Norwich bulletin., 1918-12-26

overseas dIIudud, returning lO uODle shores after eighteen months service in European waters dropped anchor this afternoon off Sandy Hook They will enter the harboT tomorrow in tri urnphal procession and, under the shadow of Liberty's statue, pass in review before Secretary Daniels
 These titans of the sea, leading scores of smalIr craft in the race for the homeland. rached the Ambrose channel lightship at 3 o'clock this af- ternoon. They were headed by the super-dreadnought Pennsylvania, which with Admiral Henry T. Mayo aboard, conveyed President Wilson's ship to the coast of France
 The first word that the battle fleet was about to enter home waters was received here shortly after midnieht today, when the Despatch, the yacht from whose mast now flies the fag of Vice Admiral A. w. Grant, picked up a wireless message from the Pennsyl- va1lia, This message, signed by Ad- miral Mayo, the -in-chief, expressed to the officers and men of the home fleet the Christmas greetings of thousands of saiormen returning from war duty
 X few minutes later the radio ap- paratus on the Despatch cracked out this message:
 The commander of battle force No. 1, and the officers and men of battle force | sincerely appreciate the sea- sonaI greetings received from the commander-in-c chief In return the commander of battle force 1 and the officers and men of his command wish a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the homecoming overseas 1 forces.''
 Outdistancing, the destroyers and l smaller craft which left for home with them, the ten battleships reported by wireless two days ago that they could steam into New York on Christmas 1 day. They were ordered, however, to i loaf" along, as their reception was l planned for Thursday.
 | But loaf" as they might, the great craft could not fovever put off the moment when they would reach these /; shores, and this afternoon they came ] toxanchor about forty miles from Bat i tery park At once two ocean tugs ! loaded to the rail with Cl2ristmas let i ters, raced down to Ambrose channel and, delivering their cargo, added g 1 real touch of home to a Christmas 1 spent on the sea, with New York al- 1 most in sight.
 Besides the Pennsylvania, the fleet ! COIii lI4SGo tue -NeN l OiIN, IldSSll4J Ol division g, with Vice Admiral HugI Rodman: the Texas Nevada, Arkan- sas, Florida and Wyoming, all of di- vision 9: the Utah; flagship of division 6, with Vice Admiral Thomas s. Rod gers, and the Oklahoma and Arizona Of the same division.
 To New York falls the honor of ac- claiming for the whole nation tht
 homecoming fleet and it is predicted
 that the review and land parade to- morrow will go down in history as th' greatest spectacle of it's kind this hal
 of the world has ever known.
 When the long column ct fightinf
 ships led by the Arizona, enters thu Narrows tomorrow morning and move to the anchorage berth3 in the Hud son. it will be escorted by an aeria
 feet of twerty-Cpe seaplal.ss and tWt
 dirigibles. from the naval air sta
 tion at Roci;away.
 Resides these aircraft. overhead, tn giant battles!ips will be accompanier
 by three kite balloons. One, tow
 ed by the Gloucester and MYin@ at height of 80 feet, will move nearly
 mile ahead of the Arizona, while he hind the Florida, the las5 ship in tn line. will be lowed the other two.
 Residents Of every hamlet facint
 On New York bay are tonight eager i ly awaiting their opporcunity of be ing first to salute the honecomin i armada Every factory whistle fO |, miles around received. a Gnal tnspec
 ton. so thac they should not fail [
 speak their welcome. It is eXpecte
 that not q square foot of soil on tn heichts of Brooklyn. or Staten Islan , will be vaca;,t, while millions wi
 throne both banks of the majestic
 Hudson to hail the returning ships a
 they come 10 anchor.
 At New York the over seas fleet wi fird awaiting to greet it great bat | i tleShiDs Of 1ho home flee and man } swift gaunt destroyers which hay : bean doing convoy and ratrol dut in American waters during the wa
 This home feet is tonight anchored , the Hudson.
 At the Stacue Of Iiberty to the yves ? of the main channel will be statione
 the presidential yacht MnvfioWer; car rying Secretary Daniels. who arrive here tonight from Washington for th review Aboard will be othey member : of the cabinet, army and naval off T cers of hign rank and other distin . guished guests.
 1t z Behind the Nayfower' will be ar chored the Aztec. bearing Assistar . | mittees of senate and house. Rear Ad miral Burra"c and forcjrG militar q and, naval CtTicers Tn line with tE Aztec will "e the naval press boa
 Narifa and several other steamer
 1 carving city officials and their guest . The Arizoua will reach fhy NayflQN -' CT at about ten o'clock recording
 | an official announcement tonight | !, | Vice Admiral Grant ts each Vess
 passes inc 5ecretary's shir. it will fiji : nineteen gues in MT Daniels houC '' and the AEayfiower will roar it's T.
 Rear Admiral Mayo's fiasship, u
 PenusrFvania. will be preceded, b. l sides the Artzona, by the Nklahom q Nevada and Utah. Then will folio $ the New York Texas. Arkansas, w! s uming and Florida Tn this order the q win anchor. 2 line six rnles iong. ar : stretching from Fifty Eighth to 175t Il streets.
 Then the feet will full dress shin e with the men lining the rliIS and bri e liant colored pennants floating fro r. lanvacsl5 ruH to the ma StheadS IT q Nav1ower will circle the entire fee $ reviewing it at anchorage. The salut ,f will be repeated and from each era ;- will come the strains Of the ''St s Spangled Banner" played by u n ships band.
 e The Mayfower will thtl anchor
 the foot of -<inety-SecoQd street al Q Secretary Daniels will lceeive A r. miral Mayo and the commanding c