The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-02-21

a force of WarSn1pS
ADMIRAL sPEREf. has made such
tourney. and had il been intended as
a hostile demonstrate it would nave
been highly inappropriate to slshaiize
its return by big demonstration y"
the birthday of Washington, 1oi'
though mighty IN battle Wheh 'ne
question of freedom was involved' lie
was not man who sought ploou!
strife for the sake of conquest or 1or
the opportunities of winning military
glory. When many of the colonlsts
were eager for separation from the
mother country in the discussion pre-
li1minarv to the Revolution he nelu
back as long as possible. hoping that
reconciliation was yet 1easiple-
When. during his second term as pres
ident. some of his more 1mpulslVe
countrymen would have plunged the
voup. nation into war with England
or France he again held back ana
saved the republic for the time beng
from struggle which might nave
been fatal to it's existence. coming at
time when it had not yet had op-
portunity to strengthen itself against
the enemies of the general govern
ment within and the foes Of the whole
country without.
But the sentiments of Washingtcn's
farewell address, breathing peace and
amity with all nations. are not in an
tagonism to the mission of the fleet
which has been circling the globe.
for that was peaceful mission.
Wherever it appeared friends rather
than enemies were made for the Amer
lean nation The welcomes extended
the officers and men OF the fleet in
South American ports. in the orient. IN
Australia and New Zealand strength
ened the bonds of friendship already
existing between these countries and
| our own. The services of our ships in
the Mediterranean in connection with
the Italian earthquake disaster earned
the gratitude Of the Italians and their
government. Everywhere that the
flagship Connecticut led her bravely
manned and splendidly equipped sister
warships the prospects for peace were
improved. strange as the statement
may seem. This was due not alone to
the expressions Of pacific sentiment
which accompanied the setting forth
of the fleet when it sailed from Hamp-
ton Roads on that memorable 10Th day
of December. 1907. but to the adlnira
hle tact and coed sense displayed by
both officers and men wherever they
went ashore. often under circumstances
which were temptation to conduct
which might have been discreditable
to their uniform and a cause of III
feeling between the visitors ana their
hosts. The crUiEc around the globe
was not only free from serious acct
dents to the ships, but was remark;,
bly, free also from Incidents to be re
GREETED. the chief exceptions to this
being the court martial and sentence
Of Captain Edward F. Qualtul@h of
the Georgia for intoxication at re-
ception in Morocco and the Giscipline
melted out to young Lieutenant Franck
T. Evans while the feet was in orien-
I tai waters. which was especially de-
plored on account of the young officer
being son of the gallant admiral I'M
| der whom the fleet was guided from
Hampton Roads to San Francisco. the
beloved "Fighting Bob Evans. In
both these cases there were circum-
stances which miticated the offense.
but the stern discipline which must
be enforced in the navy prevented this
fact from saving the officers in cues
ton from censure ard loss of rank.
Three rear admirals have command
ed the feet since it's departure from
Hampton Roads-Evans, who was In
charge of it until the arrival in San
Francisco: Charles s. Thomas. who is
now dead. and Charles S Sperry, who