The sun., 1903-02-15
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OUR BATTLESHIPS FOR EUROPE
THE ENTIRE NORTH ATLANTIC
FORCE TO BE SENT THERE.

Practice In the Gulf Or Mexico Before
etsrtlsg On lite Lens CPuise--Adni
raj Barker Win lie Ia Command
WASHINGTON. Feb N--An interesting
and, 10 some extent, significant decision
has been reached by tho Naval Admins
tration to send the entire battlsship divi
sion OF the North Atlantic naval foroe x
Europe. Announcement Of this decision
will 10 made by the Navy Department or
Monday. While the reason given for thi.
unusual action is the desire TO afford the
.ttleships some long distance cruising
In squadron for,nition. the feeling that
II may be we'll to call the attention oi
Europe to the fact that the United States
maintains pretty good navy had probably
moro TO do in bringing about the decision
OF the Navy Department than anything
else.
The battleship squadron Of the North
Atlantic naval fierce Ii the strongest for.
nation ever maint aimed by the United
states AZ perma ne mt unit in time Of pea1.
IT Is moe formidable by oug odds thar
he armor lad division which block AIDED
santiago and participated IN the destre
ion OF Cervera's feet. The block ading
squadron consisted Of two COMP aIatively
small armored cruisers and five battle
ships Tho North Atlantic baftlcship
pluadron consists OF seven battleships,
a majority Of them fine. new vessels. each
more powerful by far than any under
sampson's command.
When the squadron goss TO Europe II
will consist Of tho KearsaGe (Aagship,.
the Alabama, the Illinois, the Maine. the
Iowa, the Massa chusstts and the Indiana
The three last named were in the Span
ish-American War. The Maine Is brand
new, the Illinois has been In commission
less than year and the Kearet r &c and the
Alabama have been built since the war
with Spain.
The present splendid state Of efficiency
division is a source OF great pride to the
Navy DEPARTMENT and II il were not for
this feeling the squadron would not be eenf
20 Europe, where II will be under the OBJ
servation OF naval men Of all the great
Powers. II 10 realized here that the unusual
course of sending the homo squadron on
a European cruise will be regarded az OF a
significant character and that much COM
,nent will probably be caused tn European
Naturally tho euthoritios in washingt on
disclaim any ei~ 10 show Europo what
American nien-of-war can do In thc way
Of squadron ex rci~ a aid gum ~. but II
is wort hy Of note that after Ia wing n arhcd
A condi, lon Approaching P<rf.'ction In
comDinod manruvrins tn, ships will dovoIe
, he next two months to target PRACTICE.
In fact, the Navy d, part ment has stipu-
lated that unt II ev ~ wss In TIM sc. uAdron
reaches a rtain pr ecribs d state Of IN
cioncy 10 target practice the division will
lo' start across thu Atlantic.
The programme con! empls,es tho re-
ention Of the squadron In ho Gulf Of Mex
leo until May, when 1t will 60 10 Hampton
Roads 10 prepare for the Europesn cruise.
During the time he be'tleshiIs are In tho
Gulf they will be kept cons, an' lv Al work
al target practice. Son after the squadron
reechCs Hampton Reads, Rear Admiral
Higginson will he dct ache d from command
and Rear Admiral A. q, Barker, he present
Of The Brooklyn navy yard,
a ssi gned 0 duty in his place. Lisbon will
be the first port in Europe 10 be visited by
the sc Ua dron.
The squadron left PoDce, Porto Rico. on
Feb. II for Galveston. Tex. where it Is
expected to arrive on Feb. IS.