Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-10-20
MAINE COMPLETES
WORLDS CRUISE.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

While nearly 200 Of the men before
the mast. made the entire world run
only II of the officers were with the
tattleship from the start. The Maine
went out from Hampton Roads under
command of Capt. G. B. Harbor, being
attached to the Sd Division under the
flag of Rear Admiral Charles M.
Thomas. While the battleship was at
Guam on July 6. the news of Rear Ad
mIral Thomas death was received.
At Manila Capt. Hartor relinquish-
ed command of the Maine to Com
tnander William 3. Caperton, who
brought the ship home. Speaking of
the last run. Commander Caperton said
Monday that good weather had been
experienced though a heavy SEA was
encountered about two days out from
the Azores On Oct IA. when the AL
ALBANIA parted company from the Maine
the battleships were in longitude 49,
The Alabama headed for New York on
the "Mercador line" while the Maine
took the,'Great Circle" for Ports
mouth. About 200 miles off shore the
Maine ran into heavy haze and smoke
and slowed down, a part of the time
practically lying too, waiting for the
haze and fog to lift. Commander Cap
erton expressed particular delight with
the ease with which Pilot c. @. Olsen
of the Kittery. Me, navy yard brought
the Maine up the Piscataqua Monday
The Alabama and the Maine left
Hampton Roads Dec. 16. 1907. with the
Atlantic battleship fleet on it's cruise
through the strait of Magellan to the
Pacific, the former as flagship of Rear
Admiral Charles II. Sperry. command
irg the 4th Division and the Maine at
tached to the 3d Division. During the
voyage of the feet to Magdalena bay
the Maine apd the Alabama were the
scene of many festivities given during
the exchange of greetings at Port of
Spain, Rio Janeiro. Punta Arenas and
Callao. On March II, the fleet arrived
at Magdalena bay.
After the successful conclusion of
the Geet's cruise to the Pacific it was
announced that the warships would
return to the Atlantic station by the
way of the Philippine Islands and the
Suez canal and the Maine and. Alaba-
ma were detached from the fleet, up
on the recommendation of Rear Admi-
raj Evans. and organized into a spe-
of Capt. Giles f. Harber. commanding
the Maine. Their places in the fleet
were supplied by the battleships Wis
constr and Nebraska.
The detachments of the Alabama and
the Maine from the combined fleet We're
due in the case ,pf the Alabama to her
inferior engines and in the case of the
Maine to her limited Steaming capacity.
The steaming radius of the Maine
without rc-coaling Is limited to 3700
miles. The engines of the Alabama. 1t
is said. proved unequal to those of
the other battleshirs and it was feared
that she might retard the passing OF
the fleet should they break down.
Rear Admiral Sperry transferred his
flag from the Alabama on May Is and
hoisted his new flag on the Connecti-
cut as ccmInander-in-chi and on
June s the special service squadron un-
der Capt. Harbor started on its return
trip to the Atlantic by way of Homo
lulu. Manila and the Suez as path
finder for the 1G battleships on their
cruise around the world.
The special squadron arrived at Hon.
olnlu June is. where q stop OF seven
days was made and after touching at
Guam the vessels reached Manila.
Aug. l. Since leaving Manila, where the