The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-03-25
TO PLAY WAR IN EUROPE
Our Warships to Blockade Lisbon
FOR the Kaiser's Benefit
Finest OF the Big BattlsshIps. with Col.
Iiers and supply vssssis. to Gu:
Loose E5om Home Connectioas.

Washington. D. C.-The plans for
sending the powerful battleship squad.
ron into European waters next May
contemplate q more impressive object
lesson on the growing strenth OF the
United States Navy than has been
supposed.
Behind the shield Of a practice
cruise" with the most friendly inten.
tions. It is proposed to forcibly demon.
strate the ability Of the Government
to carry a war to the doors OF any
country in Europe.
To prove this In emphatic style the
port Of Lisbon. Portugal. Is to he
~'blockaded" Mt the end OF the long trip
acrOss the ocean.
Portugal was selected for the unique
test because the impossibility Of the
United States ever becoming involved
In war with that country Is well rec.
ognized. Representations will be made
that will prevent any Portuguese sus-
piciOns Of an Interior motive. Rear
Admiral Barker. who will command
the feet, will entertain the nobility
and naval officers Of Portugal in lavish
style on his flagship. and visitors will
be welcomed OIL all Of the ships.
The feet will be grouped of Lisbon
long enough to prove that United
States warships can cross the ocean
and take sufficient coal along to as.
sumo offensive operations on an extern
sive scale. Europe has considered this
impossible.
The fleet will consist Of the Kear.
sarge. Admiral Bankers flagship: the
Illinois. Indiana. Maine. Iowa. Massa'
chusetts. ard probably the second
class battleship Texas. the cruisers San
Francisco and Albany and the col
liers and supply ships.
In the lee OF the Azores the fighting
ships will be coaled and prOvisloned
SO that they will reach Portugal In
readiness for action.
The feet will proceed as though war
was actually on. The cruisers will
scout in advance and the supply ships
will be protected by the battleships.
While the operations are intended as
a lesson to all Of Europe. the Navy De-
partment Is especially anxious to lei
the Kaiser see just what Its ships car
do. when Prince Henry was In Wash
ington last year he asked Chief Con
structor Bowles, as to the relative ef'
iciency of German and American war
ships.
I'VE build u ships to carry coal as
we'll as to fight" replied Bowles. They
can cross the ocean and some Of them
can return without recoaling. Your
ships cannot do that"
The Kaiser has regarded this as
something Of a boast. He Is to be
shown that It Is not.
Naval attaches Of European countries
are displaying great interest In thu
transatlantic maneuvres. and many oil
them have asked to be allowed to ac'
company the feet. Their requests
probably will be granted. as the Navy
Department wants to make the case
complete.
The Department Is constantly work
ing to Increase the coal capacity Of the
warshfps and extend their steamlna
radius. The TeHls can steam only
1900 miles. The Kearsarge a steam
more than 5000 miles without recoal
Ing. which Ia half as far again as the
Iowa. Indiana and Massachusetts,
while the latest addition. the Maine
carries 1000 tons Of coal. as compared
with the 1915 tons Of the kearsarge.