The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-29
CRUISE OF ADMIRAL MEADE
Uncle Sam Needs Several New CoaIing
Stations
the Gulf Waters and the Caribbean
Sea Disclosed

WASHINGTON, April 2s.-The recent
experience of Admiral Meade in his cruise
With squadron through the waters OF
the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean
sea, has served to Dagain attract the at
tention of the officials of the navy depart
nent to the necessity of at least acquiring
one or two coaling stations in these wa
ters for the use of the navy.
The cruise lasted only few weeks; the
difficulty OF procuring sufficient supply
of coal at different points and at rea-
sonable price has strikingly indicated
the trouble to be expected when it shall
be necessary to maintain for long per-
iod of time, or permanently, number of
cruisers or gunboats in these waters. such
a contingency is being prepared for by
the construction of number of boats cal
culated for just such service. The sources
of coal supply in that section are at pres
ent largely in Britt sh possessions. The
price is always high in some ports but it
is very much higher in others, being
known to reach $156 per ton at Colon.
Now that the navy has rid itself almost
entirely of sail power and that ships rely
altogether on steam, the amount of mon
able proportions ana the naval officials
are using all their ingenuity to keep
down this expense without injury to the
service. Perhaps for this reason a num-
oer of officers who had not regarded ia
vorably the proposition to establish coal
ing stations outside of the United States
are now becoming convinced such plan
would be decidedly i'll the interest of
economy. In the case of Admiral Meade's
cruise, to prevent the paying of extor-
tIonate charges for coal, the navy adopted
the plan of contracting with an American
firm to deliver coal alongside the vessels
of the squadron at some of the ports.
This plan worked we'll within certain
limits and considerable economy re-
suited. But there were grave objections
to the adoption of such a plan as perm
anency.
1t requires the arrangements of the
movements of the vessels of the squadron
with great exactness a long time in ad-
vance, and this would be quite impossi-
BILE in times of trouble, just when the
ships are required to be we'll supplied with
COAL so as to be able to make sudden
movements. There is also reason to be-
lieve that while no objection has yet been
made to this experiment. the nations
owning the ports where the coal is trans
ferre to our cruisers will not permit the
practice to continue without the collec-
ton of heavy duties on coal, and up to
this time no thoroughly satisfactory
method has been found by which the
coal can be transshipped on the open
sea. But aside from these purely econom-
ical reasons for the establishment of coal
ing stations. stronger one is ound. In
time of war, under the neutrality
laws, our ships would be excluded from
the privilege of coalng in foreign ports
and would thus be absolutely prevented
from hostile operations, if they did not
fall easy victims to an enemy better
equipped with bases of coal supply. 1t
is said by naval officers that the common
belief that these coal stations would be
very expensive to secure and would re-
quire to be constantly fortified to defend
them. also at great expense. is without
real foundation. Some of these officers
who have been giving great attention to
the subject are confident that the United
States could readily arrange for the ac-
QUESTION of coaling stations from almost
any of the countries along the Gulf of
Mexico or the Caribbean sea at a nominal
price. Nothing in the way of equpm ,nt
is necessary except a landing wharf, and
the services of one man to watch the
place would suffice. In the case of war,
if the station was near enough to the
scene of hostilities to be necessary, it
could be protected by the very ships that
would be equipped to use the coal. If it
was distant from the scene and not neces-
sary to the service at that time, it could
be left to take it's chances, tor the enemy
would scarcely find it profitable to send
ships to capture coal pile which could
be readily replenished at any convenient
time. 1t is said Secretary Herbert is Civ
ing this subject much attention, and
when congress meets again he may rec
ommend to that body that this govern
ment be clothed with the necessary power
to acquire suitable sites for coalng sta
tions.
A Laramie Concern in Trouble
SALT LAKE, Utah, April 28.-A spe-
cial to the Herald from Cheyenne. Wyo.,
says The Trabg Commercial Company
of Laramie has made an assignment to E.