Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-21

ing South America II was reasonably GER
tain that the individual ships would, one by
one, arrive with machiL cries loose and al
most unserviceable, with crews rejecting
the demoralized condition OF the material,
and that q woeful spectacle of failure
would thus be presented.
to material, the cold facts are that
the ships have practically taken care Of
their own. repairs on this cruise. The re-
pair lists turned in at the Cavite naval sta
ticn were negligible"
That the experience gained on the cruise
will be Of unending benefit to the navy Is
indicated from the fact that probably one
half of the entire personnel OF the laval
establishment participated in the epoch
making trip. Three Of the sixteen captains
who sailed in command of vessels are re-
turning homo as rear admirals. Eight
other captains are returning in command
Of the same ship on which they began the
journey of the world. From rear admiral
down to midshipman the training has been
such as no other naval cruise ever af-
forded. Among the enlisted men the train
ing has been even more valuable. Lands
men shipped Just before the start and ut
terly green in the ways of the deep are
coming home an integral part OF a wonder
full fleet efficiency and loyal believers in
all that the American ANY stands for.
Dessrtions on the trip have been few. The
men have taken a pride in the cruise and
1t will be g constant boast with them hat
they started to the west from Hampton
Roads and came home with prows still
turned in that direction. They know the
world Is round. and they know what It is
to work and play over 5000 miles OF the
watered surface OF the globe.
Admiral sperry Makes Good.
To Rear Admiral Charles s. sperry. a
strict d~isciplinarian. a mar Of few words,
but a recognized scholar and constant stu
dent of the higher arts Of naval science,
fell the task OF directing the fleet on all
but the first 1900 miles of it's journey.
Rear Admiral Robley ID. Evans. now re-
tired, took the fleet out OF Hampton Roads
on December ls. 1907. and although illness
soon after the start confined him to his
cabin for a greater part Of the way, he
retained command until San Francisco was
reached and the first stage of the long trip
had been accomplished. Rear Admiral
Evans found 1t necessary while the ships
were at the targets in Magdalena bay to
leave the fleet and seek treatment at Base
0SSaSef NV biheSf OAs Aho AAoo hoA%eA
ant went with him and he retained his
a of commandments. When the
ships reached Monterey bay, the last stop
ping place on the Pacific coast prior to the
entry into San Francisco harbor. Admiral
Evans was helped aboard his old flagship
and was on the after bridge when the Con-
necticut entered the Golden Gate at the
head Of the most formidable array of
fighting vessels ever gathered under one
flag. The Atlantic and Pacific fleets
joined company in the bay and there were
more than forty ships in the four long
columns that came to anchor under Evans
blue ensign. Three days later Admiral
Evans hauled down his flag for ali time.
He was succeeded as commander-in-ehief
by Rear Admiral Charles M. Thomas, who
sailed from Hampton Roads in command
OF the second squadron. Because OF Ad-
miral Evans illness the burden OF the
diplomatic calls. the speeches and the en-
pertaining Of the trip around South Amer
ics and up the California coast fell upon
Admiral Thomas. courled with his duties
as second in eOmmana, with the COM
mander-in-chisf III. the social burden was
not a 8 h one. Admiral Thomas was
plainly falling In health when he succeeded
Admiral Evans and he retained official
command only from May . TO Is. 1905. being
relisysd 90 thai time. ahead OF the depart