The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-12-13
ADMIRAL evans IS
With HIS fleet
ASSUMES HIS POSITION AS LEAD
Err OF GREAT MOVEMENT
OF THE NAVY.
Two Laegard vessels-Minnesota and
Kentucky Slow In Arriving at the
Rendezvous-The Warships Make
Fine Sight.

Old Point Comfort, Va, Dec. 10
The double-starred flag of blue, en-
blem of the commander-in-chief of the
Pacific-bound battleship fleet, was
flung to the breeze from the main
truck Of the battleship Connecticut
Monday, and Rear Admiral Robley D.
Evans formally assumed his position
as leader of the greatest naval move
ment in the history of the American
people.
Monday was assembly day for the
fleet, which is to set sail next Mon
day, and of the 16 great fighting ma
chimes ordered to skirt the southern.
most end of all America and inaugu-
rate new naval era in the Pacific
ocean, there were but two laggards
These were the 16,000-tonned Mime
sofa, flagship of Rear Admiral c. M.
Thomas, commander of the second
squadron of the feet; and the Ken
lucky, whose paltry 1880 tons rele-
gate her to position at the end of
the armored column.
The Kentucky also is the oldest ves-
sci among the 16, having been laid
down with her sister, the Kearsarge,
in 1898, at the beginning of the war
with Spain. Nine years ago is long
period in modern battleship construc-
ton, so great have been the strides
in American naval architecture.
Fourteen at Anchor.
The Minnesota and the Kentucky
are both expected to drop anchor in
Hampton roads Tuesday, and then the
historic fleet will be complete. The
new Maine, which two short years
ago was the flagship of the command
er-in-chief, but is now thrown back
to eleventh place in the list, came in,
making IA battleships to anchor OF
here.
The ships are disposed in two long
lines leading in crescent which be-
gins just off the Old Point pier and
points toward Norfolk. The Connect
cut, which lies scarcely more than a
stones throw from the pier, heads the
column nearest shore. Next to her
is her sister ship, the Louisiana, the
champion hard-hitting, fast-firing ves-
sci of her class, and then in turn come
the Kansas and the Vermont, all regis
tering 10000 tons and belted with
steel that is rated well nigh impreg-
nable.
First Squadron Under Evans.
These four vessels compose the first
division of the first squadron of the
fleet and are the personal charges OF
Rear Admiral Evans. The second d.
vision in the first squadron is made up
of the Georgia, Virginia, New Jersey
and Rhode Island. The flag of Rear
Admiral William H. Emory, in COM
mand of the division, floats from the
Georgia's truck.
The Georgia, Virginia, New Jersey
and Rhode Island are all of type
and with a displacement Of nearly
$4,000 tons each they combine the ire
mendous force of $4,000 horses and
their trial trips have all exceeded 10
knots, speed attained by few of the
heavily armored vessels of the world.
Both absentees from the fleet were
In the second squadron cOlumn.
SaIutes for the Admiral.
Admiral Evans arrived Monday
morning from Washington, accom-
panied by Capt Ingersoll, his chief
of staff, and Lieut. Commander Chan
dler, his flag secretary. AS his flag
was broken out from the main truck
when he repaired aboard the Connec-
ticut, there were the customary sa-
lutes from the flagships of the various
divisions and Admirals Emory and
Sperry were soon en- route to the flag
ship to pay their respects. The COM
manding officer of the artillery sta
ton here, Fort Monroe, also paid his
respects to the admiral.