The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-31
By Commander J. D. Jerrold Kelley,
 U. S. N.
Cruising \ Stations.

The United States assigns it's c$G sing force to five geographical divisions, and 1t is interesting to recall that their off, fcial boundaries have varied but little in many years. It is true that the dex- ignations have from time to time been modified. and some old names, familiar once as household, words, have disapr peared. Beyond this the navy, that most conservative of all executive bodies, has not ventured.
 To carry out effectively all the duties of police, neutrality, protection, explora- tion and training our armed forces afioat are assembled on the following stations: First. the North Atlantic: second, the Pacific third, the European; fourth, the South Atlantic, and fifth, the Aslatic.
 The limits of the North Atlantic ex- tend from the east coast of North Amer ica to the forty-fifth degree of west lon gitude, or to about the meridian of the Grand Banks, and from any indefinite north latitude to the eQustor. and thence in q diagonal line westward along the northeastern coast of South America. Within this area, but not under it's con trol, are the navy yards of Portsmouth, N. H.: Boston, New York, League Island, Norfolk, Charleston, s. C., and Pensa cola, and the naval stations at Newport, New London. Beaufort, Key West and Algiers, La. In addition there are various coal depotS, one notably on NarraEansett Bay. and another on the Dry Tortugas. It is curious to note here, as an obiter dictum, that the actual location of each Eastern navy yard has a title quite diff ferent from it's official designation. Ports mouth Yard is in Kittery. Me-: Boston Yard is ill Charlestown: New York navy yard is in Brooklyn; Norfolk navy yard is in Gosport, a suburb of Portsmouth. Va, and Pensacola yard Is in Warning ton
 The Pacific station includes the Pacific coasts of North and South America. North of the equator it extends to 170 degrees west longitude and south to some point not specifically designated in con sequence of the extension of the Asiatic station, after the war with Spain. With in it's limits are located the navy yards at Bremerton, Wash, and Mare Island, Cal. and the coal depots at Pichilinque, in Lower California, at Tutuila. Samoa. and st Hawaii. together with naval sta ton on the island of that name.
 The European station embraces the coasts of Europe. the Mediterranean on both shores and the African coast as far south as St. Paul de Loando; thence diagonally westward to the junction of the equator and the forty-1fth degree of west IOuBltduSs bulS separating 1t from the North Atlantic. Formerly there was a storehouse within these linn its, and a soft berth it afforded, but it has been. abandoned.
 The South Atlantic station besinA at the southern limits of the European and embraces all the Atlantic coasts of Al rica and South America, and extends to the seventieth degree of east longitude. north to the equator-that is. beyond and around the Cape of Good Hope
 The Asiatic station takes in the east coast of Africa (excluding the waters of the South Atlantic), the Indian Ocean China seas and the Pacific ocean east of TO degrees west Tn this area are sit uated the navy yards at Cavite, Manila the decaying station at Subig Bay, and the storehouse and hospital in Yoko- hama. Japan. Roughly speaking. it's wa ters include nearly one-haif of the naval cruising area. thus sharing with the Pacific in a close equality about twelve sixteenths of the zones subjected to ns- val protection. Of the remainder Soutb America has about two-sixteenths and tha North Atlantic and European about one sixteenth each. Rejecting the water spaces of the world not of necessity sub jected to the visits of war vessels. more than one hundred millions of water square miles demand the protection of the naviee. If official reports be accent ed. our contribution to this police duty is inadequate in size and illogical in com position.