Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1908-05-22
SPERRY IN COMMAND.
ADMIRAL SUCCEEDS THOMAS
ON ATLANTIC FLEET.
Rear Admiral Thomas Has Put in AZ
Years in Naval SerVlce-Admiral
Dayton Was Technically in Control
Of Both Fleets for a Few Days ow-
ing to His Ranking sperry.

Of Both Fleets for Few Days ow-
ing to His Ranking sperry.
Rear Admiral Charles Stillman Sper- |
", returned within six months from
a mission of peace as one of the Amer
lean delegates to the conference at
The Hague, has assumed command of
the strongest force of fighting ships
in the history of the nation.
Rear Admiral Charles M. Thomas, who
succeeded Rear Admiral Evans as CON-
mander of the feet, hauled down his
flag from the truck of the Con-
necticut and 10 minutes later Admiral
Sperry was received on board the
flagship with the salutes and other
naval honors BETTING his position. The
ceremonies were carried out in brief
est possible form and in strict ac-
cordance with naval regulations. Ad-
miral Thomas, who had had actual
command for only six days, although
he served for many weeks as senior
officer present during the enforced alb
sence of Admiral Evans, issued no
farewell address.
Although still an independent force
to all intents and purposes the At
lantic feet passed technically and
temporarily for few days under con-
troll of the Pacific fleet. Rear Admiral
Dayton, commander in chief of the Pa
cific fleet, outranks Admiral Sperry,
and as soon as Admiral Thomas blue
flag was run down on the Connecticut
he became senior officer in command
of the combined fleets.
Thomas Retires October 1.
Although he will not retire until
October next Admiral Thomas has
ended his active naval career of nearly
AZ years. He served as second in COM
mand to Admiral Evans during the re-
cent trip of the Atlantic fleet, and
by reason of the illness of the com
mander in chief had to assume all the
social and official duties incident to
the call of the battleships at the
various South American ports.
AS the feet was steaming into Rio
Admiral Thomas received a wireless
message from Admiral Evans telling
of his illness and asking that Admiral
Thomas represent him in receiving and
paying official calls. etc. At Rio, at
Punta Arenas, at Callao, Lima, Magda-
lena bay and at all of the California
ports at which the fleet stopped, Ad-
miral Thomas attended all of the
official functions and made all of the
official addresses.
To Admiral Thomas loyalty to the
commander in chief, to his tact, per-
sonality and graciousness of man
ner, the officers of the fleet attribute
much of the success which attended
the cruise.
Under orders from Admiral Sperry
the bronze battleship target practice
trophy was transferred from the bat
tleship Illinois of the Atlantic fleet to
the armored cruiser Maryland of the
Pacific fleet, and the trophy pennant
of red was broken from the foretruck
of the latter ship.
The Maryland will receive the Spo-
kane silver trophy cup offered by the
citizens of that city for the winner of
the target practice for first class ships.
The cost of the cup, $500, was raised
by private subscription.
Seven battleships will go into dry
dock at the Bremerton navy yard next
month after the Atlantic fleet ends its
cruise among the cities of Puget
sound. These seven ships compose
most of the second and fourth divi-
sions of the feet, the Georgia, New
Jersey, Rhode Island and Virginia OF
the second division, and the Illinois,
Alabama and Kearsarge of the fourth |
division.
The Atlantic fleet will be repre-
scented in its entirely on it's northern |
tour, with the exception of the Ala
bama and Maine, which will have to |
stay to go into drydock at Hunters |
point. The Alabama docks May 29 |
and the Maine May %.
After the torpedo fiotilla ends it's
present visit at Sacramento it will sail |
down the Sacramento river to Mare
island, where a stay of few days will |
be made before the little war vessels |
take their run up the coast to Port
land, Ore.
The battleships set sail for Puget |
sound Monday morning at 10 o'clock |