Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-10
Fourteen batt|eships Are
Already Assembled
In Hampton Roads For Long
Cruise 10 The Pacific.


Old Point Comfort, Va, Lee. AHo
double-starred blue flag. emblamatic OF
the commander-in-chief of the Pacific
bound feet was flung to the breeze
from the main truck of the battleship
Connecticut to-day. and Rear Admiral
Robley D. Evans, formally assumed
his position as leader of the greatest
naval movement in the history of the
American people.
This was assembly day for the fleet,
which is to set sail next Monday. and
of the is great fighting machines or
dered to skirt the southern end Of the
Americas and to begin a new naval
era in the Pacific ocean there were two
laggards. These were the 16,000-ton
Minnesota flagship of Rear Admiral c.
NJ Thomas, commander of the second
squadron of the fleet, and the Ken
tucky, whose 11,525 tons relegate her
to the end of the column. The Ken
lucky is also the oldest vessel among
the 16, having been laid down with her
sister ship. the Kearsarge. in 1898. at
the beginning of the war with Spain.
The Minnesota and the Kentucky are
both expected to anchor in Hampton
Roads tomorrow and then the historic
fleet will be complete. The new Maine.
which two short years ago was the
flagship Of the commander-in-chief,
but Is now in 18th place in the list
came in today, making IA battleships at
anchor off here.
The ships are disposed in two long
lines leading in a crescent which be-
gins just off the Old Point pier and
points toward Norfolk The Connecti-
til.
stones throw from the pier, heads the
column nearest shore. Next to her is
her sister ship the Louisiana. the cham
pion fast firing vessel of her class and
then In turn the Kansas and the YER
mont. all registering $1,000 tons and
bolted with steel that is rated we'll nigh
ifnpregnahle. These four vessels COM
pose the first division of the first squad
ron of the fleet and are the personal
charges of Rear Admiral Evans.
The second division in the first squad
ron Is made up of the Georgia. Vir-
g1nia. New Jersey and Rhode Island.
The flag of Rear Admiral William II.
Emery. in command of the division,
floats from the GeOrgia's truck. 1t also
bears two stars but, in distinction from
that of the commander-in- chief, it has
a red field. 1t is the flag of all three
rear admirals who have command of
the divisions under Admiral Evans.
The Georgia. Virginia, New Jersey and
Rhode Island are all of type. have a
displacement of nearly $1,000 tons each,
and combined have the tremendous
driving force of $4,000 horsepower. They
have all exceeded 10 knots. Il speed at
tained by few of the heavily armored
vessels of the world. Both absentees
from the fleet today were in the second
squadron column.
Awaiting the Minnesota in the second
squadron are the Maine. Ohio and the
Missouri. of the third division of the fleet,
and in the fourth division are the Ala
bama. flagship of Rear Admiral Sperry,
the Illinois and the Kearsarge. The Ken
tuckv will complete this division and the
squadron when she arrives from Boston.
The two long lines of battleships.
Ranked OH either side by vessels of the
auxiliary fleet. present a novel picture
and add one more impressive naval event
to the history of EirSinia's far famed
roadstead. Crowds % sightseers from all
parts of the country are assembled here
TO witness the final preparation and the
departure of the fleet. The families of
most of the officers are also among the
visitors and the week is to be crowded
with social events of both formal and in
formal character. the principal function
to be a naval and military ball the even
ing of Friday, the 18th.
Admiral Evans arrived this morning
from Washington. accompanied by Capt.
Ingersoll, lis chief OF staff. and Lieuten-
ant Commander Chandler. his flag secre-
tary. The collier Abarenda has sailed.
preceding the fleet south with coal.
There were scenes of much activity
about the fleet today in the matter Of
final preparations Of the ships for the
start on Dec l6 for the Pacific. The
crews of many of the battleships were
engaged in filling the bunkers of their
vessels with picked coal while others
were loading supplemental magazine
stores sent from the st. Juliens maya
zine here. those including hundreds Of
tons OF projectiles and other explosives
not taken on at the naval stations at
which the vessels we're fitted out.