New-York tribune., 1909-02-22
FLEET STEAMING
FOR HAMPTON ROADS
BATTLESHIPS ON TIME
FOR TO-DAY'S REVIEW.
President to ViSit Each DiUisiOndt
FIagship-TkOusands Flock
to the Scene.
to the Scene.

| United States steamer Yankton. FEB d. 1Oc45
| D. nl-The battleship fleet is ninety miles south
| east of Cape Henry. in line of squadrons; sD~A@'
ten knots; will arrive on schedule time. slow
| ing down if necessary. Strong southwest winds
during the night Of the 10Th increased to fresh
westerly gales. All tattleships pitched heavily
| but made satisfactory progress The weather
moderated on the night of the Doth
| The cruisers North. Carolina and Montana
| joined the fleet at IL D. m. the 10th. after
| heavy weather. causing delay to them.
making total of thirty shps-the strongest
| fleet ever brought together under the American
| flag.
Old Point Comfort. Va, Feb. 21--The weather
was wenigh perfect OF the coast to-day, and
| the battleships are expected to arrive or the
Capes at 10 O'Clock Tomorrow morning for the
review. which will be notable in the annals OF
| the American navy.
The number of vessels in the line that will file
by the Mayfower will not be so great as at
some previous reviews. but never before has
the President personally visited so Of the
ships as he plans to do tomorrow The review
will also be noteworthy in that it Will bring to-
| gether the greatest number Of battleships ever
| assembled under the American flag There VIII
be twenty first class battleships in the inpos-
ing column two more than at the review in san
Francisco Harbor in last May In anticipation
of to-morrow's pageant. the waters OF here to-
night are filed with brilliantly nghted yachts
and many classes Of government vessels All
water lanes seem TO be leading TO Hampton
Roads.
Word was received here tonight that the
President and his party. on board the Mayfower.
| were we'll on their way down the Potomac The
Dolphin is en- route from Washington with the
| members of the House and Senate Naval COM
rnittees on board. A specially chartered steamer
is bringing another party of more than one
| hundred members Of Congress From Balu-
more Richmond and New York veritable fleets
| of excursion boats are making their way TO the
| reviewing grounds. and tomorrow morning VIII
find the Roads filled with welcoming host OF
all manner of floating craft
sPERRY REPORTS ARRIVAL
Rear Admiral sperry reported the arrival Of hiA
feet and the escorting squadron. under COM
nand Of Rear Admiral Arnold. to the Navy De-
partment this morning soon as the twenty
five ships of the joint command were brought
TO a standstfu at the ocean drill grounds Prac-
ticalIy all of the messages sent to the Norfolk
Navy Yard wireless station by the flagship Con-
necticut were in cipher code None but official
| messages were exchanged. Admiral Sperry hav-
ing given orders the wireless operators neither
TO send nor receive personal OF commercial mes
sages Whether not Admiral Sperry will take
advantage OF the stay at the drill grounds untii
tomorrow morning to inspect any Of the ves-
sells is not known but it is generally believed by
the officers who are here that he will leave this
duty until after the Presidents review
Hundreds of persons went to Virginia Beach
and Cape Henry to-day. hoping TO eaten a
glimpse of the returning ships They were dis
appointed however. as the ships lay too far OF
the coast to be observed even from high towers
The faint tracings of smoke from some CON-
nnercial steamer passing up down the coast
occasionally set the watching throngs ahutcer
with excitement. but hopes were quickly dis
pAled when the unromantic vessels OF comunercs
came within range OF vision
Both Norfolk and Old Point were fairly
choked with excursionists and visitors today
and the hotels are being hard put TO It to cara
for the crowds
The repair ship Panther. converted cruisers
commanded by Commander Valentine s. Nel<
son. steamed in to-day. the third Of the auxil-
iaries OF the fleet to make home after encirehns
the globe A honeward bound pennant OF red
streanoed far behind the trim white vessel
she entered the capes and proceeded to an
ANCHORAGE almost directly OF the government
pier. The Panther seems an i'll named vessel.
having none of the tendencies or qualities OF a
beast Of prey. Instead. she has been more OF 4
guardian angel to the feet. being ready at al
times to make any repairs that might be needed.
Fitted with forges and much Of the equipment
of a modern naval station ashore. the presencs
of this floating machine shop has given feeling
of security to every commanding officer in tbs
fleet The Panther on larger and more COM
plete scale has been to the world cruising feet
what the better named Vulcan to the Amer
lean naval forces In Cuban waters during ths
Spanish-American War.
The collier Ajax also came IN to-day. late;
messenger from the feet Golfers have no home
other than the restless ocean. and so the black
Ajax few no home bound pennant to-day The
Yankton slipped in last Wednesday with ths
sentimental streamer notably absent from the
aftermast This busy dispatch boat returned
from Washington to-day a veritable treasure
ship In her strong room tonight are golden
eagles double eagles and halS eagles TO the
amount of $4,000 TO be used in paying OF the
officers and men upon their arrival The men
| have not had a payday for some time. and the
Jingle Of American gold IN their pockets in =
home port will sound good TO the blueJackets
The naval yacht Sylph. OF the vessels
placed at the disposition of the President
rived here to-day TO take to the reviewing
grounds tomorrow the wives OF the flag off,
GERS and captains of the feet
WIVES OF OFFICERS ON HAND
Mrs. Sperry. Mrs Schroeder, Mrs. wainwright
and Mrs. Potter, wives OF the rear adrnirals
commanding the four divisions Of the fleet are
here and more than one-half OF the wives OF
the captains will also be on board the Sylph
tomorrow. The naval yacht Oneida. assigned
to the militia of the District of Columbia Is
here with General George H Harries. OF Wash
ington. and a party board Vessels OF the
Virginia and Maryland oyster navies" arrived
this afternoon and threw out their rainbow
dressing lines Immediately upon anchoring
Several lighthouse tenders and revenue cutters
are here to take out parties OF government on
cials army officers etc