Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-15
The BattIeship Fleet Is
Close at Hand.
End Of an Experimenting
Voyage Of The World.
The is Battleships Ready for Grand
Review February 20.

Half way across the Atlantic Ocean
on the last long reach on their specta-
cular cruise around the world, the SIX
teen battleships of the United States
Atlantic Fleet are steaming today In
Ieisuroly fashion toward the anchorage
grounds Of Hampton Roads FROM
whence they sailed just fourteen
months ago During these months
of record stca,ning the heavily
arnnrcd fighting vessels have tray
clcd approximately 5000 miles and
are returning in condition still fit for
"a frolic or a fight" The cruise has
been IL veritaLle expedition of the
seven seas and tasks heretofore deem
ed impossiblee for the modern IRON
clad have been accomplished with an
ease bordering on the commonplace.
The stories of the cruise have been
succeeding chapters Of receptions.
tanG"ets, balls and mcrrymaklng, but
back uf all this relaxation and enter
tanning in the hospitabe ports Of the
two henliSpheres has been test OF
men and material which has placed
the American navy in an enviable po-
stion before all the world. The en-
CINE room efficiency in the longer legs
of the journey developing new and
Unexpectedly wide Steaming radius for
a batteship; the facility IN follow
ing the motions of the flagship in the
feet squadron and divisional manOu-
vors which came with constant exper-
fence at sea, and above all the marve-
lolis records made at the targets III
Magdalcna and Manila Bays tells of
;he real work and the substantial &C
Complishments that have marked this
most notable Of peace demonstrations
among the navies OF the world
The previously arranged schedule Of
the journeys from port to port had
been adhered to in remarkable man
ncr except in two instances when VIC
lent storms made full speed too dan
Serous and uncomfortable. To offset
these larses from punctuality the
feet has made some of it's largest runs
two whole days ahead of time. None
nf tn undertakings imposed upon tho
ships OF the men has been too difficult
The cruise. however, was not inaugur
atcd without serious misgivinss al
home and abroad. Victor NJ Metcalf
of California, was Secretary of the ma
Wy when the cruise began. After the
homeWard bound pcnants flying, Mr.
MetCalS said:
When the purpose of giving this as
semblaec of battl"ships the privilege.
and advantages, of a practical cruise
was announced. criticisms from high
technical quarters were heard. 1t was
suggested that tho undertaking was
tro monumental. that battlcshp is
too vast and complicated Il piece o.
mechanism To send around the globe
ON any ordinary OCCASION that dan
gers more than multiplied with mum
berS in such a case; that disaster Turk
cd on every submerged ledge and was
horne on every unknown tidal current:
that the skeleton of some of the ships
would doubtless be left IN The Straits
of Magellan; that. if the fleet should
succeed in rounding South America il
was reasonably certain that the indi-
Nidual ships would, one hy one, arrive
with nlachinerrs loose ana almost un-
scrviceaLlc. with crews rejecting the
iemoralZcd coalition of the MATE
RIAL, ana thai Il woeful spectacle of
failure would be presented
AS - the MATERIAL. the cold
facts are that the ShpS have practi-
cally taken care OF their own repairs
on this cruise. Tho repair lists turned
IN ut tire Cali;e Naval Station were
ncgllsi!le'
That the experience gained on the
cruise will hc OF imcnding benefit to
the Navy Is indicated from the fact
that probably onc-half of the entire
personnel of the naval establishment
participated in tho epoch making trip
Thrc" of the sixteen captains who
sailed in command of vessels are re
turning nome as rear -admirals. Eight
other captains are returning I'm COM
manu of the same ship which they
logan the Journey of the world From
rear admiral down to midshipman the
training has been such as no Othe:
naval cruise ever afforded. among
the enlisted men the training has been
even mere valuable, Lan,jSnltu ship
ped Just before the start and utterly
green in the ways of the deep, are
coming home an integral part OF .;
wonderful feet efficiency and loyal be
levers il; all that the American navy
stands for Dcsertions on the trip
have been few. The men have taken
4 prI;;e i'll the cruise and it will be i
i"HSttnl hpdSt Will tIleHt thdt ttt
started to the west from Hampton
Roads and came hone With crews still
turned in that direction. They know
the world is round. and they know
what ii is To work and play over t5ou0
miles Of the watered surface of the
globe.
To Rear Admiral Charles : Sperry.
:. strict dscipinarlan. man OF few
words. but Il recognized scholar and
constant student of the higher arts of
naval science. ftll the task of direct
ing the feet on all but the first 1i.or3
miles of its journey. Rear admiral
Rohley d. Evans. now retired. tool.
the fleet out of Hampton Roads on
December 16. 1907. and although illness