The Cairo bulletin., 1908-05-10
NEW CHIEF FOR
THE BIC FLEET
EVANS WITHDRAWS FROM CON-
MAND AND ADMIRAL THOM-
AS STEPS IN.
FOR SHORT TIME ONLY.
Then Admiral Sperry VIII Become
Commander-n-Chie and Take
Vessels Around World
Man Fer the Job.

San Francisco, Nay 9-Rear Adj
miral Robley d. Evans flag was to-
day hauled down from the Connect
cut amid a salute of thirteen guns,
and tonight the first comma2de in
chief of Americas first battleship feet
is on his way to his home in WasG-
ington to remain in waiting until tha
date of his retirement for age. AS the
blue ensign of the retiring command r
huttered down the new flag OF sim
liar design was broken out in ken
Ct the presence of the new chief, Rear
Admiral Charles NJ. Thomas,
Evans Address Read.
On board the vessels of the feet an
address from the departing G, M
mander-in- chief was read.
The address expressed the great
regret the admiral felt in leaving the
ships and his thanks fer the loyal
support OF the men and off GERS dur
ing his long tour of command.
Rear Admiral Thomas will have
supreme command of the fleet fer a
very short time. He will not retire
for age until October, but as the
feet will shortly leave the Pacific
coast to resume its trip around the
world it will of course be necessary
to make another change in command
ers. Rear Admiral Charles $. Sperry
is the officer chosen to succeed ar
Admiral Thomas in command CT the
feet and it is expected the transfer
will be made before the ships leave
San Francisco next week.
The Man For the Job.
Admiral Sperry is regarded as one
of the finest strategists aud tact!cians
liz the navy. and that is why he has
pcefr se,setssl 20 take charge of the
battIeships and cruisers for the rest
OF the journey around the globe. lie
is an expert in his line, one CT the
most accomplished officers OF tie
new navy, thoroughly up to date III
all branches. Moreover, he has spent
years afoat in the Chinese and Pact
fic stations, to say nothing of TIE
European station, and is entirely
familiary with all the conditions that
will arise as the fleet continues its
cruise to the Far West.
Admiral Sperry is a native OF
Brooklyn but his family removed to
Connecticut when he was youth, and
in 1862 he was appointed to the
Naval academy from that state. He
.ad no opportunity to take part in the
Civil war as he did not graduate until
1866 During the next twenty years
or so he served on the Pacific AMI
European stations. a
In 1899 he came to Washington and
was attached for two years to the
Bureau of Ordnance, as he was an
expert in such matters. In 1894 he
became a full commander, aud from
July. 1895, to May 1898, was stationed
at the New York navy yard. Then the
Spanish war came, but still Sperry
did not get his chance to get into a
fight He was attached to the YORK
town as commander Of the vessel, and
started across the Pacific to the chi
Inese station. But by the time he
reached the other side, Dewey had
wiped out the Spanish feet in Ma
Mia bay and there remained nothing
in the fighting line for Sperry to do.
He became a captain in 1900 and a
rear admiral in 1906.
In technical way Admiral SGerry
has been prominent. For two years
he was president of the War College
He was member of the general
board and of the joint army and navy
board which considered the question
of Notifications for the insular posse S
sions of the United States. Last sum
mer Admiral Sperry served as one oI
the American delegates to the peace
conference at The Hague.