The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-02-05
FLEET To UNITE
At GIBRALTAR
WARsHIPs OF FOUR NATIONS
READY TO SALUTE COMBINED
AMERICAN ARMADA.
TWO DAYS AHEAD OF TIME
Sperry's Ranking Officers Disregard
Etiquette and Pay First Wis.
lts-Entertainment
Arranged.

Giibraltaf.-The Connecutlcut Yer.
mont, Kansas, Minnesota, Georgia
and Nebraska OF the Atlantic feet,
under command of Rear Admiral Sper.
ry. have arrived. Five GOLFERS and
the auxiliaries Yankton and Panther
are here. The fun has begun while
waiting for the other ships.
From the monent the glistening
white hulls Of the American ships were
mere specks rpon the blue water of
the Mediterranean. every point of van.
tage on the rock Of Gibraltar was
occupied, and by the time they were
ready TO round majestically into the
harbor the entire population seemed
to be massed upon the water front.
The two Brazilian battlcships, Able.
marie and Albion, and the four ships
Of the second cruiser squadron. just
returned from South American waters;
the Russian battleships Tzarevitch and
Silva, and the two protected cruisers,
Bogatyr and Oleg; the French gunboat
CaBsini and the Dutch gunboat Heima.
del, lying inside the breakwater with
sides. manned, flags dipping and bands
playing, greeted the American war
ships as each In turn entered and was
berthed.
Admrals Exchange Visits.
The American battleships responded
with flags and music, the band on
board the Connecticut playing the ma
tional anthem Of each country repre-.
scented. AS they passed the jackies
aboard the Russian warships uncoy'
cred and stood with barred heads while
the American bands rendered God
Save the Gear"
The official calls begans as soon az
the visiting ships were moored. The
vice admiral, Sir James f. c. Good
rich; the admiral, superintendent and
commander Of all the naval establish
ments n Gibraltar, although Rear Ad'
miral Sperry's senior in rank, did not
wait for the latter's visit. but imme
didately boarded the Connecticut to
extend his greetings, at the same time
insisting that the ships Of the divisions
az far as possible anchor In the basin,
instead OF on the Algeciras side, as
previously arranged. The senior Off
GERS OF the foreign warships followed
suit, and later in the day Rear Ad'
miral Sperry returned the calls, going
first to the admiralty house to repay
Vice Admiral Goodrich's courtesy.
All day launches and shore boats
filled with the curious churned around
the American battleships, the sight
seers marveling at their size and com
pairing them with the other warships
In the harbor.
Arrives Two Days Ahead.
Despite the rather unofficial charac
ter Of the visit and Rear Admiral Spcr
rvs disconcerting appearance with
his feet two days before single divt |
sion was expected, the English evil
IDENTIFY intend to give the Americans o
reception they will long remember.
Entertainments for the men will be
arranged by the various crews, such
MS athletics. boxing and rowing
matches, and dinners and parties
ashore and aGoat for the officers. The
functions will include q dinner at the
admiralty house Wednesday, a
race meeting and n dinner to be given
by the military governor, Sir Fred
erick Forestier-Walker. which will be
followed by a ball at the assembly
rooms, arranged by Richard l.
Sprague, the American consul. There
will also be q big gymkana, in which
tho American officers are expected tc
participate as competitors. This will
probably be held Friday.