The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1908-05-22
FLAGS
CHANGED
REAR ADMIRAL SPERRY
SUCCEEDS THOMAS.
SUCCESSOR OF EVANS RETIRES
AFTER AZ YEARS OF ACTIVE
NAVAL SERVICE.

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 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 befitting his position. The
ceremonies were carried out in brief
est possible form and in strict &C
cordance with naval regulations. Adj
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 few days under con-
troll of the Pacific feet. 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 I.
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 battlesbips 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, 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 tt
the armored cruiser Maryland of the
Pacific fleet, and the trophy pennan
of red was broken from the foretrucl
OF the latter ship.
The Maryland will receive the Spo
kane silver trophy cup offered by thu
citizens of that city for the winner O
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 mex
month after the Atlantic fleet ends it
cruise among the cities of Puge
sound. These seven ships compos
most of the second and fourth div
: sions of the fleet, the Georgia, New
Jersey, Rhode Island and Virginia O
|, the second division. and the Illinois
Alabama and Kearsarge of the fourtl
division.
The Atlantic fleet will be repre-
scented in it's entirely on its northern
tour, with the exception of the Ale
!, bama and Maine, which will have t
stay to go into drydock at Hunter
point. The Alabama docks May 2
and the Maine May %.
After the torpedo flotilla ends it
present visit at Sacramento it will sa
down the Sacramento river to Mar
ioldAo, WhClS q stay VI q lCW ICY . WI
4 be made before the little war vessel
/ take their run up the coast to Por
land, Ore.
Q The battleships set sail for Puge
l. sound Monday morning at 10 o'clocl
y Fleet Departs.
The Atlantic fleet of battleship
p after IL days of naval pageantry an
= merry-making in San Francisco, sal
y Monday morning at 10 o'clock fc
:. Puget sound, arriving at Seattle Q
= May 81. One-half the ships will doc
. at Bremerton navy yard while mort
- and the others will return here for r
pairs and painting beneath the waite
line Orders call for the reassemblin
of the fleet in San Francisco not late
e than July 8. On July the fleet sal
l. for Honolulu, and after a weeks sta
n there goes directly to Auckland. TIL
e Pacific fleet of armored cruisers, III
n der command of Rear Admiral Daytol
y sailed south.