Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1908-05-09
FLEET COMMANDS ARE
TO Be CHANGED TODAY
IN PURSUANCE OF ORDERS Is
SUED BY THE NAVY DE-
PARTMENT RECENTLY.
Admiral Evans Relieved
Of the Supreme Command of the Bat
tleship Fleet BY Rear Admiral
Charles M. Thomas-other
Changes on Big Ships
Noted In Dispatch.
SpeciaI to the Herald.

Special to the Herald.
Washington, D. c., May 9.-Import-
ant changes are due among the COM
handing officers of the battleship
fleet at San Francisco today in pur-
suance of orders issued by the navy
department The most important
change is that affecting Rear Admiral
Evans, the commander-in-chief of the
fleet. Rear Admiral Charles M.
Thomas, who has commanded the sec
ond squadron of the Atlantic fleet, re-
iieves Rear Admiral Evans of the SUI
preme command. The change marks
the close of Rear Admiral Evans ac-
tive career in the navy, though he is
not to be officially retired until next
August.
Rear Admiral W. H Emory is de
tached from duty in command of the
second division, first squadron, and
will command the fourth division, sec
ond squadron. Rear Admiral Charles
S. Sperry is relieved from command
of the fourth division, second squad
ron, and will command the second
squadron. Captain Seaton Schroeder,
who will shortly reach the grade of
Rear Admiral, is detached from COM
mand of the battleship Virginia to
command the second division, first
squadron Captain Alexander Sharp
succeeds him as commander of the
battleship Virginia.
Admiral Thomas, who succeeds to
the command of the fleet, is one of
the veteran officers of the navy. Born
n Philadelphia in 1876, he entered the
Naval Academy at the beginning of
the civil war and was graduated in
1865. For four years he served in the
Shenandoah, on the Asiatic station
Few of the present officers of the
navy have seen more varied service |
than has Admiral Thomas He was
stationed at tho Centennial EXPOSE
ton from 1875 to 1877, and was in
charge of the Constitution at the
Paris Exposition in 1878 From 1880 |
to 1884 he served at the Naval Acad- |
envy and during the next three years |
he was on the flagship Hartford of |
the Pacific squadron. Subsequently |
he commanded the coast survey stea-
mer Paterson, was photographic in |
spector in the coast survey for two |
years, in the Bureau of Navigation |
from 1891 to 1898, commanded the |
Bennington during the next two years,
and was in turn commander of the |
Naval Home, the War College and the
Naval Academy From 1899 to 1902
he commanded the battleship Oregon
In 1905 he reached the grade of rear
admiral
Rear Admiral Thomas will have su-
preme command of the fleet for a
very short time. He will not retire |
for age until October, but as the fleet |
win shortly leave the Pacific coast to
resume its trip around the world it
will of course be necessary to make
another change in commanders. Rear
Admiral Charles S. Sperry is the Off
Ger chosen to succeed Rear Admiral
Thomas in command of the fleet, and |
it is expected the transfer will be
made before the ships leave San Fran
cisco next week.
Admiral Sperry is regarded as one
of the finest strategists and tactic
ians in the navy, and that is why he
has been selected to take charge of
the battelships and cruisers for the
rest of the journey around the globe.
He is an expert in his line, one of the
most accomplished officers of the new
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