Evening star., 1898-12-10
GUNBOATS TO JOIN DEWEY
Naval Forces on the Asiatic Station to Be
Increased.
Enlistment Term of Many Sailors to
Expire >oon-A Matter for Leg
islatiye Action.

Admiral Dewey's fleet will soon be
strengthened by the addition Of some ser
vlceablr guuboats, to relieve the larger
vessels of the task of cruising among the
myriad islands of the Philippine group.
The Bennington, now at Honolulu, has been
ordered To proceed to the Island of Guam
in the LadrUne group, now a possession of
the United States. and make a survey of
The harbOr with a view TO the establish =
Tnent there of naval station. As soon as
she has accomplished that task she will
continue westward to Manila and 1oin
pewey's feet.
BY that time or even before the gunboat
Helena, which is now in the Mediterranean
viii have passed through the straits and
VIII also hav@ arrived at Mania. Then the
Concord and the Petrol now cruising
around in Chinese waters. will have re-
turned. and altogether the admiral will
have a sufficient force of small vessels
under his command to carry out the Presi-
dents policy respecting the Philippines and
20 bring into submission any of the island
RS who may prove refractory and TO re-
lease any Spanish prisoners held in con-
fiu-meut by the in>UTgl ntS.
The Navy Department is now convinced
that it VIII not be practicable to carry out
d project II mad entertained at one time
looking To considerable reduction Of the
United States naval force on the Asfatfc
station and il has settled down to the con-
viction that the fleet must rather be con-
-iderdbly reinforced if the attempt is To ne.
made to maintain law and order in the
l21 Philippine islands and still afford
proper protection to the important interests
II the United States along the great length
II the coast line Of Asia.
While this increase OF the naval strength
of DeweyS feet has no apparent connec-
tl"n with the growing entente between the
ntted States and Great Britain relative TO
their common trade interests in the east,
Stiu the fact cannot hut be taken into ac-
count that the combined naval forces will
largely exceed those of any other two ma
lions in that quarter of the world.
Serious Condition.
The necessity for maintaining a strorg 2
force in the east has brought the navy ia ,e
O" lace with a very serious condition I'm
de" the Law passed to meet the needs of the
war the terms Of enlistment of about 800
sailors will expire with three and a half
months and the department is forbidden To
re-enlist them. The immediate result will
be that nearly half the ships in commission
VIII have TO be retired from active service
for lack Of crews.
This would at once operate to prevent rho
Establishment OF the United States naval
stations in Europe. the South Atlantic and
IN ltci. every " here else, save in Asia and
on the north Atlantic coast. anu
II happens that at present evap ,o
mdfa4 vessels, the Philadelphia and tbe
Yorktown. are charged with the impossihIe
TASK 81 patroillng the whole coast line of
tne Pacilc. from Bering Straits to Cane
H0rn ana Hawaii is included in that beat
o'roLs representations have been made IN
me Navy Department by prominent bus
lhess IL teIests looking to the re-esta bIieh-
nleht OF the south Atlantic station as it
was before the war, on the ground that
Mteo states interests are jeoparNIzed by
me present hiatus, yet The Navy Depart-
iuehl l HIinS itsef unable to do this unless
Congress comes promptly to the rescne h,,
'ae passage OF the legislation so urgently
requested by Secretary Long and by Az
Si7tant Secretary Allen in the direction M
d general reformation and strengthening OF
The personnel OF the navy