Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-12-25

warships and merchant craft broke out
their colors and dressed ship with long
lines of streamers. A group of French
cruisers in their war paint swung at
anchorage with score of French de-
stroyers about them, and farther off
lay great fiotillas of merchant ships,
transports, freighters and quaint Bre-
ton fishing craft.
Two American freighters were still
unloading army supplies here, and an
American transport was preparing to
take more American troops homeward.
Fleet of AirpIanes Above.
A fleet of airplanes lowered over the
entrance to the harbOr, keeping an out
look for the approaching fleet. On
shore there was equal animation, as
vast throngs of Bretons packed the
streets and massed along the quays
and terraces overlooking the harbor.
Early in the day French and Ameri-
can soldiers lined the streets and took
assigned positions along the Cour Da-
jot, the handsome promenade leading
from the commercial harbor to the city.
The whole city was a mass Of bunt-
ing, with Place President Wilson hung
with streamers and notices. The en-
tire presidential route was lined with
Venetian masts, flags and Transparent
cies.
First Sight of Squadron.
The fleet surrounding the George
Washington was first sighted at II 80
o'clock 10 miles off shore. The sea
was calm and the stately fleet moved
landward under skies which were
steadily Frightening after a dark and
gloomy morning.
1t was more than an -FOUR later that
the ships were signaIed at the en-
trance of the harbor. and great cheer
arose from the waiting crowd as the
cloud of black smoke showed that the
fleet was near.
Ahead came a single destroyer,
showing the way to the fleet, and close
behind doomed the huge bulk of the
battleships Pennsylvania and Wyom-
ing, flying the flags of Admiral Mayo,
commander of the Atlantic fleet, and
Vice Admiral Sims, commander of the
American naval forces In European
waters. Just back Of them moved the
George Washington, fianked on either
side by the battleships Arkansas, Flor
ida, Utah, Nevada, Oklahoma, New
York, Texas and Arizona, by French
cruisers, and by a great flotilla Of
American and French torpedo-boat de-
Stroyers.
Cheers From All Shores.
The entrance to the harbor Is a
strait a mile wide, with forts browning
the towering cliffs on each side.
Through this avenue the pageant
moved, each of the ten forts contribute
ing it's cannonade and the ten Ameri-
can battleships answering gun for gun.
AS the fleet neared the inner harbor
the land batteries and the assembled
war craft took up the thunderous sa-
lutte, while the quays, the hills, and the
terraces rang with cheers. At the
same time all the war craft, merchant
men, and transports dressed ship and
manned the yards, and the strains of
the American anthem floated over the
water, mingling with the roar of the
guns and the shouts of the vast
crowds.
The George Washington came to
anchor a mile off shore, while the bat
tleships ranged themselves in double
column on either side.
Greeted by French Chiefs.
President Wilson watched the spec
tacle from the deck of his steamer,
waving greetings and acknowledge
ments as the cheering throng ashore
Wed with the artillery in the old
worlds first tribute to the American
president.
Soon after the arrival Of the presi-
Dental fleet Stephen PichOn, the
French foreign minister, and Georges
Leagues, the minister of marine, who
were at Brest to meet the president
on behalf of the French government,
boarded the George Washington to ex-
tend their first greeting. American Of
ffcials also went on board to make the
arrangements for the landing of the
president.
There was a laundering cannonade
as the presidents launch left the
George Washington and landed at pier
No. 8. 1t was escorted to the tribune
amid cheers and salvos and the notes
of 1.-THE Star-Spangled Banner"
Makes a Short Address.
President Wilson came ashore with
Mrs. Wilson, who carried an Ameri-
can flag and q bouquet. They listened
to an address by the mayor of Brest
and the president delivered brief
reply, thanking Mayor Goude for the
welcome. He then drove through the
cheering crowds to the railway sta
ton.
singular feature of the welcome