The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-22
WHEELING IN THE FAR EAST
wbsre She Is Doing Valuable Service.
The Cruiser "We9t Virginia"
4 MONSTER OF 10, 900 TONS.
Naval Men Believe She WIN be One
Of the Most Formidable War
ships Ever Designed.

Since the early eighties" when Sec
rotary Of the Navy William E. Cham
dler began the programme that has for
its contamination an American navy
that viii compare favorably with the
sen force OF any other world power.
progress slow but sure has been made
toward the end desired, and to-day we
have Il navy that Is concededly as good
as anything Of It's size afioat. The de-
clslve whipping we gave the spaniards
in SS showed this conclusIvely. But
the end IS not yet: many additional
battleshIps and huge armored cruisers
have been authorized by Congress, and
eventually the United States navy Will
take back seat to none but England's
whose sea Armament must, by the
very position and aspirations Of that
power remals at the head of ths pro-
cesslon,
Especially. active Is the navy de-
partment just now, and SO It has been
during the present administration and
the one preceding. In September. 1897
the composite guhgoat wheeling was
completed at San Francisco by the
Union iron works. ana a tight little
boa. she is. SIZE received her name
through efforts exerted by Congress-
men Dovcuer and Dayton, Of this
state.
In 1895. when 1t became known that
several 12,OOO-ton armored cruisers, to
be upon the lines Of the New York;
and brooklyn" which demonstrated
their great worth in the spanish-Amer-
lean war, were to be authorized. the
board Of commissioners Of this county,
Mt the suggestion Of the Intelllgencer.
inaugurated movement to have one
of tho cruisers christened West Vir-
Rluia," and about the same time Con-
gresham Dayton, of the Second dis
trict. began to exert his efforts in the
same direction, and as he was one of
the leading members of the house naval
committee his infiuepce was great. Pc
tItions flowed in TO the navy depart
ment from oil parts Of West Virginia,
asking that the war-born state be rec
ognIzed, and Secretary Long soon an
nounced that the request would be
granted-ana so. in the near future.
'west virginia" viii be a commanding
figure in the navy.
The eWest Virginia"
For this edition OF the Intelligence
an effort was mada to secure from Sec
rcta.y Long a description OF the West
Virginia. but 1t is impossible, owing
to the fact that the plans have not been
completed. In his letter to the 1ntellt-
gencer Secretary Long says:
NAVY DEPARTMENT,
Washington, Feb. 6, 1900.
City Editor Intelllgencer, Wheeling;
My Dear sir-In reply to your letter
Of February LIST. 1 take pleasure in en-
closing you herewith a brief sketch Of
the gunboat wheeling" also a list Of
the officers serving on board her and
a list Of the cadets from West Virginia
at present at the Naval Academy. 1t
is not possible to comply with your re-
quest for a pen sketch of the new H.
OOO-ton cruisers. one of which is to be
named Yves. virgEnin," for the rea-
son that the plans have not yet been
drawn. The board Of construction has
been endeayorlng recently to determine
the chief characteristics of these ves-
sells. / hope that the in
formation Furnished you will enable
you to secure such other data as you
wish. Very truly yours,
JOHN D. LONG,
Secretary.