Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-02-16

| cruise will be of an amending beneh'
10 the navy Is indicated from the
fact that probably onehalf OF the
entire personnel Of the naval estab-
lishmen, participated in the epoch
making trip. Three OF the sixteen
captains who sailed in command of
vessels are returning home as rear
J aGmirals Eight other captains ar"
returning in command o. the same
ship on which they began the jour
ney OF the wCrld. From rearadmiral
down to midshipman the training has
| Leen such as no other naval cruise
ever afforded. Among the enlisted
| men the training has been even more
valuable Landsmen shipped just
| before the start and utterly green in
| me ways OF the deep. are coming
| home an integral part OF wonder
! full fleet efficiency and loyal beli"v-
ers in all that the American navy
stands for. Desertions on the trip
! have been few. The men have taken
pride in the cruise and it will be
| a constant boast with them that they
started 10 the west from Hampton
Roads aud came home with prows
still turned in that direction. They
know the world is round, and they
know what it is to work and play
ever $1,000 miles OF the watered sur
| face of the globe.
To Rear-Admiral Charles S Sperry
strict discirlinarian, man Of few
| b,,f scholar
! constant student OF the higher arts
\ OF naval science, fell the task OF di-
| rectng the fleet on all but the first
| 1900 miles OF its journey. Rear
Admiral RObley ID. Evans. now retired.
| took the fleet cut OF Hampton Roads
! on Decembr 16. 1907 and although
| illness soon after the start, confined
him to his cabin for a greater part
| of the way, he retained command
| until San Francisco was reached and
the first stage Of the long trip had
! been accomplished. Rear-Admiral
Evans found il necessary while the
! ships were at the targets in Magda-
; iHna Bay. to leave the fleet and seek
treatment at Paso Publes, Hot Springs
Cal. His flag lieutenant went with
| HIM and he retained his rank OF
| c"mmander-in-chief. When the ships
! reached Monterey Bay. the last stop
ping place on the Pacific coast prior
| to the entry into San Francisco har-
Dor. Admiral Evans was helped
aboard his old flagship and was on
The after bridge when the Connecticut
entered the Golden Gate at the head
# the most formidable array Of fight
! ing vessels ever gathered under enc
flag. The Atlantic and Pacific fleets
joined company in the Bay and there
| were more than forty ships in the
four long columns that came TO an
cnOr under Evans blue ensign. Three
Gays later Admiral Evans hauled
down his flag for all time. He was
succeeded as commander-in-chief by
| Rear-Admiral Charles H. Thomas.
! who sailed from Hampton Roads in
command of the second squadron.
! Because Of Admiral Evans Illness.
the burden Of the diplomatic calls.
the speeches and the entertaining
! of tn trip around South America and
up the California coast. fell upon Ad-
m!dal Thomas. Coupled with lbs
duties as second in command. with
the ccmmander-in-chief ill., the s-cial
burden was not a light one. Admiral
Thomas was plainly failing in health
when he succeeded Admiral Evans
and he retained official command
only from May 9 10 II. 1908, being
relieved at that time. ahead o: the
Department. plans. in order that he
might enjoy rest. AS the fleet was
sailing from San Francisco two
months later. Admiral Thomas died
suddenly at lei Monte. Cal
Death has twice invaded the ranks
of the captains who sailed with the
fleet. but in both instances the Off
| GERS had been previously relieved
from duty Captain Henry McCrea.
OF the Georgia a most popular officer.
| died soon after his return to the
east following REIMBURSEMENT OF
command a. San Francisco, Captain
Greenlief A. Merriam. who took the
Missouri to the Pacific Coast, a cap
able man. also died within COM
Daratively short time after turning
his vessel over to a successor.
Rear-Admiral Sperry. who. returns
rs commander-in-chief. sailed as COM
mandcr of the fourth division Of the
feet. being ranked by both Admira!s
Evans and Thomas. Rear-Admirai
| William II. Emery was the fourth Of
the sailing admirals. and he was re-
tired while the ships were at Manila.
| Captains Sea:on Schroeder. o. the
! Virginia: Richard Wainwright. or the
! Louisiana. and William y. Potter. OF
the Vermont. were the captains who
! attained flag rank during the cruise.
Leaving Hampton Roads on a