The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-12-16
OUR ARMADA SAILS
Roosevelt Reviews Battle
ships In Hampton Roads.
EVANS FAREWELL ADDRESS.
Sixteen Great Fighting Machines to
fncirCle the Globe.
MAY ALSO VISIT THE PHILIPPINES


Admiral Commanding Most Power
full Squadron That Ever Sailed
From an American Port Hints That
a Sight of Uncle sans Warships
Before Their Return From Peace
full Mission "a other Hemisphere.
Navy Department Has Furnished
Vessels with worlds Charts show
ing Runs to San Francisco, Manila
and Gibraltar - what England.
France, GermDny and Russia Think
of Rbosevclts Practice Voyage.
OLD POINT COMFORT, Va, Dec.
1G.-Under command Of Rear Admiral
Evans. with flags flying, with the men
at quarters and amid the booming of
saluting guns, the Pacific battleship
fleet, after being reviewed by Presl'
dent Roosevelt in the roadstead here,
steamed away south for Trinidad,
British West Indies. ON a voyage that
in all probability will end in their en-
circling the globe.
Being In cruising trim, with every
thing above deck snug am tight, the
feet did not feel the stiff heaster
which swept the coast and the
usually placid anchorage grou.- 10
Il choppy sea.
President Roosevelt, accompanied by
Mrs. Roosevelt, Miss Roosevelt and a
distinguished company of guests,
came from Washington on the May
flower So that the president in his
capacity as commander in chief of the
United States navy could review the
fleet and give the word of command
which has sent out the American ar
mazda on its cruise to the Pacific. AS
the ships passed out td sea their last
farewells were given them by the pres
ident. ON the deck of the Mayfl0wer
he led the ships through the Virginia
capes. Then giving way to the flagship
Connecticut as the double line of six
teen ironclads set their course to sea,
he viewed their departure. Thus he
gan what the president planned as
the supreme test of the American ma
w. The announced destination of the
feet is San Francisco, but when and
where the cruise will ultimately end
seems as yet an unmatured plan for
the future.
When the yacht Mayhower steamed
into the midst Of the anchored feet
early this morning she was saluted
from every side and found every ship
dressed in its gayest array of bunting
As soon as the presidential yacht drop
ped anchor Admiral Evans repaired
ON board her, followed Immediately
by all flag and commanding officers, In
full dress uniform, to pay their fare
well respects to the president. =
After the officers left the Mayfower
and returned to their ships the feet
Immediately got Under way in single
column, preceded by the Mayflower to
the horseshoe Of Chesapeake bay, mid
way between the capes and Fort Mon
roe, where the review took place.
Rear Admiral Evans, who, next to
Admiral Dewey, is the senior officer of
the navy, is commander in chief of the
feet and also is nominally in command
of the first squadron and first division.
The four ships of this division are the
Connecticut (1agship), the Kansas, the
Vermont and the Louisiana.
The second division of the first
squadron consists Of four vessels. The
commander, Rear Admiral William IL.
Emory, flies his flag from the Georgia.
The New Jersey, the Rhode Island and
the Virginia are his other ships.
The second squadron is under COM
mand of Rear Admiral G. M. Thomas,
whose authority in the fleet Is second
only to that of the commander in
chief. Admiral Thomas also has COM
mand of the third division, made up
Of the Minnesota (iagship), the Ohio,
the Missouri and the Maine.
Rear Admiral Evans consented to
speak briefly before the feet sailed.
The most significant thing that he said
was an allusion to the possibility Of
having the fleet sent on mission Of
peace to another hemisphere. This
was construed as indicating that the
feet will 60 from San Francisco to the
Philippines, where some Of the battle
ships may remain, while others will
continue on their journey to the At
lantic.
"The rear admiral said:
You ask me on the. eve Of depar-