The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-02-22

hardly have been more jubilant aDC
sincere If the fleet were returning vic
torious from some famous battle
ground. The President addressed moi
only the officers Of the fleet gathered
upon the quarterback OF the May flow
er, but he visited the four divisional
tiagships and there he addressed him
self to the crews In terms OF enthus
iastic compliments. AS it was impos
sible for Mr Roosevelt TO visit each oi
the sixteen returning vessels, repre-
sentatives of the men from each shiI
in the four divisions were gathered
upon the fiagships, and they in turn
took the Presidents greetings to their
shipmates
The Mayflower had not long lain al
anchor when the tracings Of smoke on
the horizon told of the approach OF
the feet, and soon the mastheads oi
the Connecticut could be picked up
with glasses through the wide-swung
capes. Then the white hull OF the
famous flagship flashed into view Out
Of the distance the feet grew rapidly
until at last the end of the white col.
umn in front could be distinguished
The gray clad bulks of the escort drew
far more slowly above the horizon and
served as splendid demonstration of
the value Of a neutral color for the
naval vessels In time of war.
While the leading ships were still
mile or more distant from the May
flower. a puff of white smoke from
the forward bridge of the Connecticut,
followed by a muffled boom AS the
sound waves followed more slowly the
dancing waves OF light, served as q
signal to all the fleet that the flagship
had made out" the Presidents flag
on the Mayflower. II was also the
signal of home at last" and made
the hearts Of $4,000 men and 500 Of
ficers beat more quickly, in realiza-
tion that the day they have looked
forward to through all the days OF law
ish hospitality abroad, had at last
arrived. That first gun OF the Connec-
ticut's naval salute to the President,
found every ship in the line with sa.
luting cannon ready and the second
powder puff from the flagship had not
sounded, when the guns OF all the 9TH
er ships had begun to speak in uni
son. the honors due the chief execu.
tive. The fleet was almost lost TO
view as the saluting was at its height,
but the clearing veil OF smoke flashed
the ships into view in far more bril-
liant picture than had been the frs.
glance, far down on the horizon.
The president made his way to the
bridge Of the Mayflower while the sa-
luting was in progress He had not
long to wait before the imposing line
was bearing right down upon the re-
viewing boat. The scene like that at
the departure of the fleet was one
which the President probably never
will forget. 1t set nerves tingling with
patriotic pride, for there Is no more in
spring sight than long column OF
we'll drilled fighting ships. On either
side Of the incoming armada were
gathered scores of excursion steam
ers which grew constantly thicker and
thicker as the warships ploughed their
way TO home anchorage. The ex.
cursion steamers, the tugs and the
launches were keeping up continu-
Gus roar OF salutes from their vari-
toned whistles. and thousands aboard.
as well as the throng on shore, were
cheering In a chorus which carried its
welcome home far across the waters
to ears that had not heard so sweet
a sound In all their $4,000 miles OF
cruising through the seven seas or
the world.