The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1909-02-22
BATTLESHIP
FLEET RETURNS HOME
COMPLETES ITS VOYs
ACE AROUND THE
WORLD
Thousands Greet the Ar.
mazda as Ii Anchors in
Hampton Roads.

OLD POINT COMFORT. Va, Feb,
~ By q. Little Old Point Coma
fort went hilanOusly mad With jop
az rhe welcomed the return Of the
Atlantic betfleship fleet today.
Cannon bells and factory whistles
added 60 the din az thousands ok
human thr0ata ~ the great earthA
Rirdling battieahipa awuug paat the
Mayfi9wor 20 their auchofagss a
drixzllnK rain could not dampen the
ardur og enthusiasm ~ the muitis
iudsa ashore Or the masses nf apece
tnfors clustered Oh every eonceiVsA
BILE craft afloat
a dense fog ciouded the sea early
IN the morning but later lifted and
permitted those On shore 10 obtain
giimpses " black columnH Of FmcA&
from more than score u funusla
which marked the approach Of %
greatest armed fleet ever gathered
under an American flag
80 $50 "a fleet ~ neWEpa per boeta
aud pleasure craft started 10 meet
the MHyflUWer and the fleet
Before the flagship connectieus
came within sight ~ the MayFIowsr
Rear Admiral Eperry ordered single
column formation, and this was held
until the review was over.
Din Of Firing.
With the first sharp report u the
forward stsrboard ciRht-iuch rifle u
the Connecticut a din Of firing be.
gan that lasted for more than 30
minutsa. Even though smokelese
powder WAS used in the saiutina the
slight puffs from the niuzzics OF the
rifles raised a thin haze that partly
ohacured the view OF the vessels at
the end 81 tho column.
As the last ship II the weicome
squadron passed the Mayfiower. prtr
vate yachts press boats and exenfr
sion steamers fell In and parsed -
Informal review.
Ashore one Of the ironies Of The
occasion WAS the presence 81 Rear
Admiral Bronson who as chief q
the bureau ~ navigation. formulated
the original plans u the fleets great
voyage.
Admiral Bronson Ashore.
Admiral Bronson was present in 8
private capacity because Of diffeT< 4
ences with President Roosevelt
shortly after the fleet sailed. more
than q year ago. over placing hos.
pital ships under the command 81
surgeons. Through that quarrel
Bronson WAS prevented from further
directing the course 0f the neet
around the world.
A bright feature ~ the fleets reg
turn VIII be the wedding tonight II
Miss Gladys Halle ~ Jacksonville
Fla. go Aildshipmau Alfred Nsrtlg
81 Montana. who IL aboard the flaa~
ship Connecticut After the wedding
the couple VIII leave for a short
honeymoon IN the south. Narfiu
having applied for and being granted
leave ~ absence
Rear Admiral Spsrry. his divisiou
Officers and the captains Of the fieaf
came aboard tho Maynower shortly
after the fleets anchors were let "a
tn the waters Of Hampton Roads,
Roosevelt Makes Address.
The president addressed them ia
typical words u welcome. and wheh
he visited the ships u the fleet adj
dressed substantially the same
words 20 the officers and men Of the
vessels
Tho president began by referring
% the passage % time since the fledf
sailed on rs long cruise. and tolt
them how the heart ~ an filled WITH
pride as they saw the fleet return.
Official Program.
= Nf Nihfttat IfNkFafH 1877 the F&~
ccption 70 the battleshlp fleet was
as follows:
a. fn.--flcet started from sonth~
ern driii grounds about SO miies OF
the Virginia cApez. steamiBg slowly
$50 Fleet sighted from the capex
avo Presidential yacht Mayflos&
er arrived at the tail OF the horses
shoe. about half WAY between Old
Point Comfort and the tapes.
II CO. WarHhips sallsfed the press
ident as they passed the Mayfiowef.
i.20 p. m.-rhe fleet anchored off
Old Point Comfort
400 Rear Admiral Sperry. hie
division commanders and ship ear@
tains visited the MayfloNer and were
greeted by President Roosevelt
400 President began his visit to
the flagship Connecticut and the
fiagships Of tho other divisions of
The fleet
So President Roosevelt returned
20 the Mayflower. Shore leave given
men.
5o0--The Mayfiower departed for
Washington