The Washington herald., 1909-02-23

Fort Monroe, Va, Feb. 2s-Throush
mist and showers. under scudding. laden
clouds which the sun tried vainIy to pene-
trate. the great 0attIe-ship feet came
home to-day.
Weather conditions were as different az
could be from those that prevailed that
bright winter morning fourteen months
ago when the sixteen big armor-clads
sailed out Of Hampton Roads on their
'rOund-the-vorld cruise.
Fifteen Of the sixteen are al anchor to-
night in the broad roadstead. although
one had returned to home waters months
ago and had her place to-day with the
welcoming squadron OF battle ships and
cruisers This was the Maine. named IN
honor Of the other Maine. DESTROYED in
Havana Harbor eleven years ago. The
Alabama OF all the ships that left here
in December. 1901. is absent from the.
feet
In the stead Of the Maine and the Ala
bana. among the globe-encirciing armor-
elads, were the Wisconsin and the Ne
braska, built on the Pacific coast and
never seen before in a port OF the At
lantc seaboard- Twenty-Five ship Of war
composed that magnificent fighting farrs-
ton which passed into the Virginia Canes
this morning and came 70 anchor under
the shelter Of Old Point Comfort. Besides
the sixteen battle ships. whife-hulled uf.b
bun supersITgctUres. we're seven lead
painted vessels Of war. composing the
squadron Of escort which met the home
eoners about twelve hundred miles out
The entire twenty-five passing in review
before the naval yacht Aayf0ver. with
the President Of the United states aboard
presented a scene that those who Wit
messed II viii never forget At least thar
was what everybody vas saving fu tross
impressive minutes when the powerf,,i
battle doers passed along evenly suoo.b-
ly. and with dignity, as if conscious OF
their majesty
No Shelter for Watchers.
II the weather was bad. and II might
fairly be called that, the sssgoers no
net the feet ont beyond the anchorage
did not mind OF course. the returnia,
mariners Old not care a rap. for they
were coming home. and knew Of The vel
come awaiting them Those ashore rba
thousands who watched the oaro-s,,s
from places OF vantage al Old Point. ve-e
less Philosophical for they waited for
nouTs before the aTm0rclads came nea-
enough 10 be seen. and most OF them
could find no shelter from the occasional
downpours.
But as grand sight as the zrear hat
lie ships and their consorts presented. t5s
more spectacular feature Of this wonder
fui show-yas No more entertaining than
those scenes Of real human fnro-es, e.
acted when the feet officers went ashore
10 be greeted BY the hundreds Of wives
and sweethearts and others Of their WON
eHfoik who had been in a half frenzy of
excitement throughout the day.
Many of the women went 10 the Fort
Monroe dock 10 give their welcomes b,--
the greater number waited in the lobby
Of the ChamberIin Hotel. forming q gresr
reception committee Of enthusiasts. SONS
OF these navy women had not seen hus-
bands. or fathers, or brothers. OF other
girls brothers. since the feet went away
more than a year ago. Others had fol-
lowed their husbands around the world
big proportion had last seen their sail
ormen when the feet vas at san Fran
cisco. while not a few were lust back
from Gibraltar. whence the battle ships
had started on the last leg OF their
memorable voyage.
WELCOME Is Exuberant.
And such a kissing and huEEinr thai
went on. The first Of those to step ashore
at the earliest opportunity presented
after they had gone through the pleasant
experience Of being welcomed by their
own particular kin folk were surrounded
by groups Of anxious women. each and
every one Of them a rapid-fre battery OF
questions They wanted % know when
this officer or that would come ashore.
and why all hadn't come ashore al once.
and what those horrid superiors meant
By permitting this delay But It's all
right now.
The rule OF the Sect was that married
men and other men whose wives OF
other relatives Of the fair sex were wair-
ing for them here should be given pref
erence over those with none 10 celebrate
their coming. so most Of the officers
came ashore. and the other fellows stood
watch or performed other necessary duty.
Tonight the lobby Of the Chamberlia
Is filed with the mariners and those near
est and dearest 10 them, and there Is
much laughter and exchange OF ex-
Periences- A big formal dinner is taking
place IN the Chsmberlin, too. It iz being
given by the Navy League Of the United
States to Admiral Sperry and seventy
FIVE other officers The women are say
Ing that they don't Ike the Navy League.
Those whose husbands OF sweethearts
accepted invitations TO the function are
saying it most euDhatically.
You've done the trick. Every other
nation may do as you have done. but
they'll have TO follow after YOU Presi-
dent Roosevelt told the officers and en-
listed men in a speech he made shortly
after the arTDOr-clads came 10 anchor.
They cheered this with viii, ana
were ready and willing 10 cheer every
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