The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-17
Public Ceremonies Upon His Retirement Will Take Place
 on Tuesday
FITTING POLARIZATION
 IF BRILLIANT SERVICE
Forty-five Years Has "Fiehtinn Bob" Been in the American Navy and Hls Many Deeds Have Add
 ed to Glory of Flag

Washington, August 16.-with the re- ttrement from active service next Tues- day of Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans. Fighting Bob,' the United States navy loses one of the most picturesque figures that ever trod a quarter deck Forty five years have gone by since Evans, as a young ensign, received his baptism of fire at Fort Fisher during the civil war Dur Ing that span of years he has served his country gallantly, well earning the re- ward of rest which grateful people give.
 It has been his fortune to command the greatest fleet of fighting ships ever as- sembled under the American flag. More over he successfully piloted that fleet to the end of one of the most remarkable cruises in naval history as the culminat- ing act of his brilliant career. Famous in war, he has become great in peace, and many of his countrymen still are hopeful that Congress will honor him by creating him a vice admiral, a rank second only to that of the Manila bay hero, Admiral Dewey.
 Born in Floyd county Virginia August IS, 1S46, 62 years ago, he came to Wash- ington at the age of Il to live with his uncle, a newspaper man, upon the death of his father Dr. Samuel Andrew Jack son Evans. It was while attending the l public schools here that his yearning for 1 the sea first became manifest, as he him. self states in his autobiography. "A Sail- or's Log" His sturdy defense of his mud puddle fleet against a more powerful foe in the shape of a larger boy is narrated by him with great evident enjoyment. Securing an appointment at the Naval academy he entered that institution Sep tember 15, 1S60
 Naval Enlistment.
 When war broke out between the states, his mother, assuming that he would take arms for his state against his country, sent in his resignation to Washington. and 1t was promptly accepted, Young Evans was determined however, to stand by the union even against his own fam fly, and had himself reappointed, greatly to his mothers chagrin. He was gradu- ated in 1863 ard served with honor through the remainder of the conflict. He became a lieutenant in 1866, lieutenant commander two years later and com mander in 1878. He reached the grade of captain in 1S93 and as such officer served through the Spansh-American war, com mandng the battleship Iowa at the battle of Santiago. He was promoted to the rank of real admiral in 1891, thus reaching the highest running in the ladder pos- sible without the aid of a special act of Congress.
 Rear Admiral Evans has been in poor health for some time past and though suffering from rh eumatism when the battleship fleet sailed from Hampton Roads last December, he persisted in his determination to gratify his life's ambition to take the fleet around Cape Horn. He was i'll during nearly the entire voyage and continued so until after he was relieved of command May g, last
 "Fighting Bob."
 It was during the period of strained relations with Chilli that he earned the sobriquet of Lighting Bob." He was in command of the gunboat York town stationed at Valparaiso, which place he threatened in such vigorous and earnest language that the naughty Latin Americans speedily released the American sailors whose frolic ashore had led to a riot and incidentally to an unpleasant diplomatic situation.
 Though possessed of exceptional ex- ecutive ability, Rear Admiral Evans has always preferred sea duty to service ashore. He probably has done more than any living man to unify this floating fighting force and great credit is due him for the high state of efficiency of equipment and personnel of the navy today. Rough and rugged, Bob" Evans is a typical American fighter. A stern disciplina- rian but always just and fair, he Is not only respected by the sailors, the men behind the guns, but he Is loved by them. A man of words. he is also a man of action, never making statement he is not prepared to back up and always careful to be thrice armed with a just cause.
 With singular appropriateness that may not appear at first glance, Fight Ing Bob" Evans retirement will be celebrated next Tuesday in the Tenn pie of Peace" at Lake Moh onk N. r., where he has been convalescing and spending the summer.