Arizona republican., 1908-05-16
RETIREMENT
 OF THOMAS
From Brief Command of
 the BdttIeShips
He is Succeeded by Sperry Who Will Complete World Tour.

| Godil IIdIClSCO, May 1O.-IAtdi <hu
 miral Charles Stillman Sperry, re- turned within six months from a
 mission of peace as one of the Amer
 ican delegates to the conference at
 The Hague assumed command of the
 force of first class fighting ships as sembled in the history of the nation.
 Rear Admiral Thomas, who succeed
 ed Evans as commander in chief of
 the fleet, hauled down his flag at 10:40 a. m. from the truck of the | Connecticut, and ten minutes later | Admiral Sperry was received on board the flagship with salutes and
 other naval honors befitting his posi- tion. The ceremonies were carried out in the briefest possible fashion
 and in strict accordance with naval regulations. Admiral Thomas issued no farewell address. The honor of being rowed ashore was also dispensed with at his own request
 When Sperry took command the re- organization of the fleet was imme- diately carried into eject and throughout the noon hour the waters of the bay echoed the call of bugles the ruffle of drums and strains of martial music from a half dozen quarter decks. Rear Admiral w. H. Emery transferred his flag from the Georgia to the Louisiana, the new flagship of the second squadron of the third division.
 Captain Richard Wainwright gave up the command of the Louisiana and hoisted his triangular flag as senior division officer on the eGOrgia. He commands the second division. Cap tain Seaton Schroeder. commanding the Virginia assumed command of the fourth division and took up his quar- ters on the flagship Wisconsin. Both Schroeder and Wainwright will be promoted to the grade of Rear Ad miral in July.
 Although still an independent force to all intents and purposes the At lantic fleet today passed technically temporarily under the control of the Pacific fleet. Rear Admiral Dayton, commander in chief of the Pacific fleet outranks Admiral Sperry and as soon as Thomas flag was run down on the Connecticut he became senior officer in command of the combined fleets. It had been intended that the Pacific fleet should sail early this morning and thus avoid the ensuing complications of the change of com mand, but under orders from Wash ingtOn, the cruisers were held here to await further instructions.
 For the first time since she went into commission the Connecticut is occupying a position as a subordinate flagship the red ensign of the junior rear admiral flying from her truck.
 The honor of a salute from all the vessels of the fleet could not be paid to Admiral Sperry today but they will be fired as soon as the Pacific fleet leaves, or as soon as the Atlantic fleet sets sail for Puget Sound points, on Monday morning at 10 o'clock. Sperry was saluted today when his flagship was hauled on the Alabama by the guns of that vessel and he was saluted by the Connecticut as he repaired aboard that flagship. The hauling down of Rear Admiral Day tons red flag and the flying of his blue pennant as senior in command called out a salute of thirteen guns from the flagship West Virginia of the Pacific fleet. The Connecticut also paid a parting salute to Thomas. Although he will not retire until Oc- tober next, Thomas today ended his active naval career of nearly forty seven years.
 Under orders from Sperry the bronze battleship target practice tro- phy today was transferred from the battleship Illinois of the Atlantic fleet to the armored cruiser Maryland of the Pacific fleet and the trophy pen nant of red was broken from the foretruck of the latter vessel.
 While the ordnance officers of the visiting fleet regret the loss of the trophy, they are content with the re- suits of the record of target practice. inasmuch as no less than six of the sixteen battleships are included in the star ship" class. This means that all six came within S5 per cent of the wonderful score made by the Maryland.
 The Atlantic fleet will be represent