Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-10
II WARSHZPS
MILNE FOR
LONG CRUISE
ADMIRh. EVANS FILINGS FLAG
TO BREEZE
FIGHTING MONSTERS READY FOR
START
Only Two Lageards Reported When
Vessels Assemble In Hampton
Roads-Great Fleet Of
on December 16
Ru Aaanciatad Press.

OLD POINT COMFORT, Va, Dec. -
The double-starred flag of blue, emblem
of the commander In chief of the Pacific
hound battleship fleet. was flung to the
breeze in the main truck of the battleship
Connecticut today, 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 sixteen great fighting machines or.
dered to skirt the southern end of America
and inaugurate new naval era in the
Pacific ocean, there were but two lag
CARDS.
These were the 16,00O-ton Minnesota,
flagship of Rear Admiral c. M. Thomas.
commander of the second squadron of the
fleet, and the Kentucky whose paltry H.
525 tons relegated her to a position at the
end of the armored column.
The Kentucky Is also the oldest vessel
among the sixteen, having been laid down
with her sister ship, the Kearsarge, 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
The Minnesota and the Kentucky are
both expected to drop anchor in Hampton
Roads tomorrow, and then the historic
fleet will be complete. The new Maine,
which two short years ago was the nag
ship of the commander in chief, but Is
now thrown back to eleventh place in the
list, came in today, making fourteen bat
tleships at anchor off here.
Lines Form Crescent
The ships are disposed in two long lines
leading in crescent which begins just
off the Old Point pier and points TOWARD
Norfolk The Connecticut, which lies
scarcely more than stones throw from
the pier, heads the column nearest shore.
Next to her is her sister ship, the
Louisiana, the champion hard hitting, fast
firing vessel of her class, and then In
turn come the Kansas and the Vermont,
all registering 10000 tons, and belted with
steel that Is rated well nigh impregnable.
These four vessels compose the first
division of the squadron of the fleet and
are the personal charges of Rear Admiral
Admiral Evans The second division is
made up Of the Georgia, Virginia, New
Jersey and Rhode Island.
The flag of Rear Admiral William III.
Emory, 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 the flag has a
red field, the same being true of all of the
three other rear admirals who have COM
mand of the divisions under Admiral
Evans.
Both absentees from the fleet today
were in the second squadron column. a
vacant berth at the head of the line was
left for the Minnesota, which is bouno
down the coast from New York The
Minnesota was the last of the big vessels
to dock at New York, and was given
forty-eight hours grace under the orders
TO report in Hampton Roads not later
than today.
Awaiting the Minnesota in the second
squadron are the Maine, Ohio and MIS-
souri, of the second 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
lucky will join this division and squad
ron when she arrives from Boston.
Like the Minnesota, the Kentucky was
repaired at the Norfolk navy yard, but
was sent away to be docked and painted
below the water line.
The two long lines of battleships,
fianked on either side by vessels of the
auxiliary fleet, present a notable picture
and add one more impressive naval event
to the history of Virginia's far-famed
roadstead, where the battle of the Mon
itor and the Merrimac thrilled the world
and set new standard for future navies
to go by.
Thousands of sightseers from all parts
of the country are assembled here to
witness the final preparations and the
departure of the fleet. The families of
the officers are also among the visitors,
and the week is to be crowded with social
events of both formal and informal char
acter, the principal function to be naval
and military ball the evening of Friday,
the 18th.
Admiral Evans arrived this morning
from Washington, accompanied by Capt
Ingersoll, his chief of staff, and Lieut..
Com Chandler, his flag secretary. AS
his flag was broken out from the main
truck when he repaired aboard the Con-
necticut there were the customary sa-
lutes from the fiagships of the various
divisions, and Admirals Emery and
Sperry were soon en- route to the flag
ship to pay their respects. The COM
manding officer of the artillery station
here also paid his respects to the admiral.
cTATE SENATOR EIlIITY