Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-01
Formed by New Assign
nnent Of Warships.
TO Be Known as Atlantic, Pa
cific and AsiatiC Fleets.
Sixteen Battleshlps Wanted In the
Atlantic Waters.

Washington, Nov. 3o.-The completed
plans for the organization of the fight
ing vessels of the navy in two fleets for
service on the Atlantic and Pacific
coasts of the United States in such
manner that the whole force may be
readily modified in casese of emergen-
cy, is announced by Rear Admiral Con-
verse, chief of the bureau of navigation
of the navy department in his annual
report, made public today. The concen-
tratfon of the battle fleet in the Amer
lean waters and the assignment of all
vessels therein to the command of one
flag officer, will be completed about
Jan. | next. Rear Admiral Converse
said that owing to our responsibilities
in the Philippines and the Far West
generally an adequate naval force is
needed in the Pacific ocean. The assign
ment of the ships of the battle line to
Atlantic waters and of cruisers and
gunboats to Pacific waters is in accord
ance with present strategic require
ments.
The tentative assignment Of vessels is
az; follows.
Atlantic fleet-First squadron, frs
division: Connecticut. Louisiana, Maine.
Missouri. Second division: Georgia.
New Jersey, Rhode Island. Virginia.
Second squadron. third division: Ala
bama. Illinois, Kearsarge. Kentucky.
fourth division: Ohio, Indiana. Iowa.
Third squadron. fifth division: Tennes-
see. Washington, st. Louis. Sixth divi-
sion, Columbia. Des MOines. Cleveland.
Tacoma. Fourth squadron, seventh di-
vision: Dixie, Marietta. Newport. Don
Juan De Austria. Eighth division: Pra-
Iie DUBUQUE, Paducah. Scorpion.
The seventh and eighth divisions will
lie held in reserve when their service?
are no longer required for police and
patrol duty.
In reserve: Texas and Brooklyn.
Second torpedo f1otilla: Hopkins.
Lawrence Marlborough, Whipple,
Truxton, Worden.
Third torpedo f!otilla: Wilkes. Blake
ley, DeLong. Rodgers, Stockton.
.Asiatic fleet:-First squadron, first
division: West Virginia. Maryland.
Pennsylvania. Colorado.
Second division: Callao. Ell Cano.
Quiros Villalobos.
Coast defence: Monterey, MCnadnock.
First torpedo fiotilla: cambridge,
Barry. Dale. Chauncey. Decatur.
Pacific souadron--First division:
Charleston, Milwaukee. Albany, New
Orleans.
Second division: Chicago, Yorktown.
Boston. Princeton.
Fourth torpedo flotilla: Prehle. Paul
Jones. Perry. Farrasut, GoldsborouSh.
Rowan.
At an early date. it is expected that
the Asiatic fleet and the Pacific squad
ron will be merged into one Pacific
fleet under the supreme command OF
flag officer of the highest rank in the
same manner as the Atlantic feet is
now organized. The bureau of naNiga-
ton Is making every cndeavor to Sc
euro Il battleshir strength of l6 in tho
Atlantic fleet. divided into two squad
rons. which will furnish every opportu-
nifty for the practice of battle tactics.
and will enable the higher officers =
acquire facility in the exercise OF Il
large fleet, and in mancuVcrinE on"
homogeneous squadron against anoth-
er.
The grade Of vice admiral will be re-
vived in the navy IL the navy DEPART
ment adopts the recommendation made
by Rear Admiral Converse. He says at
least two vice admiralshipS should be-
created for the commanders of the At
lantic and Asiatic fleets. who will soon
have under them subordinate rear adj
mira,s and Il large number of ships.
Rear Admiral Converse says that it
has been a matter Of deep conSidcra-
ton to the bureau whether it would not
add to the efficiency of the naval ser
vice If marines were withdrawn from
all bnttlcships The idea of the bureau
is that the bluejackcts are drawn from
the same class as the marines and are
able efficiently to perform the scrNiscS
now assigned to marines. II is said that
the presence of marines suggests to the
enlisted men of the navy that the for
mer arc there for police duty and their
presence frequently is resented.
When foreign mcn-of-w1r visit Amer
lean ports, they are subjected II annoy
ance and inConVC nicnce on account of
the lack of adequate landings and Con-
gross will be asked by the navy depart
ment to remedy this condition. a rec
concentration will be made that proper
government landings be built at Bos-
ton. New York. Staten Island. Fort
Monroe. the principal rendezvous of the
Atlantic fleet, and at San Francisco.