Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-22
SENDING SHIPS TO ORIENT
Navy Department Says There is No signi6-
canoe in the Move.
OTHERS INCLINED TO THINK DIFFERENTLY
Mrs. Roosevelt Has Tired of the Con-
tinuaI Changes Around the
white House and Or
ders a Halt.
(From a STAR correspondent.) }

the Asiatic fleet. according to officials in the
State and Navy departments. There is
never any Significance in the strengthen
ing OF any fleet in Asiatic or European
waters II the powers directing this
strengthening of our squadrons in foreign
waters are to be believed, but the fact re-
mains that the biggest squadron ever as
sembed of the coast of China is already
an accomplished fact. The assignment of
the three cruisers above named is taken
to mean that the European squadron will
not go to Kiel to attend the maneuvers
of the German navy. In fact, II is stated
at the Navy department that no orders
have been issued for the European squad
ron to assemble at Kiel, and according to
those In a position to know such action is
not contemplated by Secretary Moody. The
war cloud is lowering over China and it
has been though the part of wisdom to
assemble cruiser squadron in Philippine
waters with battleships and enough moni-
tors and gunboats to compel the respect
Of any nation contemplating a descent
upon China. New Orleans, which is of the
same type as Albany, Cincinnati and
Raleigh will be the fourth ship of the
| squadron.
The vessels ordered from the European
station to the Asiatic fleet will proceed
from Villefranche and the Suez canal.
under command of Commander Rodgers of
Albany, the senior officer and he has or
ders to report at once TO Rear Admiral
Bob Evans. in command OF the Asiatic
! squadron. The detachment of the three
! cruisers will leave only Chicago and Ma
chias In the European squadron. San
Francisco, however. which is now In West
Indian waters, has been ordered to the
European station to take the place Of the
vessels named above.
Look Below Surface.
OF course there is no significance to be
attached to these movements; but the ac-
tivity in naval circles and the disposition
OF the heads Of the several departments
of the navy towards securing men and Of
4 hcers to man and navigate the new vessels
almost ready to go into commission seems
to be portentious. While everything looks
| to be at peace and rest on the outside
! there is decided activity in navy circles
| on the inside. II is hardly expected that
such formidable squadron as we have
| now In Asiatie waters would be assembled
there for mere pastime, and Tor the pur-
pose OF giving officers and men something
10 do we have never played the war game
that way and we are too old to make any
radical change in the manner in which we
prepare for future contingencies. 1t had
been intended that Wisconsin should have
it's ventilating apparatus altered, but tele-
graphic instructions from the Navy de-
partment this week directing that the bat
tleship should sail Thursday for China
shows on the face of things that all is not
serene In the orient AS outlined in these
dispatches during the last few weeks
I there UVin ha mo oh fba l.. "a
June in Asiatic waters the biggest fleet
we have ever assembled away from our
own shores. This feet will consist of the
battleships Kentucky. Wisconsin and Ore.
gon, the monitors Monterey and Monad-
mock, and the cruisers New Orleans, AL
bany. Cincinnati and Raleigh.
Stop in white House Changes.
There is to be no more tinkering witt
the White House or the ground surround
ing that historic mansion II Mrs Roose.
velt can put a. stop to it. The mistress Of
the house of the presidents has given in
disputable evidence recently of her disap
proval of the constant experimenting with
the various plans OF adornment for tn,
Identification of the White House and tn,
terraces surrounding the same. Ignoranc,
of a most lamentable character has beer
atoms in the White House which congress
, ordered should be made by most liberia
/, appropriation, Yards upon yards of eartl
. have been dug up and carted away, ant
. then carted back. A navy Official wht
crosses the White House grounds ever!
morning and evening and who has watches
the progress of changing the gardens sur
rounding the nome Of President Roosevelt
observed the other day that in all his publi
career he had never seen such gross ig
norance shown has been displayed q
r making the White House grounds conform
y to an impressionists viewpoint. He sal
: It reminded him of Geett Burgess stor
. of the purple COW, wherein the nonsens
: man said, referring to this remarkabl
: animal. that "he would rather see, tha
s be, one" Mrs. Roosevelt has been greatl
y annoyed with the everlasting changes tina
are going on under the direction of Arehi
v tect c. F. McKim, who is responsible 70
e adding the excrescences. commonly calle
), wings. TO the mansion. The upper part @
e these wings have been made as terraces
ornamented with electric lights and fnishe
on with bay trees and lockwood bushes
Yesterday the nurseryman who installe
the Dutch trees attempted TO cart ther
n all away. seventy-two In number, but wa
stopped on peremptory orders from Mr.
Roosevelt, who stated that she did not dc
sire to have any more changes made unles
she had been previously consulted and tn
n changes had met with her approval Az
b cording to a reliable estimate the cost {
!. the bay trees and the lockwood bushe
II installed on the east and west terraces an
r the porte cochere at the north front
the mansion has been between 5000 an
e 5000. II is stated that Mr.. McKim's ol
: lection TO the present adornment OF n
> terraces was that while the bay tire,
Is looked we'll In themselves they were n,
d sufficiently imposing to bring the whi
B. House in relief More costly ones wit
5, box-shaped tops were desired and that
the reason assigned for the architect o
" dering the first consignment OF trees
l. be carted away and others substituted TT
le American people who have seen the o
lie White House. standing as II did. overlool
lt ing the Mall and surrounded by imposir
sr government buildings with an atmosphe
se peculiarly its own. will never take kind
" TO the new White House with the cir
cracks that have been added. A sacr,
d shrine has been desecrated and the tho
AZ sands Of visitors 70 Washington every yei
K. will go away from the White House wi
ID feelings akin 10 the burial OF their friend
al The old White House is no more II
Continued on Fourth Pass)