The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-02-15

TENDER.
either in lavishuess Of entertainment OF
in sincerity Of purpose.
The battIeships. had their schedule
brought them sooner to the eastern end
Of the Suez, might have played a nota-
BILE part in succoring the stricken peo-
pie OF Messina. As it was. the services
of the ships were offered, but the relief
plans had already developed so as not
to require them. In 4 way, the bat
tleship fleet, however. accomplished
much. Store ships laden with supplies
for the fighting vessels we're dispatched
BY the home government and officers
and men We're glad to give up the solid
foodstuffs and deiicacies to the earth
quake sufferers. A large sum of money
was contributed from the fleet. and the
first division Of four vessels under Rear
Admiral Sperry called at Naples to ex
press sympathy and sOTrow. The bat
tleship Illinois was the only one Of the
American fighting vessels to really en-
ter the earthquake zone. This ship
went to Messina and 400 American sail
ors searched the ruins until they had
recovered the bodies OF American Con-
sui Cheney and his wife.
The Start for Home.
After visits to various Mediterranean
ports and accepting the bospitalities of
half a dozen nations. the sixteen ships
gathered again at Gibraltar and sailed
for home Saturday. Feb. s. They will
be met at sea. about 900 miles from
shore. by the third or home" squad
ron of the Atlantic fleet consisting OF
four battleships and FIVE cruisers. Even
the last leg Of the famous journey Is to
be given over to work. There viii be
daily drills and maneuveTs and inspec-
ton by the commander i'm chief of
every vessel on the way over. Presi-
dent Roosevelt will greet the feet on
Feb. %. from the bridge Of the May
flower al the point from which he bade
farewell fourteen months ago.
There will he two strangers in the
fleet when &c reaches here-the Nebras-
ks and the Wisconsin. both Pacific
built. which replaced the Maine and
Alabama, detached at san Francisco.
and sent home in advance. The Maine
viii be the flagship Of the welcoming
squadron.
At Manila bay the ships spent three
weeks at the target. engaged in full bat
tie practice Battle practice is at
much longer range than record practice.
and is really test of what the gun
pointers developed at record practice
can do when the ships are firing under
battle conditions and at battle dis
lance. The battle practice at Manila.
held under the new fire control system.
showed an improvement in many in
stances of 100 per cent over the gun
merry OF d year ago.
Vessels and Commanders.
The composition Of the fleet as it re-
turns is as follows:
First squadron. first division. Rear
Admiral Charles 5. Sperry, commander
in chief.
Connecticut Flagship. Captain Hugo
Osterhsus.
Kansas. Captain Charles E. vree-
land.
Minnesota Captain John Hubbard.
Vermont Captain Frank T. Fletcher.
Second division. Rear Admiral Rich
ard Wainwright. commander.
Georgia C1agship). Lieutenant COM
mander g. W. Kline
Nebraska. Captain Reginald F. Mich
olson.
New Jersey. Captain W. II. H. South
erland.
Rhode Island. Captain Joseph B.
Murdoch.
Second squadron. third division. Rear
Admiral Seatou Schroeder, command
ing.
Louisiana 0isgship). Captain Kossuth
Niles.
Missouri. Captain Robert N. Doyle.
Ohio Captain Thomas =. Howard.
Virginia. CAPTAIN Alexander Sharp.
p Fourth divisi5n.i Rear Admiral W. r.
Potter. commanding.
Wisconsin (7agShipJ Csptsfr1 Franls
Z. Beatty.
Illinois. Captain john NJ. Dryer.
Ksarssrge. Captain Hamilton Hutch
ins
Kentucky. Captain Walter c. Cowles