Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-03-14
UNIQUE NAVAL TEST
MIMIC ATTACK TO BE MADE ON
EUROPEAN POkT.
United States Navy to Give All the Pow.
ers, and Especially the Kaiser,
Proof of itss Efficiency

The plans for sending the powerful
tiers next May contemplate a more I'M
pressive object lesson on the growing
strength of the United States navy
than has been supposed, says a Wash
ington special to the New York World.
Behind the shield of Il practice cruise
with the most friendly intentions it Is
proposed to demonstrate the ability of
his government to carry a war to the
doors of any country in Europe. To
prove this the port of Lisbon. Portugal,
is to be "blockaded" at the end of the
long trip across the ocean.
Portugal was selected for this unique
test because the im%probability of the
United States ever becoming involved
in war with that country is well recog-
nized. Representations will be made
thatlwill prevent any Portuguese suspi-
cion of an Interior motive. Rear Ad-
miral Barker, who will command the
fleet, win entertain the nobility and ma
val officers of Portugal in lavish style
on his flagship, and visitors will be vel
coined on all of the ships.
The feet will be grouped off Lisbon
long enough to prove that United States
warships can cross the ocean and take
sufficient coal along to assume offensive
operations on an extensive scale. Eu-
rope has considered this impossible.
The fleet Will consist of the Kearsarge,
Admiral Barker's flagship; the Illinois,
the Indiana, the Maine, the Iowa, the
Massachusetts, possibly the second
class battleship Texas, the cruisers San
Francisco and Albany and Golfers and
supply ships. In the lee of the Azores
the fighting ships will be coaled and
provisioned so they will reach Portu-
gal in readiness for action. The fleet
will proceed as though war were actu-
ally on. The cruisers will scout in ad-
vance, and the supply ships will be pro-
tected by the battleships.
While the operations are intended as
an object lesson to all of Europe, it is
known that the navy department is
especially anxious to let the kaiser see
just what our ships can do! When
Prince Henry was in Washington last
year, he asked Chief Constructor
Bowles as to the relative efficiency Of
German and American warships.
I'VE build our ships to carry coal as
well 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 mere
" Il boast. He is to be shown that IL
is more than that.
Naval attaches Of European coun-
tries are displaying great interest in
the transatlantic maneuyers, and many
of them have asked to be allowed to
accompany the fleet. Their requests
probably win be granted, as the navy
department wants to make It's case
complete.
The department is constantly work
ing to increase the coal capacity of the
warshlps and extend their steaming
radius. The Texas can steam only
1000 miles without %reeoaling. The
Kearsarge can steam more than 6,000
miles without ~recoaling. which is half
as far again as the Iowa, Indiana and
Massachusetts,. while the latest addi-
ton, the Maine. carries 1000 tons Of
coal, as compared with the 1.645 tons
of the Kearsarge.