The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-12-13

II SQudQFOu.
> The presidential feet was first sight.
ed at 11:3O o'clock this morning fif-
teen miles off shore.
The sea was calm and the stately
fleet moved landward under skies
which were steadily Frightening after
dark and gloomy morning.
Ahead came single destroyer and
close behind loomed the huge bat
tleships Pennsylvania and Ohio flying
respectively the flags of Admiral
Mayo, commander of the Atlantic
fleet, and Vice Admiral Sims, COM
mander of the American naval forces
in European water. Just back of them
moved the George Washington bearing
the president, fianked on either side
by eight American battleships, French
cruisers and by q great fiotilla of
American and. French torpedo boat
destroyers.
The entrance to the harbor is a
narrow strait d mile wide with forts
crowning the towering cliffs on each
side. Through this avenue the impos-
ing pageant moved, each of the ten
forts contributing its cannonade and
the ten American battleships answer
ing gun for gun.
AS the fleet neared the inner har-
Dor the land battery and the assem-
bled war crafts took up the thunder
Gus salute while the quays, the hills
and the terraces of the old Breton city
rang with cheers from enthusiastic
multitude. At the same time all the
war crafts, merchantmen and trans
ports dressed ship and manned the
yards, the strains Of the American an
them foated over the water, mingling
with the roar of the guns and the
shouts Of the cast crowds
Old Worlds Tribute.
The George Washington came to
anchor a mile off shore, while the bat
tie ships arranged themselves in dou-
BILE columns on either side
President Wilson witnessed the
spectacle from the deck of his steamer
waving greetings and acknowledge
ment 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 feet, Stephen Pichon, the
French foreign minister and Georges
Leyeues, 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
officials also went on board to make
the final arrangements for the landing
of the President.
Mayor Goude of Brest, in greeting
President Wilson as he landed here
today said:
"Mr. President: l feel the deepest
emotion in presenting to you the well
come of the Breton population. The
ship bringing you to this port is the
symbol under the auspices of which
the legions of your pacific citizens
sprang to arms in the grand cause Of
independence. Under the same aus
pices today you bring to the tormented
soil of Europe the comfort of your
authorized voice in the debates which
will calm our quarrels.
"Mr. President, upon this Breton
soil our hearts are unanimous in salut-
ing you as the messenger of justice
and peace. Tomorrow it will be our
entire nation which will acclaim you
and our whole people will thrill with
enthusiasm over the eminent states
man who is the champion of their as
This old Breton city has the honor
of first saluting you. In order to
perpetuate this honor to our descend
ants, the municipal council has asked
me to present you with an address
expressing their joy at being privil-
eyed to incline themselves before the
illustrious democrat who presides over
the destinies of the great republic OF
the United States"
The mayor then presented the en-
crossed address of the council, which
said in part:
Being the first to welcome the pres.
ident Of the United States to France.
we respectfully salute the eminent
statesman who SO nobly personifies
the ideals Of liberty and the rights OF
man. In order to perpetuate this
event through the ages we direct that
these proceedings be deposited in the
city archives. Long live President
Wilson! Long live the champion and