Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1898-11-10
BRITAIN'S SEA FORCE
WHAT ENGLAND CAN DO IN CASE OF
AN EMERGENCY

Her Great Naval Resources and
Marked success. I'm Mobilization of
the Defen.e.-Na~y'. Great Reserve
of Coal
The bristling energy of the British
admiralty seems TO have behind ii some
thing more than the complications
which made the Fashoda incident its
initial excuse. The activity of dock
Yards and arsenals, the mobilization OF
battleships, cruisers and torpedo boats,
and the ..stand by" orders issued to the
unemployed personnel, must mean the
preparation for an emergency greater
than now stands revealed.
At 10 time within the last two years
has the active feet of the empire been
unequal TO any demands that could be
made upon il by the first shock OF
conflict with France single handed.
Under TIE two power theory which
has kept England's naval strength su-
perior TO that Of any two OF the other
great sea powers. her fighting squadrons
have been more than equal 10 what
France or Russia alone could array.
From either she has nothing TO fear,
nor need her preparations take ON any
unwonted activity. If, however, COM
biuation has been formed and the pres
emit settlement of the Marchand ques-
ton is only preliminary TO the re-
opening of the whole Egyptian ques-
ton, in which France Is said to have
the support Of Russia or If the claims
of Russia in the east are TO be given the
active support of France, then the mob
:lization of men and material may be
understood.
Within a few years Great Britain ha:
demonstrated her enormous naval pos
sibilities- The jubilee review was the
most marvellous parade Of transferable
force the world has ever known, anC
when the ease with which her late pori
guard squadron was assembled Is re
! membercd the present orders for mob
ilization must be accepted more as
proof of her immediate readiness thai
as a measure of her resources.
The orders so far given provide TO
| the assemblage at Devonport OF sever
| battleships and one cruiser; 10 supple
ment these, six 80 knot torpedo boa
| destroyers are to be commissioned, AM
! all the battleshjps and cruisers a
| Portsmouth are taking full crews. Thi
! last is so distinctly war measure tina
/ its meaning is most pregnant, and whel
| its significance is fortified by order
| lust issued to send home from the chan
mel squadron, now at Gibraltar, a larg
| number Of the fleet signalmen, littl
| doubt remains that the admiralty
preparing to commission not only man
vessels in reserve, but probably rome c
the auxiliary cruisers.
The backwards at Portsmouth. Dey
onport and Chatham are working da
and night the WoOlwich arsenal
energizing its possible output; over
time has been ordered on new cruiser!
like the Europa and Andromeda, an
| at Dover, among other reported places
an experimental mobilization of the dt
fences has been carried out with mari
ed success.
The postponement of naval maneuvel
this year leaves England with gre;
reserve of coal, and though many e,
cuses were offered for this unusual d
!, parture III fleet instruction it is undo
stood that the authorities have felt tn;
something more real than the maneuve
of A and b siuadrons might at any m
ment, from complications in the Ie
: low sea and in the Mediterranean, d
mand prudence of expenditure in tn
) "life of the ship" Luckily the Britis
-f~1nc most recent experiences OF En-,
land in naval war preparations were IL
} results of Misunderstanding with Ge
/ many on the Transvaal question, whic
, followed closely upon the idle three
, made in moment of hot patriotisi
; and misguided wisdom. 1t may be we
to recall it. quoting the words of a
American naval officer:
| When, under the shock of q di
turbed diplomacy, be writes, En-,
land was called upon to employ a ffyin
squadron needing 3, 900 men and
commission other vessels requirin
2,5u0 men the high possibilities of he
syste VI were revealed The flying squad
ron vas ready for war service in fe,
days surely III less than week-an
the otter ships were quickly and eff
| ciently organized for any sudden order
Notwithstanding this sudden dc
mand tle admiralty / ad no difficulty i
maintaining at their efficient strengt
the crews Of the feet reserve and of tn
: dochyard reserve ships in the hom
/ ports In addition, thousands of me-
| underfJlnS gunnery aud torpedo in
! structIbn Were in no way interiors
with and enough men Were available a
the general depots to commission a
short notice three first class battleship
and four first class or six second elias
cruisers.
Nor was it found necessary to re
duce the strength of the British foreigl
squanrons to attain at home this salts
factory s'~'e Of affairs for heSides tn