The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-08-18
TOBE REPAIRED.
PENDING Establishment of Peace Our
War Ships Will Be Oyerhaultd.
hney win BE Put In the Pink OF Perfeo-
"on-Authorities Acting on the Prin-
cple That the Armistice Might
End in Renewed Hostllltle.

"AsHINGToN. Aug. l5.-With pea,
proclaimed all the energies of the mi
itary and naval establishments Satu
day were directed into peaceful cha
nelS The sudden change from war
peace was manifest at the war an
navy departments. There was no fu
ther expectancy Of dramatic develo,
rnents OF battles or OF new campaign
The orders given Friday night fc
Immediate cessation of hostilitie
brought all military and naval NOV,
ments to a halt and it now remain
to bring affairs back to a peace basi.
In this, however, the authoritie
were acting on the theory that tn
protocol of Friday was but the frs
step towards peace, and that not un
til final and lasting peace was Sc
cured could there be an entire return
TO peace basis.
This was particularly true as to tn,
navy department In that branch Il
was accepted that permanent peace
undoubtedly would be made, but vel
instead OF stripping our war ships, re-
distributing them into squadrons on a
peace basis and returning them to
their old channels the naval authori.
ties acted on the principle that the
present armistice might end in a re-
sumption of hostilitics. For that rea-
son the four battle ships and two ar.
morcd cruisers ordered north from
West Indian waters arc TO undergo n
complete oyerhauling with a view to
putting them in the pink OF condition.
For many months they have been in
tropical waters; their bottoms are foul
and their engines and machinery need
careful overhauling. As soon as they
reach New York all work at the navy
yard will be SubOrdinated TO pushing
the complete overhauling Of the battle
ships and cruisers. Meanwhile the
smaller warships in West Indian waters
have been ordered to safe harbors, as
the West Indian hurricane season is
near at hand, while sufficient ships for
police patrol are left along the Cuban
and Porto Rico coasts The big, un-
wieldy monitors will remain In Porto
Rico, and most of the blockading fleet
will center at Key West under Commo-
lore Watson. The peace protocol will
give a breathing spell and time for
every ship back to the high
,st state OF perfection. The complete
return to peace basis, the establish
nent of peace squadrons, etc, is a
natter for the future.
1t is expected that the American oc-
of Manila will occur immedi-
ltely after the receipt by Adm. Dewey
md Gen. Merritt of the orders sent
hem Friday night This may not be
eferred by the lack of cable facilities, 7
S the American occupation of Manila +
robably will result in the opening
direct cable communication
etween that city and the out
de world. The only difficulty thus
lr has been that the cable company
'ould not recognize American control
the cable 50 long as our forces were
OF in possession of the city. The or
ers sent Adm. Dewey are much more
Decific than those sent other naval
as the occupation of
Ianila and the holding of the bay and
arbor involved more important con-
deration than the mere cessation of
ostilities. During the early hours of
aturdsy the war and navy depart
ents received no acknowledgements
ON the various naval and military
but it was presumed
at the orders suspending hostilities
src being carried out in all direc-
ons.