The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-25
WANTED TO BE IN IT.
"FiEh Ing Bob" Evans Given Command
OF the Iowa.

"FiEh Ing Bob" Evans Given Command
OF the Iowa.
Washington. March 2i.-The navy de-
partment developed important new fea-
lures to-day. Captain Robley ID.
Evans. well known as Fighting Bob
Evans. arrived in Washington this
morning from Key West and had half
an hours conference with Secretary
Long. He has been temporarily on
duty in the lighthouse service. but he
told the secretary that II there was to
he a fight he wanted to be in Ii. Mr..
Long appreciated the suggestion and
Immediately issued orders placing Cap
tain Evans In command of the battle
ship Iowa. which stands at the very
head of the ships of the American
navy. both as to tonnage, guns. arma-
ment and all the qualities that go to
make first-class modern battleship.
1t determined that Captain Evans
orders to take command OF the Iowa.
had a most important sequel i'm the as
signment OF Captain Sampson. the
present commander OF the Iowa, to sue
ceed Admiral Sicard in command of the
North Atlantic squadron. This Is prob
ably the most important assignment the
department has made in many months.
II is due mainly to the findings of a
medical court now sitting at Key West,
that Admiral Sicard is temporarily in
capacitated for active duty owing to
long continued illness.
Captain Sampson. who now assumes
command OF the North Atlantic squad
ron. is regarded as one OF the best
equipped officers in the navy. having
seen active service during the civil war
and since then having occupied many
important positions. He Is a high au-
thority on naval ordnance. and before
taking command of the Iowa was chief
OF the bureau Of ordnance of the navy
department. He is a student of naval
affairs, of genial temperament. and is
considered an officer of exceptional
executive ability. The retirement Of
Admiral Sicard has the effect OF raising
Captain Sampson to the rank OF COM
modore. He Is a native OF New York,
entered the service in September. 1857,
and has been over 40 years in active
service. nearly IA OF which were spent
on the sea. He concluded his last cruise
in June. 1892. since which time he
served as chief OF the bureau OF ord
nance up TO the time of his assignment
TO the command of the Iowa.
Hardly less important than the as
signment of Captain Sampson was the
practical determination to place Com
modore w. 5. Schley in command of
the fleet now assembled at Hampton
Roads. The two commands under
Commodore Sampson and Commodore
Schley will be OF equal dignity and will
be entirely independent Of each other.
for the present at least. Commodore
Schley commands the fullest confidence
OF the administration. During the pres
ent crisis he has been frequetly called
into consultation with the navy chiefs.
who recognized his complete familiarity
with every detail Of the naval procedure.
When the flying squadron was
first suggested his name naturally pre-
sented itself as probably the fittest man
in the service for that particular duty.
He came prominently into public no.
tice by the successful prosecution of
the Greeley relief expedition. and later
as commander OF the Baltimore at VAL
paraiso at the time of the Chilean rev.
olution.
The navy department is informed of
the departure of the cruiser Cincinnati
and the gunboats Castine and Will
mington from Port Antonio. Jamaica.
last evening. but officials decline to say
where they are bound. Ii is regarded
as probable that when heard from they
will be at Key West or some other port
in the United states. They are not
particularly strong ships. and in their
present position they might possibly
fall a prey TO the more powerful Span
ish fleet In Cuban waters in the event
OF a conflict. Inasmuch as considera-
tions of this character are said TO have
caused the recall of the cruiser San
Francisco and the gunboats Helena
and Bancroft from the European sta
tion. IL is not unlikely that the same
courses will be followed in the case of
the three vessels last reported at Port
Antonio. where the position is regard
er by naval strategists as even more
exposed and dangerous in the event OF
hostilities than was the case with the
European squadron OF about the same
size and power. The Cincinnati and
Castine were attached To the South At
lantic station. and their withdrawal
for service on the home station leaves
the navy without a single representa-
tive I'm South American waters. just as
is the case with the European station
The arrival OF the six vessels named