Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-02-22

to Increase the general cruising and team
efficiency OF the ships as units and a. one
solid command. After having cruised
over 40, 900 miles, with little or no re-
pairs to the ships during sll this time,
Admiral Sperry reported to the Navy
Department from Gibraltar that the en-
tire command could go, intact, hslf that
distance again without single vessel
necessarily being sent to deck, unless,
of causes unforeseen shou Id happen.
At Rio de Janeiro and Oallao the feet
found yellow fever and other 6.eaded
epIdemics; at Manila there was cholera;
sc Annoy there was cholera; a. Singapore
and Colombo there we're cholera, small
pox aud yellow fever; at Messiua peOti
lence followed 10 the wake of the earth.
quake and fire. Yet no epidemic struck
the feet. Although there were a num-
Der of deaths, the casualty list was
scarcely 10 increase over wha. normally
| It Is in home waters for like number of
men. A few lives were lost by accidents,
some on bosrd ship and some while the
victims we're on shore liberty. A re-
msrksble feature OF the cruise was the
excellent discipline. Although there
we're q few assertions, the number vas
far less in proportion than it usually Is
In home ports.
President Roosevelt, and, in fact, ell
naval authorities agree that aside from
any good political effect Of the world
cruise, it was a valuable education for
the officers aud men in travel aud in the
meeting OF their fellows In other nsvies;
and, what Is sill more important, 1t has
proven Invaluable in the matter Of train
ing for the operation of warships aud
guns for the purpose for which they werc
made The cruising radius Of the big
worships could never have been so fully
tested In home waters.
Precisely how much greater was the
cost Of maintaining the feet on this
cruise than it would have been under
normal cruising conditions In Atlantic
home waters, ia difficult 10 estimate.
The principal item of increased cost YVES
that Of coal consumption. Much of this
extra cost was in transporting the coal,
which had to be shipped from the At
lanlic coasts to the various ports. Some
native coal at points on the cruise was
used, but none wss so good as the Amer
lean product. Approximately, 100000
toms we're consumed on the entire cruise
the total cost of which was about 3d.
900, 900. The cost OF oil was an import
snt item, running perhaps near to 800,
900, and this due to Tie almost continu-
GUS running Of he ships. A bigger item
Of expense than this was that Of pro-
visions for the sailors, but this repre-
senis little increase. All the provisions
we're carried in naval supply ships and
most vera purchased 10 the Atlantic and
Pacific cOas! markets. The average daily
cost of provisions was $451. rs, aud the
coat of feeding the men for the entire
cruise was approximately Sl95, 900. The
mail reports from Admiral Sperry show
that remarkably little repairing Is neces-
ssrg. The vessel. siIl all be locked and
scr&ped, aud While some may require
considerable oVerhauling, others will
need hardly any attention at all.
Old Point Comfort, Va, Feb. % =
President Roosevelt made an address o.
welcome 10 the feet this afternoon
aboard the May flower, when Admiral
Spfrry and his division commanders and
captains called to pa5 their respects; and
later when the president visited the
asgsbips Of the feet he repeated cub
santially the same words to the officers
aud mcn assembled on the vessels. Hi
said:
'OVer 8 year has passed since you
STAINED out of this harbor, and this
morning the hearts Of all who saw you
thrilled with pride as the bulls of the
nishtT wsrships lifted above the horizon
Ever your general course has been
westward; aud now you come back 10
The port from which you set sail. Tbi'
js the first battle feet that has ever cir
cumnavigsted the globe. As war ma
chine. the feet comes back in better
shape than 1t vent out. 10 addition,
you, the officers and men of this FORM
liable fighting force, have shown your
selves the best of all possible amba,sa.
doris aud herslds of peace. Wherever
you have landed you have bourne
yourselves so as to make us at home
proud of being your cOuntrymeD.
You have shown that The best
type OF fighting men OF the sea
knows how to APPEAR to the ulmostpos.
sible advantage when his business is to
behave himself on shore, and 10 make a
good impression in foreign laud. We
are proud of all the ships aud all the
men 10 this whole feet, and we welcome
you home to the country whose good re-
pute among nations has been raised by
what you have done"