Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-09
SPERRY DELIGHTED
WITH LONG CRUISE
REAR ADMIRAL SAYS THERE
HAVE BEEN MANY VALUABLE
LESSONS LEARNED BY OFF,
GERS AND MEN ABOARD.

GIBRALTAR, Feb. 6.-Rear Admiral,
Sperry, prior to the departure OF the
battleships for Hampton Roads. this
morning, expressed the greatest degree Of
satisfaction with the results Of the
around-the-world cruise. He then made
the following statement:
This cruise marks an epocn in our
naval annals, for the fleet has found
itself welded into a unity.
IAN aggregation Of battleships, ire
spective of the power and efficiency OF
the units, is not fleet, in the highest
sense of the term, until by long, faithful
and harmonious work on the part Of the
personnel, the spirit Of the fleet has
been developed. That now has been ac-
complished. The American people have
come to appreciate the Independence or
sea power as one of the most potent
factors in the preservation Of pust peace
and they should appreciate what 1t
means to have a fleet like this.
Lessons of the Cruise
THE lessons OF the cruise have been
many and 1t is no exaggeration to say
that the condition Of the ships is better
today than when they sailed from Hamp-
ton Roads in December Of 1907. During
these fourteen months, the fleet has been
practically self sustaining in the matter
of repairs. The officers and men re-
sponsible for repairs have met every test
and the results prove that the ships
have been better cared for than when
they depended upon the navy yard.
"lsnlistments in the navy certainly will
be stimulated by the general interest
in this cruise and the splendid opportu-
mites afforded the men to see the world.
New standards OF efficiency in steam
engineering, which means economy In
coal consumption and increased radius Of
action, have been established. The voy-
age Of 3,6S1 miles from Honolulu to Auck-
land, was the longest ever undertaken
by a large fleet without re-coaling. yet,
we reached Auckland with coal enough
in our bunkers to steam an additional
thousand miles.
Cruise Has Been Ideal
"For technical work, the cruise has
been ideal. The long stretches between
ports permitted unremitting daily exer-
else and manoeuvering. The degree OF
gunnery efficiency has been greatly i'm
proved.
1.-THE fleet everywhere has encountered
unbounded hospitality. The lavish enter
tainment and perfect good feeling dis
played, were almost without precedent
and they should always be remembered
by our people"
The fleet left Gibraltar at II o'clock
Saturday morning for Hampton Roads.
Looking from the rock of Gioraltar.
the water separating the ships seemed
gradually to be obliterated as the distance
increased until the sixteen hulls reselr-
bled a long white line surmounted by
trailing plume of smoke. Suddenly, OH
Cape Spartel, the line wavered and broke
into small parts. Then a few minutes
later there were two parallel lines instead
of one, showing that the fleet had as
sumed it's regular double cruising f5rma-
ton.
Mere Speck on Horizon
The last glimpse of the warships was
obtained at 1857 this afternoon from the
signal station on top of Gibraltar, 1880
feet above sea level. The ships were
then midtown and mere specks on the
horizon. They were headed little TO
the south of west TO reacn the thirty-fifth
parallel, which they intend to follow.
The dispatch boat Yankton is 700 miles
ahead of the fleet and 300 miles ahead
of the supply ship Culgoa, which left
here February f. The collier Ajax and
the repair ship Panther will remain here
until tomorrow to clean up odds and ends.
Although no homeward bound remnants
were flying from the ships when they
left here today, the insignia Will BIOS
som out on the way home and when the
vessels reach the mouth of the Chesa-
peake pennants from 125 to $50 feet long
will be streaming from their main trucks.
The officers and men left here With
feelings of jubilation that their neSf port
will be home. When the fleet reaches
Hampton Roads 1t will have Travelled
about a. 900 miles.