The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-10
ADMIRAL IN CHARGE
OF OUR GREAT FLEET
His Double Starred Flag
Of Blue Flungto Breeze
in Hampton Roads.
BUT TWO MORE
SHIPS TO ARRIVE
The Minnesota and Kentucky Ex-
pectcd To-Day, Completing
the Fleet for the Pacific.
Naval and Military
Ball for Friday
Night.


OLD POINT COMFORT. VA, Decem-
aor a.--rhe double starred flag OF
,lue-emblem Of tho commander in :
.htef of the Pncific-bound battieship
1aet--was flung to the breeze from
The main truck OF the battlcship
Connecticut to-day, and Rear-Adn,irai
Robiey b. Evans formally assumed
mis- position as leader OF tho greatest
naval movement in the history Of the
American people.
This was assembly day for the fleet.
which Is to set saii next Monday
morning. and OF the sixteen great
lghting machines ordered to skirt the
sollthern.most end of all America and
lnaugurate new naval era In the
Pacific Ocean, there were but two
lnggards. These were tile 10000 ton
Minnesota, flagship OF Rear-Adiniral
{. ". Thomas. commander of the sec
,nd squadron OF the fleet. and the Ken
lucky, whose paliry I1.525 tons. reic-
gate her to a position al the end of
the armored column.
The Kentucky also is the oldesr ves-
sci among the sixteen. having been
laid down With her sister, the Renr
s',rge, In 1898. at the beginning OF the
War with Spain. Nine years ago is an
ancient period in modern battleship
construction. so great have been the
strides In American naval architecture.
rhe Minnesota and the Kentucky are
10th expected to drop anchor in IIamp-
ton Roads tomorrow, and then the
historic fleet VIII he complete.
Ths Maine Comes In.
The new Maine. which two short
yeats ago was the flagship of the
commanders r-in-cliet, but now is thrown
bkck TO eleventh place in the list, came
In to-day making fourteen battleships
1T anchor OFF here. The ships are dis
posed in two long lines leading In
crescent. which begins Just off the Old
I.in, pier, and points toward Norfolk.
Tie Connecticut which lies scarcely
;aote than 8 stones ,hrow from the
! Iie,-rsss;s.ds tbs ecs ssaas. snesIEe Sssgh ore
Ne,.f to her IS her sister ship, the
louisiana. the champion hard-hittng,
fast-hring vessel OF her class, and then
H. turn comes the Kansas and the YER
mont all registering 10000 tons. and
Lelted with steel that is rated we'll
night impregnablc.
These four vessels compose the first
division OF the first squadron of the
feet and are the personal charges OF
Rear Admiral Evans. The second di-
vision in the first squadron is made up
OF the Georgia, Virginia. New Jersey
and Rhode Island. The flag of Rear
ADMIRAL William n. Emery. in COM
mand of the division. floats from the
Georgia's truck 1t also hears two
stars. but In distinction from that or
the commander chief. his flag has a
red field, the same being true of all of
the three rear-admfrals who have COM
tmand of the divisions under Admiral
Evans. The Georgia, Virginia, New
Jersey and Rhode Island are of a type
and with displacement of nearly $1,000
tons each. they combine the tremendous
driving force OF 10000 horses, and in
their trial trips have al. exceeded nine /
teen knots. speed attained by few OF
the heavily armored vessels of the
world. Both absentees from tho fleet
to-day We're In the second squadron
column. A vacant berth at the head
of the line WAS left for the Minnesota.
which is bound down the coast from
the New York Navy Yard.
The Minnesota was the last OF the
big vessels to dock at New York, and
was given forty-eight hours grace mn
der the orders to report in Hampton
Roads not later tlian to-day.
Awaiting the Minnesota in the second
squadron arc the Ohio the Maine and
the Missouri, of the third division of |
the fleet. and in the fourth division are
the Alabama, the flagship of Rear-Ad- |
miral Sperry: the Illinois and the |
kearsarse. The Kentucky will COM
plete this division and squadron whenl
she arrives from Boston, Like the |
Minnesota. the Kentucky was repalredl
at the Norfolk Navy Yard. but was sent |
away to be locked and painted below
tho water line.
The two long lines of battleships. /
f'anked on either side by vessels ofthe !
auAlilarS leet, present a notable 5pic- I
lure and add one more impressive naval
event TO the history of Nirginia's fnr.
famed roadstcad, where the battle az +
me % Monitor and the Merrimac thrilled
we we world and set n new standard for
.1uture naYies to bufld by.
Crowds OF SiShtsecrs.
4 crowds of siglltseers from nll -. :,
OF the country are assembled hera y,
witness the final preparation and 'tho
departure OF the fleet. ,rhe familins
OF. most Of the officers are also amona
the visitors and the week is 10 1hn.
crowded with social events of sbothl
formal and informak character, the
prlnclpal function To he a naval anal
military ball on the evening of Trl.
day, the 1ath.
Admiral Evans arrived this morning
from Washingtun. accolnpanied Nv
}Cantatn ingersoll. his cllier OF staff 4
and Lieutenant Commander C.handlel, 4.
his flag secretary. AS Ills flag was
broken out from the main truck twhen3l
ne repaired aboard the GonnecticutE L
there We're the customary salutes fromsE
the flagships OF the various divisions,
and &Admirals Emory and sperry were
soon en- route to the flagship to pay
their resp ects. The commanding offcerEE
of the artillery station here, Fort
Monroe, has paid his respects tosthe,|
admiral. sss sls
GRAND Jury YaINyMsTIGATINts
atJ TITSIN5 ON WAR ECIIn1tS1I RIS(yEIlbNSI