Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-15
Rumored World Tour.

II IDS DecH repeatedly lilSL Tic
fleet might eventually circle the globe,
some color being given to the report by
the fact that the Navy Department has
furnished the navigator of each ship with
corrected charts showing the way to San
Francisco, to Manila and to Gibraltar.
A conference of the ordnance officers of
the various warships was called on the
Connecticut today by Lieut.. Commander
Ridley Mclean, the fleet ordnance officer,
but it was postponed until tomorrow on
account of the storm. With each ship car
rying the greatest amount of explosives
ever stored under the American flag the
ordnance officers hold a position Of pecu-
liar responsibility This fact will be i'm
pressed upon them by Mr.. Mclean, who
will also say last word to each as to
what is to be expected from the ordnance
department under any conditions.
Being in cruising trim. with everything
above decks snug and tight, the fleet did
not feel the stiff southeastern which swept
the coast last night and turned the usual
placid anchorage ground into choppy
sea. The ship launches running to the
division fagships and to the s hore were
buffeted about in lively fashion, how
ever. throughout the morning. They are
seaworthy little craft, though, and can
stand a great amount of pounding.
Kansas Team Wins.
Toward noon the wind slackened and
veered and the fleet suddenly was lost
to view in a binding fog. The shrill
whistles of the flying launches set a
terrible din of warning, while the fog
bells aboard ship added a somewhat mel
ancholy undertone to the uproar in the
harbor. After an hour or two the fog
lifted as suddenly as it fell, and the fleet
bursting into view made a magnificent
marine spectacle. The sun was not long
after this finding Its way through the
cloud banks. and then the immaculate
sides of the battleships glistened a daz-
zling white.
This afternoon the foot ball team
from the Kansas won the championship
of the fleet by defeating the Vermont
getting a field goal and Vermont a
touchback in the first half. The game
was played on a rain-Soaked turf, with
miniature lakes scattered here and
there on the gridiron. Commissioned
officers, veterans of Annapolis teams,
played with the enlisted men on both
elevens. Other officers led the cheering
from the bluejackets and marines of
the opposing ships, and altogether there
was a spirit of good feeling among the
officers and men which made ,leep i'm
preston upon the spectators, an indica-
ton of the vital force to be found in
the navy. Bands, goat mascots, flut-
tering flags. tin horns and cheering,
with subsequent parades by victors and
vanquished, made the afternoon gay.
Admiral Evans was at the Hotel
Chamberlain when the sailors returned
from the game. They stopped and
ors cheered the champions of the Kan
sas and were in turn cheered by the
victors. They all boarded the ships to-
night happy and ready for all the hard
work the cruise is to bring them.
Torpedo Boats Reported.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, December
14-The American torpedo fotilla ar
rived here at noon today. The passage
was fair and the boats made about fifteen
knots an hour. They left San Juan the
morning of December IL.
The health of the Americans is reported
to be excellent and the vessels are all in
good condition. The flotilla will sail for
Para ON the 21st, and hope to have their
Christmas dinner there.