Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-07
MINERS WORK ENDED SPERRY LAUDS CRUISE
Convention Adjourns to Meet Says 1t Marks an Epoch in
Again in Indianapolis. Our Naval Annals.
SCALE REPORT ADOPTED FLEET WELDED INTO UNIT
Day Many
Pay Is Demanded. Months
RESOLUTION FOR HARMONY IMPROVEMENT IN GUNNERY
Is Exacted-Snging Amer of
ica"E Ends Session ciated bv people
Says 1t Marks an Epoch in
Our Naval Annals.
FLEET WELDED INTO UNIT
Many Lessons Learned in Past Four.
teen Months.
IMPROVEMENT IN GUNNERY
Importance of Sea Power as a Factor
in Preservation of Peace Appre-
ciated by the People.

GIBRALTAR. February 6.-Rear Ad-
miral Sperry. prior to the departure of TIE
American ba-tleshps for Hampton roads
this morning expressed the greatest de-
gree of satisfaction with the results Of
the around-the- world cruise He then
made the following statement:
This cruise marks an epoch In our
naval annals. for the feet has found it,
self-been welded into an unit An aggre-
cation of battleships, irrespective of the
power and efficiency of the individual
units, is not a fleet in the highest sense
OF the term until by long. faithful aud
harmonious work on the part of the per-
sonnel the spirit of the feet has been
developed. That now has been accomp-
llshed- The American PEOPLE have come
to appreciate the Importance. oe sea power
as one of the most potent factors in .ho
preservation of a Just peace and they
should appreciate what It means to have
a fleet like this
Lessons of the Cruise.
The lessons of the cruise have hoe,
many, and it is no exaggeration TO say
that the condition of the ships is better
today than when they sailed from Hamp-
During these fourteen months the fleet
has been practically self-sustainfng in tha
matter of repairs. The officers and men
responsible for repairs have met every
TEST ana the results prove that the ships
nave been better cared for than when
they depend upon the navy yards
EnEstmehts In the navy certainly will
DC stimulated by the general interest in
TINS cruise and the splendid opportun ties
anorded the men 10 see the world
Cruises 10 foreign ports. which keep tho
men interested and contented should be
the rule and not the exception.
New Standards Of Efaciency.
New standards of efficiency in steam
engineering, which means economy i'm
coal consumption and increased radius
of action, ha--e been established. The voy-
age of s.G71 miles from Honolulu to Auck-
land was the longest ever undertaken by
large fleet without recoaling. vet we
reached Auckland with coal enough i'm
our bunkers TO steam an additional
thousand miles
For technical work the cruise has been
ideal The long stretches between ports
permitted unremitting daily exercise and
maneuvering. The degree of gunnery ef-
ficiency has been greatly improved. as the
CONDITIONS OF drilling and training during
long distance cruising cannot be eaualed
in home waters, where there is constant
interference. This is proved by the un-
equaled results of the target practice at
Magdalena bay and Manila.
The fleet everywhere has encountered
unbounded hospitality. The lavish enter
tainment and perfect good feeling dis
played were almost without precedent.
ana they should always be remembered
by our peop e. Although the cruise has
be en- intensely interesting and valuable to
ofhcers and men. there is naturally wide
spread elation throughout the fleet at the
prospect OF reaching home in a fort
night -