Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1908-05-23
SPERRY IN Command
ADMIRAL SUCCEEDS THOMAS
ON ATLANTIC FLEET.
Rear Admiral Thomas Has Put In AZ
Years in Naval Service-Admi-al
Dayton Was Technically in Control
of Both EleetA. for Few DAYS Ow-
ing to His Ranking Sperry.

i'a ~ 'ifc ffdftNii3 oRCtiJs
Rear Admiral Charles Stillman Sper-
ry, returned within six months from
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 NJ 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
lantic fleet 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 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
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 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 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, AID
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 foretrucb
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 fleet, 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 its northern
tour, with the exception of the Ala
bama and Maine, which will have t.
stay to go into drydock at Hunters
point. The Alabama docks May q
and the Maine May %.
After the torpedo fiotilla ends it
present visit at Sacramento it will sal
down the Sacramento river to Mar
island, where a stay of a 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 Puge
sound Monday morning at 10 o'clock
Fleet Departs.
The Atlantic fleet of battleships
after II days of naval pageantry ant
merry-making in San Francisco, sail
Monday morning at 10 o'clock 70
Puget sound, arriving at Seattle OF
May 81. One-half the ships will doc
at Bremerton navy yard while nortl
and the others will return here for re
pairs and painting beneath the waite
line. Orders call for the reassemblin
of the fleet in San Francisco not late
than July 8. On July 7 the fleet sail
for Honolulu, and after a weeks sta
thara poaS directly 10 Auckland TIL