Goldsboro weekly argus., 1909-02-25

Fort Monroe, Va, Feb. 22-Sixteen
battleships from round the world,
with an honor guard of four. mighty
men. fighting nled, slips Of the line,
to the number Of & sea-. s1Ateer bat
tleships that circl>d the globe, with
their shotted tongl's all mL'e. With
never a .rrain of powder spent except
in a friends saIute. into Hampton
Roads taey sailed today this feet
with history in its wake Just at noon
when the guns of Fort Monroe were
firing the national salute in honor Of
George Washington's birthday, an
auspicio1s moment tnr d home COM
ing.
AS a spectacle the arrival of the
homew ard bound fleet was marred by
a steady rain which began after nine
o'clock and continued throughout the
day, making the weather sc thick On
the WAGER that the ranga of vision OF
thousands ashore was limited to
few hun .red yards.
The lain could befos the vision and
wet the powder, bur it could not
dampen the spirits of those who gath.
cred appu: the roadstead to welcome
home ships and men. The shore line
was black with a path of umbrellas
from the wharf at Old Point to the
Fortress Monroe light on the one side
and over on the opposite shore every
point that offered vantage held it's
groups of dozens or hundreds.
jealousy the men and women be-
hind the umbrellas guarded their po-
sitioLs and stood for hours in the rain
to give a cheer when the feet of
white-c1othed men-of-war steamed in.
The large steamers, river boats and
infragi open launches, the more ven
turescme steamed out into the fog
early in the morning and the outgo-
ued to stir the waters Of the roads
until the fleet had finally come to
anchor.
The first those ashore knew of the
arrival Of the ships between the Capes
was the distant booming of the guns,
a dull beating away out in the fog.
The reports of the saluting guns
2du0u dAu LnSA CAO O4OWu oIOO0 O11
tiptoe to catch the first glance of the
fleet, wives, fathers, mothers, sisters
and brothers from the breadth of the
land.
Every line of smoke smudged in the
fog gave a thrill of interest and there
were many such false starts during
the two hours wait. Just as the Con-
necticut, the leader of the fleet, ap-
peared almost mirage picture
against the cloud and fog, the hands
of the clock pointed to twelve and the
national salute sounded from the fort
and ships was echoed from coast to
coast, wherever the flag floats over a
government reservation.
In single column they came in a
stately procession into the Roads and
the crowd watched every maneuver
until all came to a safe anchorage and
the homeward-bound pennants were
fur1ed at last.
After steaming in review of the
President, whose eagle crested flag OF
blue was at the main of the cruiser
yacht Mayfiower, the sixteen white
batt1eships finally cast anchor in the
same fairway Of Hampton Roads
whence they started fourteen months
ago on the notable journey of $4,000
miles. The joy of the home coming
was written upon the face Of every
bluejacket and every officer on board
the sixteen ships. The long cruise
the visits Of many OF the most famous
ports of the world, the homage thai
has been paid 20 the 6ees by every
nation favored on the calling list have
ibeen sources Of intense interest ts
everyone aboard the famous vessels
but unquestionably there Was nj
scene in all the world to compare il
beauty with the familiar landmark;
picked up by the battle feet as 1
steamed triumphant self-re1iant ANT
efficient force through the Virgint;
Capes today and entered the hospita
BILE waters Of Chesapeake Bay am
Hampton Roads.
New Standard Set.
There was an atmosphere OF fina
accomplishment about today's event
that lent to them new significance