Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-03-19
FLEET WILL KEEP
ON GOING WEST
Greatest Naval Undertaking In His.
tory of the World.
Leave San Francisco July 6-Oisap-
pointment on Coast Because of
Short Sray-Japan Not On Route
but Plan Mar Be Changed Tar
get Practice in Philippines.

San Diego, Cal, March 14.-News
that the american battle fleet" is
to undertake a tour of the world
within two months after its arrival
at San Francisco on May was
flashed by wireless telegraphy to the
16 battleships of Admiral Evans
command at Magdalena Bay late
last night by the government station
on Point Iona. There is every rea-
son to believe that 1t was received
on board the vessels by officers and
crews alike with the greatest degree
of satisfaction.
Admiral Evans, who will relin-
quish command of the fleet during
it's forthcoming stay at San Fran
cisco, and who goes on the retired
list when he attains the age of 62
years in August, was expecting some
official word from Washington on the
subject of the future movements OF
the fleet, and it was in view of this
and to enable the department to pre-
pare it's program that he sent the
message the night of his arrival off
Magdalena Bay, to the effect that
the ships could start on any mission
at a days notice and were in far bet
ter shape as to machinery and eff
cheney of crews than on the day of
sailing from Hampton Roads.
! Washington, March Admiral
Evans battleship fleet, after leaving
San Francisco, will visit Hawaii, Sa-
moa, Melbourne and sydney, Austria
liza; the Philippines and return to
New York by way of the Suez Canal.
Secretary Metcalf announced the
future movements of the fleet after
the cabinet meeting today. 1t will
leave San Francisco on July for
our Pacific possessions" as Mr. Met
calf styled it. The vessels will first
touch at Hawaii, where they will
coal. After that they will go to Sa-
moa, following with a visit to Aus
tralia They will stop at the cities
of Melbourne and Sydney, the inyi-
tation of the Australian government
to visit that country having been
supplemented by a more cordial one
from the British Ambassador, Mr..
Bryce.
Leaving the Australian waters, the
vessels are to go to Manila, and
while in the Philippines, the annual
fall target practice will he held,
Thence they will return to the United
States by way of the SueZ canal,
stopping only at such ports as are
necessary for coaling purposes. The
date of their return to the States de-
pends entirely upon the amount Of
time required for the target prac-
tice in the Philippines. The visit of
the battleships to Puget Sound will
be made some time between the COW
clusion of the grand review in San
Francisco Bay, on May 8, and the
date of the sailing over the Pacific.
Secretary Metcalf said that the
battleships would remain in San
Francisco until May %, during which
time they would fill their bunkers
with coal. According to the present
plan, the entire fleet will go up to
Puget Sound, and some of the ships
may be sent over TO Vancouver, all
returning to San Francisco, however,
before departing for home. Admiral
Evans will retire in August by oper-
alton of law. Secretary Metcalf said
that no decision had yet been ar
rived at as to who would succeed
him in command of the fleet on it's
voyage homeward
Mr.. Metcalf today made public a
copy of a letter addressed to Secre-
tary Root, March 2, by Ambassador
Bryce experimenting the invitation
extended by Sir Alfred Deakin in
behalf of the commonwealth of Aus
tralia for the battleships to visit that
country on their return to the United
States.
Orders were issued at the navy de-
partment today assigning officers to
duty in connection with fitting out
the torpedo boats Davies, Farragut
aud FOX.