Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-22
FLEET RETURNS
FROM VOYAGE
OF MANY SEAS
ARMADA SAFELY HOME AFTER
CRUISE OF WORLD
WARsHIPs ARE ANCHORED OFF
VIRGINIA CAPEs
President Roosevelt to Co Aboard
Vessels Today and Review impress
siVe rocession-ArriVal Closes
Epoch in History
[By Associated Press. ]

IT. returning battieship fleet reached
the southern drill grounds, fifty
miles off the Virginia capes, early to-
day and the battleship Connecticut
was in constant wireless communica
tion throughout the afternoon.
The fleet will remain on the grounds
until 5 o'clock Monday morning, get
ting under way at that hour in order
to make the capes by 10 o'clock and
| begin passing the Mayf1ower at the
tail of the Horseshoe in Chesapeake
bay one hour later.
The weather was nearly perfect off
the coast today and the battleships
during their breathing spell at the drill
grounds will be polished and painted
afresh for the review tomorrow, which
will go down in history as one of the
most notable in the annals of the
American navy.
To Visit Many Ships
The number Of vessels in the line
that will file by the Mayflower will not
be so great as at other reviews, but
never before has the president per-
sonally visited so many of the ships
as he plans to do tomorrow
The review will be notable also in
that it will bring together the great
est number of battleships ever assem-
bled under the American flag.
There will be twenty first-class bait
tieships in the imposing column, two
more than at the review in San Fran
cisco harbOr last May.
In anticipation of tomorrow's pa
geant the waters off here tonight are
filled with brilliantly lighted yachts
and many classes of government YES
sells.
Word was received tonight that the
presiden~ and his party on board the
Mayf1OM n are well on their way down
the Potomac.
The Dolphin is en- route from Wash
iEgtOn with members of the senate and
house naval committees on board. A
specially chartered steamer is bringing
another party of more than 100 MEM
bers Of congress. From Baltimore,
Richmond and New York veritabIe
fleets of excursion boats are coming.
sperry Reports Arrival
Rear Admiral SpeFry reported the
arrival of his fleet and the welcoming
squadron under command of Rear Ad-
miral Arnold to the navy department
this morning as soon as the twenty
five ships of the joint command, were
brought to a standstill at the ocean
drill grounds.
Both Norfolk and Old Point were
fairly choked with excursionists and
visitors and the hotels are crowded.
The repair ship Panther, a converted
cruiser, commanded by Commander
Valentine S. Nelson, steamed in today,
the third of the auxiliaries of the fleet
| to make home. A homeWard bound
pennant of red stTeamed behind as
she entered the capes and proceeded
to an anchorage almost directly off the
| government pier.
The collier Ajax also came in today
| The Yankton slipped in last Wednes-
day. This busy dispatch boat returned
from To n 70 p hIo
treasure ship
In her strong room tonight are gold
en- eagles, double eagles and half eagles
&c the amount of $SO0.000, to be used
in paying off the officers and men
upon their arrival.
Naval Yacht Arrives
The naval yacht Sylph, one of the
vessels placed at the disposal of the
president, arrived today to take out to
the reviewing ground tomorrow the
wives of the admirals and captains of
the fleet.
Mrs. Sperry, Mrs. Schroeder, Mrs.
Wainwright and Mrs. Potter, wives Of
the flag officers of the four divisions
of the fleet, are here and more than
one-half of the wives of the captains
also will be on board the Sylph to-
morrow.
The naval Yacht Oneida, assigned to
TIE 1llllljld VI llG DlSlIiCI Ol (OluillBIds
is here with Gen. George H. Harries
Of Washington and a party on 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 revo-
nue. cutters are here to take out par
ties of government officials army Of
ficers, etc.
The decision of Admiral Sperry not
to attempt to reach the hundreds Of
wireless messages addressed to officers
of the fleet has occasioned much woe
here among the navy widows and the
host of sweethearts who have gathered
to greet the Homecoming officers.
To Arrange Anchorage
Rear Admiral Edward T. Tausig.
commandant 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 will form a pa
! troll and keep the pathway Of the fleet
clear of trespass began to arrive this
afternoon.
The torpedo boat destroyer Worden
will be the flagship of the patrol.
The plan of tomorrow's review brief
| ly is as follows:
The May1ower. with the president
and his party on board, will arrive a
the tail Of the Horseshoe in Chesa-
peake bay, about eight miles east Of
the Old Point pier and about equal
distance from the gateway of the
capes, at 9 o'clock.
The MayflOwer will be in approxi-
mately the same position she took up
/ fourteen months ago when the fleet
ventured forth on the cruise that was
to make the American navy famous in
| the ports of the world.
The Connecticut, leading the single
| column of battleships and escorting
cruisers. will point the way in the
capes at 10 O'Clock, and will pass the
Mayf1ower promptly al IL a. m. The
| line of ships will be little more than
seven miles long and will be one hour
| in passing.
The battleships will proceed slowly
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