The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-21
ESquimalt and Victoria to Be
Doubly Fortified.
GREAT BArTLEsAlPs COMING.
In Readiness for Actten-vesseis
I'm R~ndeEvous In Cooperate
With Other ssations-rhe Hfg
Crutser Pha~tOm Due In = Few
Weeks. and other Fighting Ma
chimes To Replace the Prcs~nt
Flees--Six Torpedo Boat Destroy
ers for Flagship and Guardnhfr.

Victoria. a. c.. Nov. s.--Special-Hav-
Ing II sde ESgniuaAI; and Victoria hArbeEs
practically impregnseie by the coastsac-
tien of a series OF wonderful forts. tAas are
marysss OF modern engineering skill. the
British war office is now taking still an-
other step In tho direction OF making Es-
qainaals one of the strongest. as II i one
OF the most impoi tans strategic points IN
the empire.
As Usual with the British authorities. the
plan has been kept a close secret. ana u
WAS only a day or 50 ag that Nicforians
ohtaired an inkiing OF what Is conte',piat-
ed. This latest move is practically 10 doa-
bie the efficiency of The North Parslic
squadron, replacing each OF the present
fleet by ashting ship of much more mod
crn type. aud at the ssfuae time bringing
around one of the largest and hest bat
tiesbirs, 10 he used as a guardship ana
ccast defense vessel in conjunction with
the lan1 fertsfications The reorSanixa-
tion Of Admiral Paliisierss squadron Is IN
accordance with general plan lately de-
cided upon to strengthen tho naval force
of Britain AZ eli The principal stail sns
throughout the world. and the operations
here are understood TO he for the special
purpose OF providing a reliable alternative
route. should the contingency arise OF the
Sl,ex canal being closed by hosiilisies with
any European power.
The present and contemplated ehanEes
are. ii Is explained. not made wish view
10 menacing other nations. bus with tire
intention of guarding canada's western
shores. and so that ON the Pacific there
may be a fleet that can cooperate efsc-
tively with the North Atlantic fleet II ner-
essary. The British fleet on the North At
lantic Is being enormously strengthened
also TO render effective concerted action
possible, and the Canadian Pacific railway
- Al
lection where great damage and delay
might otherwise be caused by an active
and intelligently directed enemy. The nrae-
tice has been for the North Atlantic fleet
10 make its summer headquarters at Halls
fax. and TO winter In the West Indies:
while the North Pacific squadron has In
the past made caIlao or Honolulu winter
headquarters The intention is for the ft-
fure TO have two separate fleets on the
Eastern seahoard. one at Halifax. and the
other at jamaica. and TO make E.sduimalt
headquarters all the year round OF the
ships In Pacific waters. The object is 10
have the Pacific and Atlantic fleets under
such conditions that they can cooperate.
and besides this. the South African fleet
viii be In = position to act with the West
Indian feet II necessary. The Powerful
or the Terrible, each an enormous first-
class cruiser OF leo tons. will be sent at
once 10 Halifax and there will be gathered
together such a huge feet of formidable
fighting craft as has not yet been seen in
the waters of this continent.
a battleship OF similar size and power
will come 10 Esauimalt. and when tho
changes are complete fully 500 more men
than now will be in service under the
communicating OF this station. The
present feet at Esauimsit. with the ex-
ception of the flagship Imperieuse. a frat
class armored twin-Screw cruiser of $40
TONS is In these DAYS somewhat behind the
time when compared with the type of vess-
at a rate that has astonished the world.
1t now consists. besides the flagship. of
FIVE vessels. the Satellite. "A third-ciass
screw cruiser OF l.f2p tons, the icsrus.
screw sloop of 80 tons: tho Wild Swan.
screw sioop. lilo tons. the Pheasant.
screw eunboat. sos tons. and the Gonus,
third-class screw cruiser. e.:so tons.
The first move toward strengthening the
feet is already publicly announced. and IN
a few weeks the Satellite viii be- relieved
by vessel three times her size, the 1. IN
ton secoad-clsss screw cruiser Phaeton.
Then at intervals Of not more than three
months. each of the others will be repiae-
ed by steel vessels. OF the latest pattern.
spcsdfer larger ard more effectively aru1-
cd than those now composing the feet.
How many vessels are TO be sent here
has not vet been learned bat tha. the
fleet viii he thoroughly effective and
modern ore ia assured To cnrnpese tho
work AZ this station three torpedo boat de-
stroyers are also 10 be attached TO Tho
HagShip. and three 10 the new guard ship