Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1908-05-30
SPERRY IN COMMAND
ADMIRAL SUCCEEDS THOMAS
ON ATLANTIC FLEET.
Rear Admiral Thomas Has Put in AZ
Years in Naval Service-AdmiraI
Dayton Was Technically in Control
of Both Fleets for a Few Days Ow-
ing to His Ranking Sperry.

ing 10 Ills Ranking Sperry.
Rear Admiral Charles Stillman Sper-
ry, 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
assembled in the history of the nation.
Rear Admiral Charles M. Thomas, who
succeeded Rear Admiral Evans as COM
mander of the fleet, 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
lantie feet passed technically and
temporarily for a few days under con-
troll of the Pacific fleet Rear Admiral
Dayton, commander in chief of the Pa
cific feet. 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 feet, 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 fleet was steaming into Rio
Admiral Thomas received a wireless
message from Admiral Evans telling
OF his illness and asking that Admiral
Thomas represent him IA receiving and
paying Official calls. etc. At Rio, at
Punta Arenas, al CallaO, Lima Magda-
lena bay and al all OF the California
ports al which the fleet stopped, Ad-
miral Thomas attended All of the
Official functions and made All of the
Official addresses.
10 Admiral Thomas loyalty 10 the
commander in chief, 10 his tact, per
sonality and graciousness of man
ner, The Officers Of the feet attribute
much Of the success which attended
The cruise.
Under orders from Admiral speUy
the bronze battleship target practice
trophy Was transferred from the bat
reship Illinois Of the Atlantic neet 10
the armored cruiser Maryland of fhe
Pacific feet apd the trophy pennanf
of red sas broken from tle foretucs
~ ihe latter chip
ne Maryland Rill receive fhe Spo.
kane silver trophy cup Offered ~ fhe
clflzeps NJ fhai cliy for fhe ainper VI
fAe iafsei piaoiico fol ilsi class ships
iAe cpfi NJ ipe cup $1,000. hae lalsed
nj prfaie supsoupilop
seven laifleshlpf nlIl ~ into ~.
aocl "a ibf llemnliep paly yHfd nesi
mopth siiel iNo Ailapfo feel eual lln
flplaf among llf eliiet NJ lpHei
appNN iNNsr aalfN aNlpE oDmDpa0
NI.al AZ a. Second aui IQuIII 1IF|.