Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-15

the American flag the, ordnance officers
hold a position of peculiar responsibility.
Does Not Feel Storm
Being in cruising trim, with everything
above decks snug and tight, the feet did
not feel the stiff southeastern breeze
which swept the coast last night and
turned the usually placid anchorage into
a 'choppy sea.
The ship launches running from. the
divisions to the flagship and TO the shore
were buffeted about in lively fashion,
however, through the morning. Toward
noon the wind slackened and veered and
the feet suddenly was lost to view in a
binding fog. The shrill whistles Of the
flying launches set,a terrible din of warn
irg, while the fog bellszaboard ship added
a somewhat melancholy tone to the up.
roar in the harbor.
After an hour or two the fog lifted as
suddenly as it fell and the fleet bursting
into view, made g. magnificent marine
spectacle. The sun was not long after
this finding its way through the cloud
banks, and then the immaculate sides of
the battleships glistened aidazzling white.
This afternoon the football team from
the Kansas won the championship of the
fleet by defeating the Vermont eleven by
score of to 2.
Commissioned officers veterans of An
napolis teams, played with the enlisted
men on both elevens. Bands, goat mas
cots, ffuttering flags, tin horns and cheer
ing with subsequent parades by victors
and vanquished, made the afternoon gay.
Admiral Evans was at the Hotel Cham
berlain when the sailors returned from
the game. They stopped and cheered him,
and then the Vermont sailors cheered the
champions OF the Kansas, and were In
turn cheered by the victors. Then all
boarded the ships, happy and ready for
all the hard work the cruise is to bring
them.
There is some disappointment in the
fleet that President Roosevelt will not
visit any of the vessels Monday. He
would find the navy at it's very best.
Two Squadrons, Two Divisions
The fleet.is divided into two squadrons,
and each squadron. into two divisions.
The first and second divisions are in the
first squadron. and the third and fourth
divisions in the second squadron. Rear
Admiral Evans, who. next to- Admiral
Dewey, is the senior officer of the navy,
is ommander-in-chief of the fleet and
also in nominal command of the first
squadron and the first division. The four
ships of this division are the Connecticut,
flagship; Kansas. Vermont and Louisiana.
They are ali of one design, displacing $4,000
tons apieca, and represent the heaviest
type of fighting craft known to the west
ern hemisphere
The second division Of the first squad
ron, like all the other divisions of the
fleet, consists of four vessels. The COM
mander of the division, Rear Admiral
William E. Emory. flies his flag from the
Georgia. The Ne5y Jersey, the Rhode
Island and the Virginia are his other
ships, and ike the first division. they are
all of one c.ass. The displacement is
something like 1000 tons less. but their
engines rate superior by 5000 horsepower.
and their speed is one knot higher.
Second Squadron
The second squadron is under command
of Rear Admiral c. NJ Thomas, whose
authority in the fleet is second only to
that of the onmander-in-chief. Admiral
Thomas has command of the third divi-
sion, made up of The Minnesota flagship;
the Ohio, Missouri and Maine. The lat
ter three are sister ships, but the Mime
sofa belongs to the more modern and
heavy Connecticut class.
The fourth and last division has Rear
Admiral Charles II. Sperry In command.
and is composed of the Alabama. flag
ship; the Illinois, the Kearsarge and the
Kentucky.
Presidents Plans
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE present
arrangements for the departure of the
presidents party for Hampton Roads to
witness the beginning of the cruise of the
battleship fleet contemp.ates a start on
the Mayf1ower from this city at o'clock
tomorrow afternoon in order to enable
the ship to pass through several difficult
reaches on the Potomac river before dark.
The vessel is due to arrive in the road
stead at 6 o'clock Monday morning. by
which hour all battleships will have been
dressed with flags and made ready for
the review
Besides the president, the party will be
composed of Airs. Roosevelt, Miss Ethel
Roosevelt and Secretary and Mrs. Net
ca.f. Assistant Secretary and Mrs. New
berry, Admiral and Mrs. Brownson, Rear
Admiral and Mrs. Cowles and Commander
and Mrs. Sims
The dispatch boat Dolphin, which has
been placed at the disposal of the con-
gressional committee on naval affairs,
will sail from Washington for the roads
tomorrow morning at 10 oclock. So far
as made up the party will consist of
Senator Mclnerney and Representatives
Roberts. Loud, Bates. Thomas of Ohio,
Dawson and Padgett.