The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-08-15

LII lAO SCA lAClC :" H. "
assembled a fleet more formidable than
that collected by the United States to
blockade Cuba and destroy Cervera's
squadron. In Asiatic waters the fight
Ing ships Of the China and Philippines
squadrons will be modified. The prob
lem of the Caribbean fleet will be the
defense of the Atlantic and gulf coasts
Tendencies in the West Indies and
that of the Asiatic command the pro-
lection of the Philippines, Guam. Ha-
wall, Tutuila and the Pacific slope.
The conditions under which the two
fleets will operate will simulate those
of war. Plans of campaign will be
prepared during the summer by the
general board, Of which Admirable
ey is president. Commanders in chief
Of squadrons which will take part in
the maneuvers have been ordered to
engage in drills and gunnery exercises
for the double purpose of increasing
the efficiency of the ships companies
and to discover officers most capable
of handling the vessels to the best adj
td1lLdSV III lAc MuuGuNOIS duu ul6I
who are especially expert at the guns.
The feet which will operate in the
Caribbean sea will comprise three
squadrons, that on the north Atlantic
station, which is commanded by Rear
Admiral Francis J.. Higginson, with
Rear Admiral Joseph B. Coghlan as
second in command; the south Atlantic
station, commanded by Rear Admiral
George ". Sumner, and the European
station, commanded by Rear Admiral
A. S. Crowninshield.
Rear Admiral Higginson will assem-
bic his vessels at Hampton Roads
about Dec. Is and sail for Culebra is
land, near the coast of Porto Rico.
which will be the headquarters of the
entire feet. Rear Admiral Sumner will
be ready to leave Bahia, Brazil, on,
Dec. II. Rear Admiral Crowninshield
will proceed with his squadron to the
Cape Verde islands, from which point
he must be in readiness to sail on
Dec. Is.
Members of the general board say
that the European and South Atlantic
squadrons will represent hostile com
mands, while that Of Rear Admiral
Higginson will act as the defense fleet.
He will have scouts-the eyes of a feet
-on the lookout for the expected
forces. When the strategical problem
has been solved, the three squadrons
will be modified into one great feet,
which will he under the supreme COM
mand of Rear Admiral Higginson.
Rear Admirals Sumner, Crowninshield
and Coghlan will be squadron COM
manders. The feet will engage in tao
tical exercises, in repelling attacks
made by torpedo boats, in making as
saults upon imaginary fortiications on
Culebra island, defended by marines.
which will require the employment of
landing parties from ships taking part
in the action, and in ship and boat ma
neuvers. These exercises will occupy
at least two months, and during a part
of the time they will be witnessed by
the general board.
When the feet is finally assembled,
1t will comprise more than forty ves-
sells. seven of which will be battleshps
modern in every respect of the word
Kearsarge, flagship; Iowa. Massachu-
sets, Illinois, Alabama, Indiana and
the new Maine: one armored cruiser.
the Brooklyn: eleven protected and un-
protected cruisers, Olympia, Baltimore,
Cincinnati, Raleigh, Albany, Chicago,
Ban Francisco, Newark. Atlanta, De-
lroit and Montgomery: three gunboats,
Marietta, Nashville and Machias; four
teen torpedo boats. one engineering re-
pair ship, the Marcellus; one hospital
ship, the Dixie; n supply ship, the
Culgoa. and half a dozen naval GOLFERS.
1t will be the most perfect fleet eve
assembled under the American flag.
Rear Admiral Frederick Rodgers,
commander in chief Of the Asiatic sta
ton, is working out a scheme of ma
for the vessels under his CON-
mand. 1t contemplates the mobiliZa-
ton at a central point in the China
sea of the ships in Asiaticswateis. with
the exception of the small vessels en-
gagged in preventing the illegal importa-
ton Of arms and ammunition into the
Philippines. The men-of-war which
will be concentrated are the battleship
Kentucky, armored cruiser New York.
monitors Monadnock and Monterey.
protected cruiser New Orleans and
gunboats Annapolis. Don Juan de Aus
tria. Helena. Isla de Cuba. Isla de Luz
Princeton. Vicksburg. Wilmington
and Yorktown. The feet will also be
supplied with a supply ship and sew
eral GOLFERS.