Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-12-27

New York, Dec 26.-"Riding at anchor in the Hudson tonight were 21 suuer-dreadnaughts, dreadnaughts and ships of the line which with cruis- DTS. destroyers and a host of smaller eaft made the mightiest American armada ever assembler." Ten of the floating fortresses steamed into the harbor today after 18 months ser vice overseas, with Beatty's grand fleet The others are the flower of the North Atlantic fleet. Grim guard fans of great nation, they symbol ned that the United States has be- come the second naval power of the world.
 In the teeth of a Northwester, in the chill of drying snow storm, millions waited hours until the ten battleships of the homecoming ar mada ppeared. This was New York's and the nations tribute to the ships, far more eloquent than the greatest din of whistles bells and human vol ss. The vocal welcome came later when in rugged. weather beaten hrs who manned the ships, debark ed and with Secretary Daniels and Admiral Mayo at their head, marched down Fifth avenue in the country's first great victory parade.
 Leading civilians in the cheering were wounded soldiers returned from Fnnce
 With the memory of their own first 'nyious voyage still fresh in their minds, they paid unstinted tribute to brothers in arms who had guarded them across the Atlantic
 Passing in review before the secre- tary- of the navy. and the Statue of lieertv. the homecoming ships look ed suddenly out of the mist, and rap idly disappeared. They seemed almost like phantom craft, grim, gray, ma iestic in their silent might. But as they dropped, anchor the skies clear ed and they stood revealed in holiday attire, ablaze from stem to stern, with mnltl-colored pennants.
 Moving at only ten knots an hour, the Arizona was the first dread naught to pass the presidential yacht, Mayflower. on whose bridge stood MT, Daniels and Secretary of War Baker. With flags masted. sailors and marines manning the rails, the Ar- zona swept by, stripped for action. As she came abreast, the Mayflower, thundercd salute of IA guns for the secretary of the navy, and her band struck up "The Star Spangled Ban aer' A moment and she had faded again into mist, leaving only an i'm pression of great gray sides and mas sve gun turrets crested with snow.
 The Arizona's guns had not finish d their salute when the Oklahoma began firing and from then on, the snnonading was continuous. In swift accession followed the Nevada and ne Utah, flagship, of Rear Admiral ,ncmas A. Rodgers. and then super aeadnaught Pennsylvania, bearing Admira' Henry T. Mayo, commander chief of the Atlantic fleet. At so minute intervals came the New lerk, flying the flag of Rear Ad- afal Hugh Rodman, and the Texas, A,rsansas, Wyoming and Florida, nth two kite balloons. lowed by de- Arnovers completing the procession.
 The New York was the first of Me battleships to display from her nalnEast the homeward bound "Pen!- aant," a long slender strand of red, anite and blue. foot for every day |ont s, from her home base. All the snlps which followed her. carried the ennants and it seemed as if each were longer than the others.
 A deep silence followed the last saute and so accustomed had those va the Mayflower become to the roar T tne guns, that it seemed hardly, losslble that the review had lasted NSs than twenty minutes. When. the last dreadnaught. had sNIeamed from sight. Secretaries .plahlels and Baker, descended from u,, ,ue bridge, but only for moment nh,'e the Mavflower remained at ssachor to give the incoming warshlps a'ne to reach their berths in the Hud' "1 M before Secretary Daniels inspec M ea the entire fleet at their anchor lse the British transport. Savonla Saded with sick and wounded Amer man D, troops. hove alongside. The heads
 me navy and war department
 sl" ascended to the bridee and dof' '" ~ their hats to the fighting .naen me getting under wsv, the May aower a. moved along with the trans ~,F. sss. and after a sailor had wig-Wa!g ssu to' tho larger. vessel. the con,oll
 snts of both secretaries. the yachts s.r'. s.rS played :.the Star Spangled Ban 
 instantly, those aboard the Saxonis