The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-02-22
Greatest Navy in World, Re-
turns After Accomplishing
Mission of Peace-Personnel
of Fleet.

of water craft cheered Justify as the
ships returned from their fourteen
months cruise around the world. A
slight rain fell but didn't deter the
crowds lined up on the shore to
watch the home coming. Factory
whistles and whistles of vessels
shrieked greeting to the ships. Roose-
velt's yatch was anchored almost ON
the spot where he bid the ships good
bye. He will receive the officers this
On board the Mayfower President
Roosevelt this afternoon welcomed
the fleet. He addressed the officers
who visited the yacht. Later on visit
ing her flagship Connecticut, he made
the same address to officers and men
assembled there. He said "This Is
the first battleship feet that ever cir
cumnavigated the globe. In all the
long cruise you haven't had a single
accident worthy of mention. 1t left
in a high state OF war efficiency and
returned with the efficiency increased.
In addition the officers and men of
this formidable fighting force have
shown themselves best as heralds of
peace. We are proud of the ships
and the men,"
Old Point Comfort, Va. Feb. a.
Omitted Press) Enthusiastically well
coined by the mad blowing of the
whistles of a score OF naval vessels
and a hundred or mere other ships,
this only to be drowned out by the
thunderous saluting of twenty-one
guns from each Of the sixteen battle
ships in the column, Americas record
breaking feet sailed majestlcally into
Hampton Roads today.
II was the fleets homecoming after
its chrcumnavigation of the globe.
the most remarkable continuous voy-
age ever made by the warships OF any
navy.
President Roosevelt and Secretary
of the Navy Newberry, who were the
last to bid the feet Godspeed when
IL left Hampton Roads December 16,
1907, were the first to greet II upon
its return. The president and his
party of naval officers and ladies'
aboard the Mayfiower, which was an
chored of Thimble Shoal Light,
about seven miles out from Fort Mon
roe. sighted the warships as they
turned in through the Virginia capes,
then formally reviewed them while
they passed the Mayfower In single
column. When the feet had dropped |
anchor in the Roads just above histor-
e old Fort Monroe. the Mayfiower
steamed in among them and Admiral
Sperry, the commander-in-chief, and
his flag officers and ship captains were
received on board by the president
All, especially the chief
we're warmly congratulated upon the
safe completion of their unprecedent-
I'd cruise.
II was about 8 o'clock when the
came from down the Poto-
mac and the Chesapeake bay and an
.hored near Thimble Shoal, having
eft Washington yesterday afternoon.
In the party, besides the president and
Secretary Newberry, were Mrs Roose
welt, Miss Roosevelt, Mrs. Newberry,
Miss Newberry, Assistant Secretary of
The Navy and Mrs. Satterlee. Rear
Cowles, chief Of equipment,
and Mrs. Cowles, the presidents sis
Ter; Commander Simms. the presi-
ient's chief naval aide and Mrs.
Simms.
The Fleets Arrival.
Shortly after 10 o'clock the deck
watch on the Mayfiower discovered
column of smoke almost directly east
ward over Cape Charles, and half an
hour later the warships. which had
been approaching under slow speed in
order not to anticipate their sched-
D led hour OF arrival came into sight
and passed the Capes. At IL o'clock
the flagship Connecticut. leading, ar
rived of the Tail of the Horse Shoe, at
which point the feet was left by the
when 1t followed the bat
tleships out of the Roads at the be-
ginning of the cruise. A quarter OF
an hour later the Connecticut was on 4
the port beam Of the Mayflower at
distance of 800 yards. When opposite
the Mayfiower's quarter the Connecti-
cuts six-inch guns began the Official
salute Of 81 guns in honor of the
navy's commander-in-chief. Less
than half OF these had been fred when
the Kansas, the second ship in line,
took up the salute. quickly followed
BY the others. The feet, which has
averaged about 10 knots speed
throughout the cruise of more than
IA months, passed the president at
eight knots and entered the Roads at
six knots.
The clock-like system by which the
fleet weighed anchor and swungl
around with the tide to begin theI
cruise, was followed on the return.