Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-07

with the around-the-world cruise. He
then made the following statement:
This cruise marks an epoch in our naval
annals, for the fleet has found Itself
been welded into a unity. An aggregation of
battleships irrespective OF the power and
efficiency of the units Is not a fleet in tho
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 has now been ac-
complished. The American people have
come to appreciate what II means to have
a fleet like this. The lessons OF the cruise
have been many and II is no exagseration
to say that the condition of the ships
is better today than when they. sailed from
Hampton Roads in December OF 1907. Dur
ing these fourteen months the fleet has
been practically self-sustaining in the mat
tiers OF repairs. The officers and men re-
sponsibie for repairs have met every test
and the results prove that the ships have
been better cared for than when they de.
pended upon the navy yards.
VIII Stimulate Enlistment.
"Enlistments in the navy will certainly
be stimulated by the general interest in
this cruise and the splendid opportunities
offered the men to see the world. Cruises
to foreign ports, which keep the men in
terested and contented. should be the rule
and not the exception.
New standards of efficiency In steam
engineering, which means economy in coal
consumption and Increased radius OF action,
have been established. The voyage of 3,ssl
miles from Honolulu to Auckland was the
longest ever undertaken b. a large fleet
without recoaling. yet we reached Anckland
with coal enough I'm our bunkers to steam
an additional loo miles. For technical
work the cruise has been ideal. The long
cruises between ports permitted unremitting
daily exercises and maneuvering. The de
gree of gunnery efficiency has been greatly
improved, as the conditions of drilling and
training under Iong-cistance cruising can
Z not be equaIed in home waters, where there
0 is constant interference. This is proved by
the unequaled results OF the target practices
at Magdalena bay and Manila The fleet
f; everywhere has encountered unbounded
t hospitality. The lavish entertainment ano
: good feeling displayed we're almost without
precedent and they should always be re,
J. membered by our people. While the cruise
: has been interesting and valuable to Off.
GERS and men, there is naturally widespread
|, clarion throughout the fleet at the prospect
, Of reaching home in a fortnight"
The American battleship fleet, composed
Of sixteen warshipe, is now on its last
; run Of it's famous cruise around the world.
1t left Hampton Roads December 16. 1907,
and when II again anchors in that port,
February q, it will have been gone one
year and sixty-eieht days. No accident has
y marked the progress of the greatest armed
fleet that has ever made such a long
. voyage. The cruise has been In every re-
y spect an unqualified success.
p welcomed in All Ports.
. The trip has been watched with the great
est interest by all foreign powers. and
wherever the vessels called-south America,
o Australia, Japan, China, Ceylon, Egypt
{ and the ports of the Mediterranean-ths
s officers and men have been given hearty
e Official and private welcome.
0 The fleet left Hampton Roads under Ad.
: mirai Robley ID. Evans. who conducted Il
" as far as San Francisco. Rear Admiral
. Charles H.. Thomas then took command,
: but he was succeeded May Is by Rear Ad-
: miral sperry, who brought the vessels
home.
Rear Admiral Arnold's third squadron OF
! the Atlantic fleet, consisting Of the bat
: tleships Maine. Mississippi. New Hamp-
\ shire and Idaho and the scout cruisers
Chester. Birmingham and Salem, will meet
Admiral sperry's fleet in the Atlantic
IS about 1000 miles from the coast, and then,
e with Admiral Arnold's ships as an escort,
the world touring vessels Will proceed to.
wards Hampton Roads. where they will be
e received by President Roosevelt on Wash
ington's birthday.