The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-04-21
AMERICAN BA7TLEsHlP FLEET
HAS SAILING ORDERS FOR
six O'CLOCK TONIGHT.
CHANGE In PLANS
Visit to California Port Memorable
Event-Ball Given to Junior OFFICERS
Is Spectacular Aftalr-Admira.
Thomas to Be Relieved to Make
Way for sperry.

San Diego, April 17.-With sailing
orders issued for 6 o'clock tomorrow
morning the stay Of the American
b%attleship fleet in San Diego prac-
tically ended tonight. The visit Of the
sixteen ships to this port always will
be looked upon .as a memorable event
in the city's history and plans already
are under way for the erection Of a
commemorative monument in the
city park, where the official welcome
to the state was extended on Wednes-
day last.
"a ball to the Junior officers Of the
feet tonight at the Hotel Del Coro-
nado proved to be the most spectacu.
lar Of the special entertainments that
have marked the four days the fleets
presence in local waters. The decora-
tons rel elaborate to an extreme.
Flowers were banked about the al
coves and balconies until the air was
heavy with their mingled perfume.
The yellow peoples Of California had
large place in the floral decorations,
and there was also a wealth Of Chero-
kee roses, wild violets, carnations and
the myriads of blossoms that are per-
ennial under the warmth OF the Y
lasting southern skies.
Visits Monument.
Rear Admiral Charles M. Thomas,
commanding the feet visited today
the monument erected by the enlisted
men and officers Of the Pacific coast
squadron in memory of the dead of
the gunboat Bennington at Iona and
placed an immense floral tribute at
the foot of the gray monument.
After the flowers were placed on
the shaft the naval officers visited
Fort Rosecrans to pay a farewell call.
They we're dressed in special full
dress uniforms.
Under orders from the secretary of
the navy, telegraphed today from
Washington, Admiral Thomas issued
late this afternoon amended orders
for the arrival Of the feet at the port
OF Los Angeles.
After receiving a protest from or
ganization in that city against a move
ment Of. the ships on Easter Sunday
afternoon, orders were issued to the
neet that the 16 ships should divide
into four divisions before reaching
San Pedro at 8 o'clock Saturday after
noon and go Immediately to the ports
assigned to them.
Orders Changed.
These orders were changed today
directions from Washington to pro
vide that the entire feet SHAH stop
over night at San Pedro and that the
distribution OF the ships to Long
Beach, Santa Monica and Redondo be
made at s o'clock on Sunday morning.
Admiral Thomas expressed some
surprise today at the statements in
a certain newspaper that he had been
expected to command the fleet on the
trip to Puget sound. The admiral de-
clAred that he had applied some time
ago to be relieved Of command not
later than May Is, but this was be-
fore May IS had been fixed as the date
OF departure from San Francisco to,
the north. When this date was an
nounced Admiral Thomas telegraphed
the department from Magdalena bay
asking to be relieved to make way for
Admiral Sperry, who is to command
the feet on It's trip around the world
on May 16.
He did this In order that Admiral
sSperry might get acquainted with fleet
duties and have all the details in
hand prior to the start for Honolulu
on July z.