The San Francisco call., 1909-03-04
NEW EXECUTIVE FOR
WARSHIPS IN WEST
Rear Admiral Barry to Com
mand Second Division of Pa
cific Fleet, Vice Rodgers

WASHINGTON, March 3.-Rear Ad-
miral Edward B. Barry. selected for
command of the fourth division of the
Atlantic fleet. 1t is officially announced.
instead will be appointed commander
of the second division of the Pacific
fleet in place of Admiral Raymond P.
Rodgers. The latter will be appointed
president of the naval war college at
Newport, to succeed Rear Admiral John
p. Merrill. The vacancy in the fourth
division of the Atlantic fleet will be
filed by Captain Hugo Osterhaus, who
will soon become a rear admiral.
Target Practice Ordered
WASHINGTON, March 3-Orders
were issued at the navy department to-
day for the rendezvous of the Pacific
fleet under Admiral Swinburne at
Ma gdalena bay on March %. where the
spring target practice will take place
Coming up the coast from Panama.
where the vessels now are. visits will
be made to number of ports. The
Tennessee and Washington are~to stop
at Punta Arenas. Costa Rica: the Colo
rado and South Dakota at Corinto,
Nicaragua; the West Virginia and
Maryland at San Jose. Guatemala: and
the West Virginia, Maryland and Colo
I
President Comnends Sperry
WASHINGTON. March s.-President
Roosevelt's letter to Admiral Sperry
| follows:
Sir: l desire to express my earnest
and hearty approval of the manner in
which you have exercised the command
of the Atlantic fleet You have brought
/ it from our home coast on the Pacific
westward around the world to our home
| coast on the Atlantic. Not ship has
had a scratch. The whole fleet is more
| efficient than when 1t started You
have kept the ships separately and to-
] gether so well exercised that they have
/ increased their efficiency in gunnery
and in technical maneuvering. More
over, you have shown real ability of
an unusual kind in the way in which.
/ in Australia and Japan. you have rep
resented this nation in what was in
| effect, on one side a great diplomatic
mission.
I'm addition want heartily TO com
mend what you did on the national
coast defense board in 1905, where the
work was of the very greatest import
ance.
II also congratulate you upon the
distinguished part you played, espe-
cially in connection with the work done
In the discussion q the maritime law.
in the second peace congress at The
Hague in 1907.
In short, your career during my ad-
ministration has been such as TO reflect
honor upon the entire naval service.
| Sincerely yours
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
ITO Rear Admiral C. s. Sperry, u. s.
Navy. through the secretary of the
navy"
In transmitting the letter, Secretary
Newberry said the navy department de-
sired to add thereto its unqualified ap-
proval of the manner in which the ad-
mira1 had administered the affairs of
the fleet.
Secretary Newberry's letter centin-
ues
THE fact that the cruise of the bat
tleship fleet from San Francisco to
Hampton roads was a complete success
reflects not only great credit upon you.
but Upon the navy"
Admiral Sperry acknowledged Secre-
tary Newberry's letter with gratifica-
ton and said:
mo officer could desire a higher rec
! ord than such commentator and GER
tainly such results would have been Inn
possible except for the unhesitating
and constant support of the department
and the ceaseless and loyal vigilance
in the performance of duty of the Off