The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-09-02
AMERICAS COALING STATIONS.
increases tn he Recommended by
Rear Admiral bradford

Rear Admiral Royal p Bradford re-
Gently returned from an inspection trip
or Northern coalinS stations in course Of
establishment by the Government under
the departments policy of having a COM
plete chain Of modern coal depots from
freedman Bay, on the Maine coast
around to- the Gulf. on the East coast
and from Alaska. or the West side. as
far down the coast of Central and south
America as II is possible TO secure sites
Rear Admiral Bradford found work
progressing on the new Maine station in
a way that VIII render il available with
i'm d year, while that on Narragansett
Bay, above Newport. will be pushed rap
Idly forward also. These stations will
have storage capacities Of over 10000 tons
each, The Dry Tortugas stations, with
a capacity Of 10000 tons. is intended to
supply the fleets cruising around the Gulf
and in the West Indies during the winter.
Until stations are located in Cuba and
Porto Rico it will be the only one where
heavy draft ships can enter and secure
coal south Of the Chesapeake Bay
In the opinion Of Rear Admiral Brad
ford the navy must establish other coal
ms stations farther south than in the
West Indies, and ne believes sites should
be secured at some points on the east
coast or South America and that those
repuulcs which are practically under the
protection of the United States from for
eign cncroachment should afford us every
facility for securing coaling stations on
their territory.
In any war, says the rear admiral. il
would not be practicable for a fleet of
American warslips TO operate farther
south than in the West Indies. owing -
want Of coaling facilities. unless the
South American republics grant conces-
sions for sites. This. he believes. they
Will do when sites have been selected and
proper representations made.
Until the control Of Cuba passes over 10
the people Of the island there is no prob
dpllty OF any direct efforts being made
TO locate important cOaliag stations there
TO supply the navyS outlying cOaIing sta
lions and keep ships of the Asiadc station
wei supplied requires "A small feet Of
merchant vessels constantly transporting
coal 10 Cavite- Rear Admiral Bradford
aims to have always 5000 tons on hand
but this has fallen 10 1890 at the last
report although II has been as high as
40 COO
Trouble has been experienced in estab-
fishing the new station at PagO-Pago, ISL
and Of Tutuila. where piers have been
constructed and sheds were planned for
a capacity or $3.50 tons. Treasury officials
haVe-blOcked X. ar Admiral Bradford's
PoiFoSt 10 purchase dudlIoual ldIu nee
eSsary 10 extend the station by decision
holding that the money cannot be used
for that purpose. as il was not stated in
the act that land should be purchased
Next session a bin viii probably be pass
ed giving the necessary authority and a
station viii then be completed giving Sa-
moa the largest coal pile maintained by
the navy outside Of Cavite.
The new cOaling station on the southern
end Of lower California. the site for
which was acquired from Mexico. Is now
nearly completed. This viii have a ca
pacity OF 5000 tons. II Rear Admiral
EradfOrds plan materializes there will be
other Coaling stations In a few years at
other points on the Central American and
Mexican coast, and perhaps one on the
West coast Of South america.