The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-26

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 of smaller craft in the race for the homeland, reached Ambrose channel 1 lightship at o'clock this afternoon. They were headed by the superdread- lnaught Pennsylvania, which, with Ad :
 m!ral 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 midnight to- day, when the Despatch, the yacht from whose mast now flies the flag of Vice Admiral A. w. Grant. picked up a wire less message from the Pennsylvania Thisfmessage, signed by Admiral Mayo. the commander in chief, expressed to the officers and men of the home fleet the Christmas greetings of thousands of sailor men returning from war duty GREETINGS RETURNED
 A few minutes later the radio ap- paratus on the Despatch cracked out this message:
 The commander of battle force No. and the officers and men of battle force No. sincerely appreciate the seasonal greetings received from the commander in chief Tn return, the commander of battle force No. 1 and the officers and men of his command wish merry Christmas and happy New Year to the home coming overseas forces"
 Outdistancing the destroyers and smaller craft, which left for home with them. the 10 battleships reported by wireless two days ago that they could steam into New York on Christmas day They were ordered however. to 'loafr along, as their reception was planned for Thursday
 But 'loaf' as they might, the great craft could not forever put off the mo- ment when they would reach these shores. and this afternoon they came to anchor about 40 miles from Battery Park, At once two ocean tugs, loaded to the rail with Christmas letters, raced down to Ambrose channel, and, deliv- ering their cargo added a real touch of home to a Christmas spent on the sea with New York almost in sight.
 Besides the Pennsylvania. the fleet comprises the New York. flagship of division No. 9. with Vice Admiral Hugh Rodman; the Texas, Nevada, Arkansas, Florida and Wyoming, all of division g. the Utah, flagship of division 6. with Vice Admiral homas s. Rogers. and the Oklahoma and Arizona, of the same di- vision
 To New York falls the honor of ac- ella inning for the whole nation the home coming fleet and it is predicted that the review and land parade tomorrow will go down in history as the greatest spectacle of it's kind this half of the world has ever known.
 AERIAL ESCORT
 When the long column of fighting ships, led by the Arizona. enters the narrows tomorrow morning and moves to the anchorage berths in the Hud- l son, it will be escorted by an aerial ! fleet of 21 seaplanes and two dirigibles 1 from the naval air station at Rocka- way.
 Besides these aircraft lowering over head the giant battleships will be ac- by three kite balloons. One, towed by the Glouchester and flying at i, a height of 500 feet. will move nearly l a mile ahead of the Arizona, while be- l hind the Florida, the last ship in line 1 will be lowed the other two.
 Residents of every hamlet facing on New York bay are tonight eagerly l awaiting their first opportunity of be- ing first to salute the home coming | armada. Every factory whistle for miles around received final inspection SO that they should not fail to speak 1 their welcome. It Is expected that not | a square foot of soil on the heights i of Brooklyn or Staten Island will be | while millions will throng both ! banks of the Hudson to hail the return Fng ships a they come to anchor.
 At New York the overseas fleet will , ind awaiting to greet 1t great battle Z ships Of he home fleet and many swift { which have been dolng con roy and patrol duty in American wa