The San Francisco call., 1904-02-23

-5-- t-NNpAAABetAAg " IlOllS hOHR. d.
though he has not advised the depart
ment to this effect
II is not intended at present that the
battleships shall go farther north. The
double-turreted monitors MonadnOck
and Monterey, also part of the battle
ship squadron, are at Shanghai and
Canton, China, respectively. The cruiser
New Orleans and the gunboat Will
mingtOn have been recalled from Chefu
lest their presence there might be re-
sented by one Of the belligerents, and
are on their way to Shanghai, where
the Raleigh is awaiting the arrival of
the remainder of the cruiser squadron.
The cruiser Cincinnati is in Philippine
waters under orders for Shanghai and
the San Francisco reported on Satur-
day at Bombay, India, on her way to
Chinese waters.
Rear Admiral Evans has distributed
the gunboat division which is attached
to the battleship squadron as follows:
The Callao was last reported at Can
ton, the Ell Cano at Nankin, the Helena
in the mud dock at Newchwang, the
Vicksburg at Chemulpo, Korea, and the
Villalobo at Hankow.
OF the Philippine squadron of gun
boats, Rear Admiral Stirling command
ing. the Annapolis and the Frolic are at
Shanghai and the remainder are in
Philippine waters.
OF the fleet of auxiliaries. according
to weekend reports, the collier Pom
pey is at Chemulpo and the supply ship
Zafiro is on its way to Cavite.
FLEET TO BE INCREASED.
Naval officers are considering earn
estly the strengthening of the Ameri-
can Asiatic fleet in view of the vast
interests of this country in the Philip
pines and in China and Korea and the
probability that disturbances may ne
cessitate their protection at any time.
At the same time, while the fleet is
regarded as too small, there is a de-
sire to avoid exciting the suspicious
of the Old World powers, lest this Gov
ernment may be put in the false light
Of interfering in the Eastern struggle,
notwithstanding our declaration Of alb
solute neutrality A high naval officer
tonight said:
THE need Of increasing the Asiatic
fleet has been long felt 1t was in
tended that the new battleship Ohio,
building at the Union Iron Works in
San Francisco, should be sent to the
Asiatic station in the spring. and that
she should be followed by the armored
cruiser South Dakota and the protected
cruiser Milwaukee as soon as these ves-
sells are completed The Ohio, how
ever, will not be ready before autumn,
and we are now considering the dis
of an additional battleship. 1t has been
suggested that the Iowa be selected for
this mission, but no decision has been
reached. She is now receiving rush re-
pairs at the New York navy yard.
I'm addition the Tacoma, which was
commissioned a short time ago and is
getting ready for sea, has been tenta-
lively selected TO go to Asia as the re-
lief of one of the vessels of the cruiser
squadron, but under present circum
stances il is probable that none of the
cruiser squadron will be brought home
now, however many ships are added
10 il. It also has been suggested that
the New York, now at Panama, be re-
turned TO the Asiatic station and that
she make the cruise with the Tacoma
This is undecided and the uncertainty
of the Panama situation. together with
the fact that the New York is due for
a thorough overhauling. rather mill
tates against sending that vessel TO
join Admiral Evans fleet.
ADMIRAL EVANS ORDERS.
80 rapidly are events in the Far
East moving that it is impossible to
say one day what move on the Asiatic
station the next days developments
may demand. 1t was originally sug-
gested that the battleship squadron
go IN TO Chefu. but tlis was not ap-
proved and an order was issued for the
battleships to remain in Philippine wa
ters and for the cruiser squadron to
assemble at Shanghai. Repairs to the