The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-27
WILL Be PREPARED.
Navy Department WIN Hold EnoF-
NOUS Stocks Of Coal ON the Atlantic
and Pacific Coasts.

Navy Department VIII Hold EnoFs
nous Stocks Of Coal ON the Atlantic
and Pacific Coasts.
NEW YORK. Dec. pa special from
Washington says the navy department
Is going to be prepared for any emerg-
ency that may hereafter arise in the
Atlantic and the Pacific oceans by car
rying ON hand the enormous stock Of
nearly half a million tons Of the best
steaming coal for warships that can be
procured. This supply Of the most im-
portant OF ali sinews OF modern war is
to be systematically distributed in
American ports most conveniently lo-
Gated for the coailng OF ships for any
operations the navy may concelVAply
be called upon to undertake, extending
along the Atlantic and Gulf coast line,
from Frenchmen's bay, Maine, to San
Juan De Porto Rico. as well as to the
commanding positions along the lines
of commerce which have already been
secured by the United States in the Pa
cihc ocean. stretching from San Fran
cisco and Puget Sound to Manila, and
southward to Samoa. In the naval
sphere OF activity in the Atlantic about
300, 900 tons are to be promptly and sys-
tematically stored in accordance With
the recommendation Of the chief strate-
glsts of the service and at least 10000
tons will be sent around Cape Horn to
the great western ocean where Amert-
can interests have suddenly become
second to those Of no other nation and
where the influence Of the United
States Will not hereafter be subordin-
ated to that Of any European power.
The distribution Of immense piles Of
American coal for naval purposes in the
Pacific indicates the unalteFable Rttl-
tude which has been adopted by the ad-
minlstration regarding the future policy
Of the United States in that direction,
as the initial expense involved in trans
porting the proper quality OF fuel for
use in the marine engines. as well as
the elaborate character Of the Bppar-
atus which must be installed for the eX-
peditious coaling OF war vessels, for
which time IS a most essential element,
demonstrate how gravely and thorough
ly the authorities have matufed their
plans. The number OF tons which will
be held in reserve at the various coal
ing statlong west Of the American con-
tlnent have been fixed for the present
as follows: Manila, $4,000; Guam, 10000:
IsVtuVV1 G7hbg"G G4AVH 4VPSpVa
San Francisco, 25,000, and Bremerton,
Puget Sound $4,000.
On the Atlantic coast, in addition to
the fuel supplies Rlready established at
the various navy yards and naval sta
tionS, the recommendation OF Admiral
Belknap's board. which made Its invest
igations early in the Spanish war, will
probably be adopted without modiflca-
tlOn, with the addition Of several re-
quIsIte ports In the West Indies. The,
locations of these naval bases, with
their tonnage Of coal supply, will be as
follows:
10000: San Juan de Porto Rico. 25,000;
Tortuga5 and Key West. .-50, 900 Port
':R6yal, s, c., 25,O00: Norfolk, 5000;
Washington, 1000; League Island, 5000;
New York, 5000: New London, Conn,
25,00O; Boston, 5000; Portsmouth, N.
h, 10000, Frenchman's bay, Me-, 10000.
In addition to these the naval author
tiles are satisfied that they can always
depend upon securing at a moments
notice at Hampton Roads, as well as at
New York, at least $4,000 tons, such
amounts being always available mt
those ports for commercial marine uses.
With strong coal bases provided in
this arrangement. within easy steaming
distance OF every vessel in the naval
fleet. the effective protection Of the At
lantic coast will be more than double.
as compared with It's condition six
months ago. With the exception Of the
long stretches around the South Aneri-
can continent, where in case OF the en-
forced neutrality Of the Latin-Ameri-
can republics. United States ships can
not purchase coal in their ports, con.
tinued recourse to armed colliers Will
be unavoidable. The government Is
now fortunately possessed of seventeen
of these Invaluable vessels, with an as-
gregate carrying capacity approxlmat-
ing $4,000 tons, and It is the intention
to keep these vessels Allied to their ca
pacity and constantly ready for tmrne-
dtatp service