Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-01-04

service. In fact, as soon as congress
manifested its purpose to meet the
insistent demand of Secretaries
Chandler and Whitney for revoiu-
ton of the American navy, Evans
came back into the service and was
one of the leading spirits in planning
the rudiments of what is now the
American modern navy.
Ii was Evans who took the little
dispatch boat Dolphin on cruise
around the world 10 test the struc-
turaI strength of this first product
of the infant steel ship building ART
of the United States. He always got
the best ships and the newest, be-
cause his superior officers knew he
could be trusted to handle them safe
~ and develop their strong and weak
points.
1t happened that with the gunboat
Yorktown, he dropped in at Valpar-
iso, Chile. in 1891, and found an OPP
portunity to display all the determi-
nation and courage he possessed.
Some of the American sailors had
been maltreated and murderously as
saulted and Evans felt it his duty to
demand protection and reparation.
The odds against him were grotes-
ouelV large. The tiny yorktown lay
in the harbor under the guns of the
whole Chilean fleet. yet Evans never
faltered, but carried out his purpose
and sailed away triumphantly with
his colors flying and the band play
ing the American national air to the
accompaniment of suilen salutes from
the Chilean forts and warships.
few busy years engaged in duty
on the construction board, whlch
planned the modern battleships ana
in al
to try out the result of his BRAIN
work on the high seas, brought
Evans. then commander, to the
opening of the spanish American
war He wanted a hattleship and ne
got one. one of the best, the Iowa
which represented the latest product
of the American shipyards..
When Cereva's fleet made its fatal
dash through the blockading war
ships off Santiago. on July ), 1873,
Captain Evans ship took q notable
part in the fifty-mile running llSnt
that followed. For his gallantry in
this action he received the thanks OF
congress and was promoted.
AS full-fledged rear-admiral
Evans was called on to take the At
lantic fleet around the world, ana
how he was selected has already Deeh
told by Former Secretary Metcat.
That brilliant achievement, the lifst
world cruise of an armored fleet OF
that size and power, fully tested Ad-
miral Evans ability as an organizer
and . commander. All the pubho
knew was sixteen battleships had
made a $4,000 mile cruise: they could
not imagine what that meant to the
directing mind of the fleet; of the
many hours. of anxiety spent in pour
ing over charts Of harbors and reefs,
of planning for supplies of tuel ana
food and Of keeping together IN con-
tented happy mood the thousands or
men who made up the crews.
Fy the time he had reached san
Francisco, the strain had become so
severe that he was unable To leave
his bed, and it was necessary to re-
lleve him from the command at that
place.
Active duty terminated for Admiral
Ev1ns at that point. 1t is true he ala
not 30 on the retired list until rev
months afterward. but never again
was he called upon to direct the
of a ship or fleet. He
retired to his quaint old-tashloned
home in this city and surrounded by
his family, spent in happiness the
few remaining years Of his life,
His leisure gave him opportunity to
execute his long cherished Idea OF
telling some of his wonderful eNpT-
fences and these he had set out IN
some books which are to be found IN
the libraries OF every American nav
al vessel and i'm all places where men
like to read of gallant exploits on the
sea.
The funeral will be held Friday,
although the exact hour is not YET
set and il is expected that Admral
Evans Will be buried in the National
cemetery at Arlington with fun naval
honors.