Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-08
Officers and Men Gompli-
mented by Secretary Moody.
FAST WORK IN COALING
AND DIsCIPLIND
OF THE CREW COMMENDED.
The Department Heartily Concurs In
the Praise Bestowed by the Com
mander-in- Chief of the fleet.

Evans. commander-in-chief Of the Asiatio
feet, which recently made a cruise from
Yokohama to Honolulu, Secretary Moody
takes occasion to compliment the officers
and men of the entire feet on the success
| Of the trip The Secretary says:
"The department has had the gratifica-
ton of receiving from the command rim
chief, United States Asiatic feet. the fol-
lowing letter. dated December II last:
Il desire to invite the attention OF the
department to the excellent conduct of the
crew of the Kentucky. which has been en-
tirely to my satisfaction during the time
she has been my flagship. and particularly
to the fact that on November u she pro-
ceeded to Yokosuka and went into dry
dock, remaining in dock until December I,
when she returned to Yokohama, and on
the following day took on board and slowed
1.130 tons of coal In six working hours
During the time the vessel was In dock. ana
also during the coaling, not a single MEM
per OF the crew In any manner committed
himself, which 1 consider a most unusual
and creditable exemplification of excellent
discipline and bearing on the part OF ALI
hands
in six working hours. an average OF 1873 l-3
| tons per hour, would have been materially
increased had it not been for the fact that
the lighters used in Yokohama for bringing
coal alongside are small in capacity rarely
exceeding sixty tons each, and thereby
| necessitating frequent shifts of lighters,
which causes much loss of time.
Il suggest to the department that the
excellent conduct, willingness and discipline
shown by the crew of the Kentucky merits
its commentator
The department heartily concurs I'm tina
opinion of the comma nder-in- chief that the
excellent conduct Of the crew of the Ken
lucky merits commendation, considering
That this report shows state of thorough
discipline and efficiency, and a loyal. zeal
Gus spirit among the crew of which not
only the captain, officers and men of the
ship. but also the entire service. may well
be proud
gestion of Admiral Evans, has addressed a
letter to the commanding officer of the Ken.
lucky. commenting him in the strongest
terms for the high state of efficiency of his
officers and men, The Secretary also notes
with pleas sure and speaks In highest praise
of the feat of the crew in loading l. 100 tons
of coal aboard the ship in six working
hours.
Report Of Admiral Evans.
In his report Admiral Evans says:
In continuation of my number 176-D Of
December g. 1903, have to inform the dc.
partment that the battle ship squadron,
consisting of the Kentucky. Wisconsin and
Oregon, and the cruiser squadron. consist
ing Of the New Orleans (fiagship), Albany,
Cincinnati and Raleigh, arrived at Honolulu
on the morning of the 10th instant and are
now all moored inside of the harbor en-.
gagged in coaling and preparing for the re-.
turn to Cavfte via Guam, In compliance with
the departments telegraphic Instructions.
The cruiser squadron. accompanied by the
collier Pompey. sailed from Yokohama for
this place at 10 m. Of the Sd instant. with
Instructions to proceed to latitude 30 north.
longitude 160 east. and thence on to Homo.
lulu, touching at Midway Islands and coal
from the Pompey. should the commander OF
the cruiser squadron decide that il would be
advisable to coal off those islands. The
speed set for the squadron was ten knots,
but the collier was unable TO keep up this
speed and she was. therefore, left behind
and directed to proceed on to Honolulu via
Midway. the cruisers making a straight run
to Honolulu without stopping en- route. The
average speed maintained by the cruiser
squadron for the entire run was 1913 knots
per hour
The battle ship squadron sailed from
Yokohama at noon. December 8, intending
to follow the same course taken by the
cruiser squadron. but, after three days out,
the seas continued heavy that it was
decided to run to the southwark of Midway
Island and the islands and reefs to the
eastward with the hope that the heavy
northerly and westerly swells might bo
broken and the passage rendered moro
comfortable. The heavy swells. with prac-
tically no wind, continued from the fourth
irving at Honolulu and l doubt that at
any time during my experience OF forty-two
years. / have seen swells so uniformly high
as were experienced during about seven
days of this run. / estimate that the
height from crest to hollow of the waves,
for about three days of this run. ranged
as high as thirty feet. and the general av-
erage height of the swells would be at
least twenty feet. The behavior of the
battle ships during this weather was par
ticularly good and their speed. practically,
not at all hampered, and the Oregon, con-
sdering her age and design, acted par
ticularly well throughout the passage. The
speed set on leaving Yokohama was twelve
knots. which was maintained without DIFF
ficulty. and. on the sixth day out. was in
creased to thirteen and kept at that until
arriving IN the vicinity of Honolulu No
difficulty experienced by any OF the
battle ships In maintaining this speed, and
am of the opinion that 1t would have been
practicable to have increased it a knot or
a knot and half more without difficulty.
The average speed maintained by the bat
tie ship squadron for the trip was slightly
In excess of twelve and one-half knots.
The battle ships left Yokohama with full
bunkers and the Oregon carried an excess
of 300 tons on deck.
ION the afternoon of the 18th the cruisers
were sighted about 3 o'clock to the SOUTH
ward of French Frigate Shoal and Joined
the battle ship squadron and proceeded to
Honolulu in company Admiral Cooper re-
ported that the weather experienced by the
cruisers was also very severe and on ac-
count of this he did not think 1t advisable
to wait at Midway Islands for coal from
the Pompey. but decided to proceed on to
Honolulu with the coal on hand and had
no difficulty in covering the distance. The
trip, however. although an extremely I'M
comfortable one due to the heavy weather,
caused no damage to any of the vessels.
The behavior of the three battle ships
was as above stated. particularly credita-
BILE During the entire trip the engines OF
none of the three battleships were stopped
except for about thirty minutes during the
ceremony attendant upon the burial of one
of the crew of the Wisconsin.