The Detroit times., 1910-11-30
SMALL GUNBOATS
END WORLD TRIP
Cover 10000 Miles in 100 Days
Running Time and Finish in
Good Condition.

PORTSMOUTH N H., Nov. 20
The little white gunboats Wheeling
and Petrel. flying the long, homeward
.5ounu pennants arrived at the Ports
mouth navy yard, after one of the
most remarkable voyages ever made
by navy craft Of their size. They had
covered 20.4S0 miles since leaving the
Mare Island navy yard last June OH
receiving orders which made the
Portsmouth navy yard their home
port
The globe-circling trip has put but
few marks of wear and tear upon the
trim little ships, for both looked spick
and span upon arrival. According TO
Commander Eberle of the Wheeling
and Lieut. Commander Montgomery
Taylor of the Petrol, the gunboats ar
rived at the yard in far better condi-
ton than when they left San Francis.
co on June 10 last. During the trip
both vessels have been self-sustain-
ing, all OF the repairs being made by
the members of the crew No mis-
haps occurred and there was no sick
ness among the crew.
Considered Two Routes.
When the navy department first adj
vocated the sending of the gunboats
around from the west coast to this
station, two routes were considered
the one that was taken by them and
the other around Cape Horn. Had the
route around Cape Horn been taken
1t would have shortened the voyage
by some 1000 miles. but the little
ships had to keep coaling stations
within hailing distance. The matter
was left to Commander Eberle and he
arranged the itinerary OF the trip
around the world. which has been
watched with much interest, not only
by the naval men OF this country but
by those of other nations.
In the glove encircling trip the two
gunboats covered upward of 10000
miles in l65 days. or this number of
days 1914 were spent at sea and 60 y
in port An average speed of ten
knots an hour was maintained, and
with the exception OF the passage
from the lower harbor TO the navy
yard, the gunboats in their long cruise
Of nearly 81, 900 miles have not been
out of signaling distance of each
other.
British colonial ports and the pro-
gress of the two little packets" as
they were Familiarity termed by for
eign nations, attracted much atten-
ton. At Gibraltar the gunboats were
visited by Prince Louis OF Battenburg,
the commander OF the British Allan
tic feet. and he expressed his admir-
alton at the results OF the work OF the
commanders and crews OF the vessels.
Commander Eberle gave the follow
ing account OF the little squadron
which he commands:
Bad Weather and Heavy Seas.
we left San Francisco on June 10
for Puget Sound, Wash, having
pleasant run and remaining there
three days. Then we went on to I'm
alaska in the Aleutian islands. encoun-
tering bad weather and heavy seas.
From there We proceeded on the long
voyage TO Yokohama. encountering
numerous thick fogs. when the only
means OF communicating with the
Petrol was by sound signals.
we reached Yokohama on July IL.
being welcomed by the japanese nav
M authorities. After a weeks sojourn
we proceeded. passing through the
Inland sea by moonlight, a very beau
tiful trip, and we had fine weather
down to Hong Kong which was
reached on July %. Our stay was
very pleasant and we put to sea again
on Aug. 4 but in the run down 20
singapore. we encountered strong
southwest monsoon and were glad to
get into port on Aug. IL.
After coallng and cleaning up we