The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-12-13

President Wilson reached the harbor
Of Brest on board the teamer George
Washington at | O'Clock his afternoon
and within an hour stepped on shore
the first time an American president had
trod upon European soil.
The arrival of the president in the
harbor was the elimination of an impos-
ing spectacle which began as the presi-
Dental fleet rounded the out capes; then
passed the entrance forts and moved ma
jestieally into the harbor where the
George Washington anchored at the
head Of long double column Of Ameri-
can dreadnoughts and destroyers and the
units of French cruiser squadron.
The presidential fleet was first sighted
at ll:30 o'clock this morning fifteen
miles OIL shore. The sea was calm, and
the stately fleet moved landward under
skies which were steadily Frightening
after dark and gloomy morning. 1t
was more than an hour later that the
fleet was signalled at the entrance Of the
harbor and great cheer arose from the
waiting crowd as the cloud of black
smoke showed that the presidential
party was near.
Ahead came a single destroyer, show
ing the way to the feet, and close be-
hind loomed the battleships Pennsylya-
mia and Wyoming flying respectively the
flags of Admiral Mayo commander of
the Atlantic fleet, and Vice Admiral
Sims, commander Of the American naval
forces in European waters. Then came
the George Washington, bearing the
president, fanked on either side by the
battleships Florida, Utah. Nevada, Okla
homa, New York, Texas and Arizona, by
French cruisers, and by great flotilla
OF American and French torpedo destroy
Crs.
The entrance to the harbor is narrow
strait mile wide with forts crownng
the towering cliffs on each side. Through
this avenue the imposing pageant
moved each of the ten forts contributing
its cannonade and the ten American bat
teships answering gun for gun.
As the fleet neared the inner harbor
the land batteries and the assembled
H
lutte, while the quays, the hills and the
terraces of the old Breton city rang with
cheers from the enthusiastic multitude.
At the same time all the war craft, mer-
chantmeu and transports dressed ship
and manned the yards, while the strains
of the American anthem foated over the
water. mingIing with the roar of the
guns and the shouts Of the vast crowd
The George Washington came to an
chor of shore while the battleships
ranged themselves in double column on
either side.
President Wilson witnessed the spec.
tace from the deck of his steamer, wav-
ing greetings and acknowledgment al
The cheering throng ashore We'd with the
artillery in the old worlds first tribute
to the American president.
Soon after the arrival OF the presiden.
tiaI fleet, Stephen Pichon, the French
foreign minister, and Georges Leygues
the minister OF marine, who we're at
Brest to meet the president on behalf
OF the French government boarded the
George Washington 30 extend their first
greeting American officials also went
ou board to make the arrangements for
the landing of the president
There was laundering cannonade as
the presidents launch left the George
Washington and landed at pier No, 3. He
was escorted to the tribune amid cheers
and saIvos and the notes of the "Stal
Spangled Banner"
German Prisoners Eager to See Wilson
A singular feature Of the welcome II
the president was the suppressed inter
est oi the German prisoners at Brest. II
wns evident that their interest in tho
visitor was as keen as that Of the huge
crowd thronging the town but the an,
thoritics kept these Germans in the
background. Among those who lined the
ronte to the station were delegations Of
patriotic societies and other organiza.
tions and throngs Of people from the
ncighboring localities, attired in gala
Breton costumes.
The first to greet the nresident, hS-