Evening star., 1900-09-24
TO REINFORCE REMEY
THE KENTUCKY AND THREE OTHER
VESSELS TO JOIN HIM.
To Meet the Possibilities Resulting
From Reduction of Our Land
Forces in China.

In order that United states interests IN
the far east shall be fully protected in the
event of future hostilities in China or the
Philippines, the Secretary of the Navy has
arranged to add materially to the strength
and effectiveness Of the Asiatic squadron
under command Of Rear Admiral Remey
The Kentucky. the finest OF the new battle
ships, and three other vessels are under or
ders to join Admiral Remey with all dis
patch Others yet to be named will speed
lily follow them. until the floating force at
the admrals disposition is powerful enough
to command respect for any action the ad-
ministration at Washington decides to take
toward insuring the just treatment of
American rights in whatever solution of
the eastern question may be attempted by
powers whose purposes or interests are In
consistent with those of this country.
The Navy Department has issued the fol-
lowing statement on the subject:
'.In view of the possibility that later,
when circumstances so warrant, the land
force in China will be materially reduced,
the naval force in Asiatic waters will be
from time to time increased with reference
to American interests in China and also
in the Philippines. The following orders
have therefore been issued: The Dorothea,
at League Island. and the Annapolis, at
Norfolk. have been ordered to fit out for
been ordered to the Asatic station via the
Mediterranean and will be replaced en- the
South Atlantic station by the Atlanta. The
Albany. at Piraeus. has been ordered to
Manila. The Kentucky and Vicksburg have
been ordered to New York to fit out for
the Asiatic station.
OF these vessels the Kentucky is first
class battle ship, with a displacement of
IL 525 tons and speed of about 16 knots.
The Albany is the latest addition to the
protected cruisers. Her displacement is
3.437 tons and her speed p knots. The
Wilmington is a light-draft gunboat of
1,3O2 tons displacement and speed of 10
knots. Her exceedingly light draft will
make her valuable in navigating the shall
low rivers of China. The Annapolis and
the Vicksburg are small steel gunboats of
1000 tons displacement each. Their speed
is about IL knots.
The Kentucky.
The Kentucky. which. with her sister. the
Kearsarge, is the finest battle ship in the
navy more formidable than the Oregon or
the Alabama. will be the peer of any Eu-
ropean vessel that can be sent to China,
as she is certainly the superior Of any
now there. All the other vessels In the
list of Admiral Remey's command are well
known except the Dorothea She is a fleet
yacht of 500 tons. built by the Cramps in
1897 for the late Thomas Mexican, whose
estate sold her to the navy at the outbreak
of the Spanish war for $1S7.5OO. She was
converted into a torpedo boat destroyer and
gunboat, armed with ten rapid-fire guns.
and her hull received additional protection
by the application of steel plates. She is
particularly adapted to police duty in the
Philippines.
Admiral Remey's Force.
With these latest additions Admiral
Remeys effective fighting force will be
made up as follows:
Armored 6)-Brooklyn diagship OF COM
mander-in-chieD, Oregon, Kentucky, Mon
terey, Monadnock.
Protected cruisers (2)-Newark (hagship
OF senior squadron commander, Admiral
Kempff), New Orleans
Cruisers O-Concord, Bennington, Cas-
tine, Manila. Nashville. Yorktown, Yo-
semitic.
Gunboats C25)-callao, Don Juan de Aus
tria, Helena. Isla de Cuba, Isla de Luzon,
Marietta, Monocacy Annapolis. Vicksburg
Petrol, Princeton, General Alava, Gardoqui,
Basco, Leyte, Nashan, Dorothea. Manleno,
Mindoro, Pampaga. Panay, sParagua, Qui-
ros Samar. Villalobos.
Supply ships CO-Solace, Celtic Glacier,
Iris, Zafiro, Culgoa. Arethusa.
Golfers O-Scinda, Saturn, Alexander,
Brutus. Sterling, Caesar. Marcellus.
OF this total of fifty-three vessels. nearly
one-half are rekuired constantly for police
duty in the Philippines, and nearly half
the remainder are auxiliary vessels, nom
combatants. leaving at least fifteen fight
pei respect for American interests.