the ceremonial greeting of the
battleships and their escort the May
flower steamed at the end of the long
column into Hampton Roads, and
when the homecoming vessels anchor
ed she took up position in the center
of the fleet
Admiral Sperry, with the other flag
officers and the captains commanding
were then received on board, and to
them President Roosevelt extended
cordial thanks, which he afterward ex-
pressed anew to the officers and crews
of the four divisional f1agships, the
Connecticut, Louisiana, Georgia and
Wisconsin, which he visited late in the
afternoon. He said:
PRAISES RECORD BREAKING FEAT.
"Over year has passed since you
steamed out of this harbor and over tn e
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.
"Ever your general course has been
westward, and now you come back to
the port from which you set sail. This
is the Fl rst battle fleet that has ever cir
cumavigated the globe. Those who
perform the feat again can but follow
in your footsteps.
s'The little torpedo fiotilla went with
you around South America, through
the strait of Magellan, to our own Pa
cific coast The armored cruiser squad
ron met you and left you again when
you were halfway round the world.
You have falsified every prediction of
the prophets of failure.
SIN all your long cruise not an acct
dent worthy of mention has happened
to single battleship, nor yet to the
cruisers or torpedo boats You left this
coast in high state..of battle efficiency,
and you return with your efficiency in
creased, better prepared then when you
eft, not only in personnel, but even in
material.
s'BETTKR THAN AT STARTING"
"During your world cruise you have
taken your regular gunnery practice,
and, skilled though you were before
with the guns, you have grown more
skiIlful still, and through practice you
have improved in battle tactics, though
here there is more room for improve
ment than in your gunnsry.
Incidentally, 1 suppose l need hard
ly say that one measure of your fitness
must be your clear recognition of the
need always steadily 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 back
ward
GAS war machine the fleet comes
back in better shape than when it went
away. In addition you, the officers
and men of the formidable fighting
force, have shown yourselves the best
of all possible ambassadors and heralds |
Of peace. Wherever you have landed
you have borne yourselves so as to make
US at home proud Of being your coun-
trymen.
"RAISED REPUTE AMONG NATIONS"
"You have shown that the best type !
of fighting man of the sea know how
to appear to the utmost possible advan-
tage when his business is to behave