New-York tribune., 1907-12-10
GATHER AT NORFOLK.
FLEET At RENDEZVOUS.
ADMIRAL Euans 4rriucs-Oniy Tao
Vessels SAL to Come.

,o,d Point Comfort. Va. Dec 9.-The double
90 t7ar Of blue. emblem Of the commander
tsf n the Pacific-bound battleship fieer
= aung to the breeze from the main truck of
Ar,att:eship Connecticut to-day and Rear
s,irs1 Robley d Evans formally assumed his
-.si,ior as leader of the greatest naval move,
n, IN the history Of the American people
1,;s WAS assembly day for the fleet, which is
: sci sail next Monday, and of the sixteen
.-sa, fighting machines there were only two
raeear6s These were tine 16000-ton Mime
,.,a flagship of Rear Admiral c. NJ. Thomas
,-,msnder of the second squadron of the feet
.ns the Kentucky. whose 11.525 tons relegate
her TO position at the end of the armored
,,r,n The Kentucky also is the Oldest YES
=, among the sixteen. having been launched with
her sister the kearsarge. in 1898, at the begin
ring of the war with Spain. Nine years ago is
long time in modern battleship construction.
=, great have been the strides in American
naval architecture
The Minnesota and the Kentucky are both
.,nected 70 drop anchor in Hampton Roads
,o-rorrow and then the feet Will be complete.
The new Maine. which two years ago was the
sssship of the commander in chief. but is now
,,-ovn hack to eleventh place in the list came
In to-day.
ing IN a crescent, which begins just off the
Old Point pier and points toward Norfolk The
connecticut. which lies hardly than a
stones throw from the pier, heads the column
nearest shore. Next 10 her is her sister ship
the louisiana and then in turn come the Kan
sss and the Vermont, all registering 10000
tong These four vessels compose the first
division Of the first squadron of the feet. and
a-. the personal charges Of Rear Admiral
Evans The second division in the first squad
ron is made up of the Georgia, the Virginia,
TIRE New Jersey and the Rhode Island. The
Has Of Rear Admiral William II. Emory, In
command Of the division. floats from the
Georgie's truck. It also bears two stars. but
in distinction from that Of the commander in
chief the flag has red field, the same being
true Of all of the three rear adrnirals who have
command Of the divisions under Admiral Evans
The Georgia, the Virginia, the New Jersey and
the Rhode Island are all of type, and with
displacement of nearly 1900 tons each they
combine a driving force of 1900 horsepower.
ana On their trial trips have all exceeded nine
teen knots.
Both absentees from the feet to-day were in
the second squadron column. A vacant berth at
the head of the line was left for the Minnesota,
which is bound down from the coast from the
New York Navy Yard. The Minnesota was the
last of the big vessels to dock at New York, and
received forty-eight hours grace under the or
ders to report in Hampton Roads not later than
to-day. Awaiting the Minnesota in the second
squadron are the Maine. the Ohio and the Mis-
souri,. of the third division of the feet and in
the fourth division are the Alabama, flagship
Of Rear Admiral Sperry: the Illinois and the
Kearsarge- The Kentucky Will complete this
division and squadron when she arrives from
Boston Like the Minnesota, the Kentucky was
reuaired at the Norfolk Navy Yard. but was
ser, away 10 be docked and painted below the
waterline
The two long lines of battleshps, fanked on
either side bv vessels of the auxiliary feet. pre-
from all parts of the country are assembled
here to witness the final preparation and the
departure OF the feet The families of most OF
the officers also among the visitors. and the
week is to be crowded with social happenings
Of both formal and informal character, the prln-
ciral one to be naval and military ball on
Friday evening
Admiral Evans arrived this morning from
Washington accompanied by Captain lngersoii
his chief of staff, and Lieutenant Commander
Chandler, his flag secretary. As his flag was
broken out from the main truck and he went
aboard the Connecticut, there were the custom
arv saI,Ites from the fiagships Of the various
divisions. and Admirals Emory and Sperry were
soon on their way to the flagship to pay then
respects The conlrnan anding officer Of the artil-
leTy station here, Fort Monroe, also paid MS
respects TO the admiral