Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-05
THOMAS IN COMMAND
Raised His Flag on the Con-
necticut Yesterday.
TARGET PRACTICE OVER
All of the Vessels Have Made Good
Scores.
MARYLAND PROBABLE WINNER
Torpedo Flotilla Is Almost Hourly
Expected in the Bay-Sailing
of the Relief.

SAN DIEGO, Cal, April 4.-Rear Ad-
mral c. NJ. Thomas. acting commander
in-chief of the Atlantic battleship fleet.
today transferred his flag from the Min
nesota to the Connecticut, which carried
Rear Admiral Evans ensign on the long
cruise from Hampton roads and which
rejoined the fleet in Magdalena bay late
last night, after bringing Admiral Evans
to San Diego.
With the elevation of Admiral Thomas,
Rear. Admiral Sperry became second in
command of the fleet. and it is stated
that when the ships set sail from Magda-
lena bay. the Alabama, his flagship, will
be at the head of the second squadron.
Target practice at Magdalena is ended.
Il is the general belief that one OF
the battleships has Surpassed the rec
ord recently made by the Maryland
of the Pacific squadron. The bat
tleships and armored cruisers are
in the same class in computation of target
records. The fact that none of the big
armor-belted ships from the Atlantic has
broken the Maryland's record does not
mean that they have not done splendid
when given out at the Navy Department
IN Washington will show a higher aver
age of hits per minute than ever before
attained in the navy.
Big-Gun Average.
The Kentucky. Virginia. Connecticut.
Louisiana and Minnesota are looked upon
as likely to head the list of Atlantic ships.
Some of these ships, it Is believed, will
be found to have made the wonderful
record of averaging more than six hits a
minute per gun, this average including
The scores of the big eight-inch and
twelve-inch turret rifles. Record target
practice. with the target anchored Loo
yards away at the apex of a triangle,
really means test in the facility of fir
ing. 1t is not the number of hits that
count: The navy has got beyond the mere
question of puncturing the targets into
sleves. The auxiliary cruiser Buffalo,
which arrived yesterday with mail for
the heet. left for Magdalena hay again at
! O'CLOCK this afternoon. carrying the
usual large number Of mail pouches di-
reeted to the sixteen ships already In the
bay and great quantity of letters, mag
azines and papers to the torpedo fotilla,
which is hourly expected to report its ar
rival at the drill grounds. The Buffalo
will leave Magdalena on April Is, sailing
directly for Mare Island with empty shell
cases and condemned powder from the
feet.
The hospital ship Relief, which left
Magdal lena bay on Thursday, was report-
e. well up the coast today en- route to San
Francisco.
Evans Takes a Bath.
PASO ROBLES, HOT SPRINGS, Cal,
April 4.-Rear Admiral Evans had a COM
Portable night and today took another
sulphur bath, followed by massage treat
ment. His physicians have made
thorough examination and declare that
the admiral has no organic trouble
He Is subject to intermittent spells OF
lnhammatory rheumatism. These at
tacks. together with the worry attending
the command of the battleship fleet, have
caused Admiral Evans to drop from ITS
to I'D pounds in weight.
The admiral denies that he is very SICK
He thinks that too much interest is being
taken In his condition. anc says that he
will be walking about in a few days.
AT present he is wheeled about the hotel
grounds an dto the baths in a chair, but
he walks about his room with the aid OF
crutches. In a few days II the present
rate of improvement continues the
crutches will be abandoned for a cane.