Bisbee daily review., 1908-07-08
Big BattIeshipS Get Under Way
For Long Cruise Across
Pacific With One
Ship Missing.
SCARLET FEVER ABOARD
BATTLESHIP NEBRASKA
People on Hill Silently Watched
the Fleets Departure Out
of the Golden Gate.

SAN FRANCISCO, July Fifteen
battleships of the Atlantic feet sailed
today on the voyage that will take
them around the world and end at
Hampton Roads, from whence they
started last December. The sixteenth
member of the fleet, the Nebraska
was left behind because OF the cut
break of scarlet fever among the crew.
She will be held in quarantine for
three days and thoroughly fumigated,
after which she viii Join her sister
ships at Honolulu.
Without ceremony or celebration of
any sort, the fifteen big fighting ships
got under way. Promptly at 2 O'Clock,
upon the signal from the Connecticut,
Rear Admiral Sperry's flag ship.
Steaming in single column they slow
lly wended their way out of the bay,
where they found anchorage from tlniv.
to time since their arrival here just
two months ago. A few small craft
followed in the wake of the fleet
to the far Golden Gate and gave the
big white ships parting salute with
sirens, while on the hills gathered
scattered groups of people, silently
watching the departure, which was in
striking contract to the enthusiastic
reception given upon their arrival on
May 6. As the Connecticut passed
Fort Point. the flagship set a signal
for more speed and the bows of the
warships were soon throwing up sea
white foam as they plowed through
the water
It was $40 when the Kentucky, the
last ship in line, passed the light
house entrance to the Golden Gate.
Half an hour later the fleet was lost
to view in a dense cloud of black
smoke, and thick weather was rolling
in from the sea. The forenoon was
one of busy preparation on the fleet.
Commanders of the warships came
aboard the flagship early in the day
to receive final orders from Admiral
Sperry. At IL o'clock Secretary of
the Interior Garfield boarded the Con-
necticut to pay his respects to the
commander in chief. On the water
/ front, patrols of blue jackets rounded
! up 4 few belated stragglers from the
various ships. At 1880 the last boat
| left the shore with the mail orderlies
mander Benjamin Hutchinson. execu-
| Early in the day Lieutenant Com
| tive office of the cruiser st. Louis
was hurriedly dispatched iTschmrdylu
l was huTriendly detached from Ills ship
ana assigned as the executive officer
] of the battleship Wisconsin in place
Of Lieutenant Commander Phelps,
who was later ordered TO Mare Island
on account of illness. Just before the
fleet sailed, Admiral Sperry received a
Telegram from President Roosevelt in
which the president conveyed 10 tne
feet his heartiest good wishes upon
its departure.
Telegraph Lead to come
A good picture of Americas fghtins
strength on the sea was presented to
idaywhe the fifteen battIeships ol
the Atlantic fleet, led by the magnif
Iicent Connecticut with Rear Admira
Charles S. Perry on the bridge. head
ed out of the Golden Gate and batheC
their bows in the blue Pacific. II
imposing array they passed beyond
the headlands, out of the view of tht
thousands of cheering watchers OF
shore and started fairly on the lonJ
voyage through five seas from Sa
Francisco to Hampton Roads
a striking demonstration of the pow
sT and efficiency of the United State
navy.
Fifteen battleships were in the lin
divided into four divisions. and tw
&QUadTCns. In the first division O
2 the first squadron were the flagshi
Of Rear Admiral Sparry, the Connect
cut, and her sister ships. the KaT
sas, Minnesota and Vermont. Thi
division. as well as the entire flee
/. | : under the immediate command :
Rear Admiral Sperry. The secon
o division of the first squadron is con
m-nded by Acting Rear Admir-
Richard Wall fright, AID consis.s .
she flagship Georgia AMI ner siste
Rhode Island. Rear Admiral Wi
g liam H. Emory commands the Sc,
q ond squadron and third division, an
d IS aboard of the flagship Louisiani
e Tho Virginia, Ohio and Missouri ais
are in this division. The fourth
vision. 1nder the command OF Actin
: Rear admiral Seaton Schroeder,
). made up Of the flagship Wisconsi
and the Illinois, Kearsage, and Kel
lucky.
Z The fleet auxiliaries preceded th
! battleships by a week. and are no
= nearing Honolulu. where they will u
J, load supplies and sail away for Ne
4 Zealand before the arrival of tn
i fleet at Honolulu. These auxiHarie
are the Panther, repair shop; Glacie
refrigerator supply ship; Culgea, SUI
ply ship; Ajax, collier; Relief. hoi
pital ship and Yankton, tender an
despatch boat.
Tie battleships which sailed toda
on the longest voyage ever undertG
ken by such a powerful fleet durin
which they viii completely encircl
the world. from Hampton Roads {
Hampton Roads, have a total tonnag
of l6S,100 tons. The fleet is capabl
Of steaning on an average of te
1 knots an hour under any sea cond
tions, and is following an itineraT
- which viii bring thc ships to Manill
on October !. 1908. The complet
{ route from Manila TO Hampton Road
has not yet been definitely announceC
but It IS expected that the fleet wi
arrive at its ultimate destination dul
ling the latter part of February, 100!
when it will be joined at Hampto
Roads by most of the other ships O
. the American naVv then on the At