Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-16

Good for Eighteen Knots.

Good for Eighteen Knots.
The passing of the Virginia completed
the first squadron, under command of Adj
miral Evans. Next came the eight ships
of the second squadron. divided into the
third and fourth divisions of the fleet of
four ships each. The second squadron
presented the first break in the homo
geneous composition of the various units
of the fleet. The big Minnesota. with Rear
Admiral c. NJ Thomas on the bridge, led
the squadron. The Minnesota belongs to
the Connecticut class. making the fifth
and last ship of that pattern. Following
her came the Ohio. the Missouri. and the
Maine, the latter three being all of one
type, and representing the third RETROSPECT
tive stage of American naval ARCHITECT
ture. Their tonnage is 12,5OO. and their
speed eighteen knots. In the Maine class
the new long barreled Pinch guns first
found their place in the navy.
Big CALDER Guns.
The fourth class of battleships. looking
backward in American naval history was
found today in the Alabama and the Illi-
nos. the two leading ships in the fourth
division. second squadron. Reey Admiral
Sperry's flag flew at the main truck of the
Alabama and he stood in his assigned
place on the after bridge. The Alabama
ana the limos are qulle Instructive iGOHl
the other ships of the fleet. Their two
tunnels are placed athwartship in Mis-
sissippi river steamboat fashion. expert
mented with on these ships and immedi-
ately abandoned. The Alabama and the
Illinois displace only 11.552 but they
knots and are ranked as first-class battle
ships in everything except date of con-
struction. They have 13-inch guns In
their main battery, and this is considered
.,1x n, ND,
experts who are advocating a return to
the larger bore rifles
The fifth and last class of ships repre-
scented in the parade of the Pacific-bound
fleet were the Kearsarge and the Ken.
lucky, the latter bringing up the rear Of
the line. The two ships were launched in
1898. about the time of the Spanish
American war. Like the Alabama and
Illinois they mount 13inch guns in their
main turrets and have armor belts reach
ing maximum of sixteen inches in thick
ness, or five and a half inches thicker
than the main protection of the modern
Connecticut The Tightening of the armor
during late years has been made possible
by new processes of tOughening the steel
plates.
When the echoes OF the saluting cannon
of the Kentucky had died away across the
waters, the Connecticut at the head of
the column four miles away. had almost
reached the capes. and the history making
journey had begun in earnest. Clearing
the capes later the Connecticut showed
the way down the coast. 1t is expected
that at sea various maneuVerS and differ
ent squadron formations will be tried, but
the speed will always remain the same
ten knots AN hour, unless some ships
should have to exceed that limit tempo
rarily to correct their position or carry
out some order
Where They Will Touch.
The little tender Yankton. rating as a
gunboat and assigned to Admiral Evans
as 81 dispatch vessel, was not entirely
overlooked in the review. She doomed her
salute and manned her diminutive rails in
regulation fashion, and kept pace with
the bigger vessels with a commendable
display of assurance.
Fleet Golfers and provision ships have
preceded the battleships to Trinidad
where the first stop for coaling and the
replenshing of larder supplies will be
made. The stay at Trinidad where the
ships will arrive Christmas eve, is limited
to five days. The second stage of the
jorney will take the steel-clad squadron
to Rio. where they will make a ten days
stop. from January II to 81 The third leg
leads to the end of South America. Punta
Arenas, in the Straits Of Magellan, this
port being reached January 81. The 5th
of February will see the fleet again Under
way picking it's course cautiously through
the western end Of the straits and then
heading north once more for Callao The
Callao stop is scheduled from February
IS to %, the fleet sailing on the later date
for Americas rented naval station at
Magdalena bay, Southern California The
fleet should sight the sand dunes and In
dian huts of Magdalena not later than
March IA. Their stay there is indefinite.
for the spring target practice, planned on
a lavish scale, must be accomplished be-
fore the fleet sets out on the final stage
of its voyage to San Francisco.