The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-02-21
't v THOMAS IS
 IN COMMAND Admiral Evans in Very
 Poor Health. NO FORMAL NOTIFICATION But Navy Department Had Been
 Expecting the News. American Battieship Fleet Arrives at callae and an Extensive Program
 Has Bees Arraased for
 Its Entertaiament. 

formally advised by Admiral ihomss that he has assumed command ?. ne Atlantic fleet. the ofncials or tne N@ass IVY Department were expecting some sucn Announcement as that made py me rrees as the basis of preceding reports frnna fhe fleet of the change ID eonui- fion of Admiral Evans.
 T1iaae reports are not regarded as in- d,cating that the Admiral is snnerlns from any permanent tncapacity. pus thaf he :s simply again a victim or =, ic trouble from which he has as,ffered for many years. and which IS afrecflv the result of injury ne re- refvkd at Fort Fisher during the ClVll Tvnr Before ne sailed from Hampton f,Sads. Admiral Evans was confined to hts fagship and nearly all of the neavy social duties incident to the gathering s,s sha hir fleet and it's departure de- voixedr of, his subordinate admirals. al- fhss,nh he directed nearly all Of me dafnfia connected with the assemoihBs and sailing of the fleet.
 His condition improved materialIs ou the voyage seuthward, from lamp ion Roads. but prudence preven1ed am rem accepting the hounteoua nospl- ta5stw ana numerous banquets tendered sf Trinidad and Rio. He did manage "A sxaf ashore one day at the latter port aoT rvaa reported to have improved m FnnAstIou when he arrived at Funta 2renas. and officers here familiar witn ms course of his attacks. ruily sApec. fhsf before the fleet enters &agdalena ssSw Admiral Evans will again pc m rs~,fton 10 give personal attention to fbe target. firing which is to take place there. ~.u
 f.allao. Feb. 20.--f7:45 a. m-)--The American battleship fleet has just been sighted oR this port. Connecticut says that Rear Admiral Evans is still in poor health and that Fear Admiral Charles M. Thomas. com- rnnnder Of the. second squadron and 4hsrd division of the fleet. has assumed charge of the vessel. From an early hour this morning the street cars com inK into Callao were crowded with passengers who are eager to witness the arrival of the American war ves- sels.
 The American warships had a sue- cassfui and uneventfui passage up from Punta Arenas They left Punta Arenas at n o'clock at night, February !, ana in column formation, they made their way through. the. western half of the Strait of Magellans The torpedo boat fiofiIla accompanied the warships For the Gret part of the passage through the strait, they kept close to the larger vessels, but then dropped behind and turned north to Smyth Channel. A mi- nor accident to the engine of the de-, etroyar Lawrence made it necessary for her to fall back. but she picked up fha iotilla later in the afternoon of February 8.
 The destroyers entered Smyth Chan neI st about the same time that the battleships got clear of the strait and steamed out into the Pacific. Saturday. the sky was overcast. The weather was cold and the wind blew squally and fresh, forcing the Iow-dying clouds aside for occasional flashes Of brilliant sunshine. The snowclad peaks on eith- CT side of the Strait made fitting set- ting to the wild weather. As the ves- sells steamed steadily through the nar~ row confines of English Reach, Crook cd Beach and Long Reach and finally past the Evangelists Islands out to the open sea, the scene was one of wild. rugged and picturesque beauty. As the vessels finally cleared in safety the last headlands and the dangerous is- lands that bar 6he entrance to the open ocean. every man in the fleet was filled with a sense of pride in the successful accomplishment of . difficult and dan- gerous process of navigation.
 Once In the Pacific, the fleet had fog four days. during which time they kept in touch by the sound of their whistles. On the fifth day, the weath- CT cleared and remained fine until the fleet steamed into Calloa this morning under a warm tropical sun. The ChiI- can cruiser ChRcabueo, with Admirel Simpson. of the Chilean navy, John Hicks, the American Minister to Chile, and Chilean delegation of welcome on board, came out of Punta Arenas with the American vessels and accom- panied them until Feb, II, when she. put into Taleahuna to report. She re- turned and joined the fleet on the 18th. accompanied by three Chilean torpedo boats. the Captain Thomson. The Cap itan Munoz Gambera and the Captain O'BFien. These four vessels escorted the fleet to Valparaiso. which port was made on the 14th. There the Ameris can warships were reviewed by Pres1 ident Montt. of Chile.
 The review off Valparaiso, which was made in response to an urgent request from the Chilean officials, af- forded much satisfaction to Chilean people as well as to the officers and men of the American fleet. In the morning of February IS, the fleet was of coquimbo. Chile. and here the peo- pie also crowded the headIands to wit ness the passage of the vessels and give expressions of their welcome. The welcome extended to the people of Caliao was encouraging. Vast crowds had come down from Lima, the night before and the docks and healiands were thronged.
 Both Calloa and Lima are in holiday attire and the only topic Of conver- sation is the brilliant spectacle of the American Armada as the white war ships swung Into port this morning.