With the Battle Fleet Cruise of The Sixteen...

Run of theBattleships Down to the West Indies—The "Sweet Sixteen" Quick toGet Down to Business After the Sentiment of the Good-by—Formation of theFleet—Difficulties of Maintaining the Proper Distances—Naval Routine—Gospelof Neatness—Neptune's Preparations for Celebrating the Crossing of theLine—Arrival at Trinidad. On Board U.S.S. Louisiana, U. S. BattleFleet,

Trinidad, Dec. 24.
"I call 'em 'Sweet Sixteen',sir," said the bos'n's mate to the Sun correspondent as Admiral Evans inthe flagship Connecticut led the battle fleet past the capes of theChesapeake out to sea just before noon on December 16 and the gentle swellslifted and lowered the bows of one ship after another to nod their ownfarewells to the Mayflower at anchor near the Tail of the Horseshoe.
The officers and men had stood atattention to receive the good-by and godspeed of the President, and they hadthundered their farewells to him from the throats of the 3-pounder barkersthat spat fire and snorted out great puffs of smoke, but when each ship beganto find herself she too made her good-by as only a dignified ship could makeit, taking no orders from Admiral or Captain as to when and how often sheshould bow to the ship that carried the President.