Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1908-04-04
THE ATLANTIC FLEET
J. B. ConnoIIy's Impressions of
Its Great Cruise.
FINEST IN WORLDS HISTORY

Even While Passing Through Danger
GUS Magellan Strait the Ships Kept
Their Prescribed Spaces-views of
Southern Neighbors.
Mass, noted as writer of sea stories
and close friend of President Roose.
welt, left Admiral Evans fleet at Mag
dalena bay after having Travelled with
the ships from Hampton Roads as the
civilian representative of the president.
lie arrived at San Francisco by train
the other night and gave this state
ment Of the fleet:
With the coming to anchor in Magda-
lena bay of the Atlantic feet a great
cruise ended. To be sure, the vessels
later, after parade Of the west coast,
have to complete the circumnavigation
of the globe by the way of the east
and the Suez canal, but that will be
child's play compared with what they
accomplished in leaving Hampton
Roads, holding the fleet formation all
the way and making the 1900 mile
itinerary in schedule time. ~
Here is the problem: Sixteen battle
ships of five classes and as many sizes,
speeds and equipments, were suddenly
called upon to get ready for sea. Most
of them were preparing for fall target
practice and had been looking forward
to the winter West Indian cruise. Most
of them had their systems of internal
communication yet to install. Under
these conditions they left for sea with
many various and important parts I'M
completed. A good deal Of this work
they finished during the cruise by their
own men in addition to the hundred
other duties. To take this feet around
was the duty of some hundreds OF
officers, young and old, experienced
and otherwise, and 1900 men, of
whom half probably had never before
been to sea.
For eight weeks this feet proceeded
In formation which allowed only go
yards of clear water between the stern
of one ship and the bow Of the next
behind, all this time steaming at TO-
IL or l. knots an hour except on rare
occasions, when they slowed down for
some extraordinary reason, and then
only for the shortest time. And that
go yards interval had to be preserv-
cd ut all hazards, for IL the officer OF
the deck allowed a ship to fall more
har fnY.fx. nd M nf nnGitinn hu
was compelled by the compander in
chiefs order to hoist an indicating
pennant, which of course no officer
cared to do If he could avoid 1t.
Now, 1t did not matter whether II
was night or day, clear weather OF
foul, that close interval had to be
!, maintained.
The passage of the Magellan strait
A OF the perils of which SO much has
been said, was made by the feet al
regulation speed at regulation inter
walls. The worst part of that passage
making from the strait into the Pa
ciiic, was made at night in the usua
formation in a fog and at 10 knots
an hour without one ship for single
instant endangering the safety OF .ht
next in line. .N
Another thing, this feet impressed
as 10 one thing ever did before upor
the minds of the people of the Soutf
American republics the military power
of the United States. This is the cast
at Trinidad. Rio de Janeiro, Punta Are
mas and Callao. At Valparaiso thu
fleet had not arranged TO stop, but thu
people were treated TO as grand dis
play as any of the more favored ports
They were steamed in one side OF thu
harbor, across the water front and GU
the other side, while 100000 people
gathered from the various parts o
Chile stood and watched. No les
than the size and power Of the flee
did the behavior Of our sailors ashor'
leave their impression upon the Soutl
American people.
At every port the men were giver
liberty. At no port did they refec
anything but credit upon the servic'
and the nation. They were clean. wei
set. intelligent looking. well behaves
Young fellows, three or four thousan'
of them some days. making the round
OF the shops, museums, anything, an!
place that would interest the youni
fellow eager to see the world. AM
among all these thousands so few o
them played the rowdy that we all ha'
to feel proud Of them.
.sThe United States must be a grea
and good nation" they said every
where. IF these are their young sail
ors"
The Monroe doctrine became TO then
much more paIpable because OF IN
impression made by our officers am
men. Undoubtedly we WIN have TO in
terfere or at least be asked TO intel
fere for generations yet in South Amer
lean political affairs. and because o
this cruise these southern people WI
appeal 10 Us with more fore.
This great feet Of ours in its PEI
sonnet and material Is unquestionabl
the highest class afOat. Its grea
cruise lust finished has furnished an
other concrete illustration q America
efficiency. IL has raised the standar
81 military efficiency for the fleets q
the world IL Is the greatest nays
cruise Of the history Of the world. an
at no time c0uld IL have failed TO max
q faster scl-efule-
Thus on the last leg from CsIlao .
MseiaIena say no trOuble was eKEs
rienced m heafinE the schedule By tw
DAYS. and even At that the feet coal
have roue several knots faster