Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-02-22

turning battleship fleet reached the
southern drill grounds, fifty miles of
the Virginia capes, early today, and the
battleship Connecticpt has been in con-
stant wireless communication through
olrt the afternoon. The fleet VIII re-
1nadn on the drill grounds until o'clock
tomorrow morning, getting underway
at that hour in order to make the
capes by 10 o'clock and begin passing
the Mayhower at the tail of the horse
shoe in Chesapeake bay one hour later.
Polished and Painted Afresh.
The weather was well nigh perfect
off the coast today, and the battleships
during their breathing spell on the drill
grounds will b. polished and painted
afresh for the review tomorrow, which
viii go down IN history as one Of the
most notable in the annals OF the
American navy.
Twenty Battleships in Line.
The number Of vessels in the line
that viii file by the Mayaower will not
be so great as at other reviews, bur
never before has the president person.
ally visited SO many of the ships as he
plans % do tomorrow. The review will
also be notable In that it will bring to-
gether the greatest number of battle
ships ever assembled under the Ameri-
can flag. There will be twenty first
class battleships in the imposing COL
umn, two more than at the review in
San Francisco harbor last May. In
anticipation Of tomorrow's pageant, the
waters off here tonight ara filled with
brilliantly lighted yachts and many
classes Of government vessels.
President on Way to Review.
Word was received tonight that the
president and his party. on board the
Mayfower. are well on their way down
the Potomac. The Dolphin is en- route
from Washington with the members Of
tie house srG seEate rsval committees
on hoard. A specially chartered steam
or is bringing another party Of more
than one hundred members OF congress-
From Baltimore. Richmond and New
York vertable fleets Of excursion boats
are making their wax to the reviewing
grounds. and tomorrow morning will
finds the Roads filed as seldom before
with welcoming host Of all mdnneS of
floating craft
Sperry Reports His Arrival.
Rear admiral Sperry reported the
arrival of his feet, and the welcoming
squadron under command of Rear Ad-
1Firal Arnold. to the navy department
this mornin, as soon the twenty-five
snips Of the joint command were
brought to a standstill at the ocean
drill grounds. Practically all Of the
yard wireless station by the flagship
Connecticut were in cipher code. None
but official messages were exchanged
Admiral Sperry having given orders to
the wireless operator neither to send
nor receive personal or commercial
messages.
Old Point Comfort Chicken With Wis
itors.
Hundreds of people went to Virginia
Beach and Care Henry today hoping
10 eaten GLIMPSE of the returning
s1ips. They were disappointed, how |
ever. as the ships lay too far off the |
ooast to be observed even from high |
towers
Both Norfolk and OSd Point Comfort
We're fairly cAoked with excursionists |
and visitors today, and the hotels are |
being tested to care for the eager
crowds.
Fleet Messengers at Fort Monroe. i
The repair ship Panther, a converted !
cruiser commanded by Commander |
Valentine s. Nelson, steamed in today, |
the third Of the auxlliaries Of the fleet |
70 make home after encircling the |
globe.
The collier Ajax also came in today, |
late messenger from the feet. Col !
liers have no home other than the rest |
less ocean, and so the black Ajax few |
no homeward psnnant today.
100000 in tho Strong Room of the
Yankton.
The Yankton slipped in last Wednes- |
day with the sentimental streamer |
notably abSent from the aftermast. This |
busy despatch boat returned from /
Washington today veritable treasure |
ship. In her strong room tonight are |
golden eagles, double eagles and half I
eagles TO the amount Of 100000 to be |
used in paying of the officers and |
men upon their arrival
Wives Of Adn1irsIs and Captains
Waiting.
The naval yacht Syiph, one Of the /
vessels placed at the disposition Of the !
president. arrived today to take out /
10 the reviewing grounds tomorrow the
wives OF the admirals and captains of
the feet
Mrs. Sperry, Mrs. Schroeder. Mrs.
Wainwright and Mrs. Potter, wives Of
the flag officers Of the four divisions
of the feet, are all here, and more
than one-half Of the wives Of the cap-
tains also will be on board the Sylph
tomorrow.
Woe Amsng the Navy Widows.
The decision Of Admiral sperry not
to attempt to receive the hundreds Of
WITCHES messages aQ0feSSeQ to officers
Of the feet, has occaSioned much woe
here among the navy widows and the
host of sWeethearts who have gather
I'd 10 greet the Homecoming officers. |
The ladies have simply been lombard
ing the naval wireless station at Nor
folk with messages for the past week.
some OF the intended radiograms were
intensely amusing. Il is said, and such
az the ethor waves which carry the
wireless dots and dashes seldom have
known.
With little or no knowledge Of the
difficulties and tedious delays that Of
ten accompany attempts at wireless
communication, the wives and sweet
hearts planned their messages regard
lessly.
"PII Be Waiting at the Dock"
Cheer up, ducky darling: III be
waiting at the DOCK" read one Of the
messages. while others were filed with
more love and kisses than the wireless
possibly could carry.
The Fleets Anchorage.
Rear Admiral Edward p Taussig.
cemn1andant of the Norfolk navy yard
and the Fifth naval district, arrived
this afternoon to arrange the last de-
tails OF, the fleets anchorage. The
naval tugs that win form patrol and
keep the pathway OF the feet clear Of
began to arrive this after
mnmm.