The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-07
NAVAL BUREAU. MEN
NOT FULLY ADVISED
Of Plans Regarding
Movement Of Fleet to
Pacific.
ONLY ROUTINE, THEY SAY
Few Signs Of Abnormal Activity
[. Around the Navy De
!, partn1cnt.

WASHINGTON. y. ca July Heads
Pcf naval bureaus manifest a singular
ignorance Of the plans of the admins
1stration to send the battlcship fleet
TO the Pacific. Notwithstanding Inc
tofcial confirmation OF the reports that
| had been so frequently denied in the
I beginning. These bureau chiefs az
! aert that they are engaged only In
| routine work OF the department and
I that they are making no unusual pre-
/! parations for the great Undertaking.
They also assert that they have had
| no orders to do otherwise. And on
the surface there are few signs OF
| many OF the chiefs are away; the
naval general board is scattered: the
usual proportion OF subordinate en-
t1oloyes are on leaves of absence. and
the War and Navy Departments APP
pear to be in the usual summer
flethargy
7 But5it Is undeniable that the plans
OF the department workers for this
particular summer fit In very well
A with the exigencies OF the moment
In the matter of coal supply, for in
stance. 1t may be that the movement
OF this fuel to the Far East and the
\ Pacific coast Is simply equal to the
4 In fact. 1t Is said that the coal would
have gone forward before this had
1.-THE money been available. which II
! vas not until the beginning or the
d new fiscal year. Then the supply Of re-
serve naval guns and ammunition and
tof torpedoes is found to be much
nearer the needs OF the service than
IT has ever before been a this sea-
son OF the year. The collection of
u guns for the new ships is progressing
4 very well. and without doubt the
armament will be found to be ready
4 by the time the contractors have fin
tshed the hulls and fittings of the
ships Headway has even been made
a in the fabrication OF the great guns
for the two big 20,o0o-ton battieships
lalthoGgh the con tracts for these have
lot been finally signed.
Some OF the Other Plans.
Only the routine expenditures under
the ordinary heads of appropriation FOL
construction and repair and ON accoun
OF yards and docks are being made OF
q either the Atlantic or Pacific coasts
according to the officials here, but a.
Secretary Metcalf pointed out. one o
IS the items is a drydocR at the Nava
Station at Puget Sound, and 1t woul,
3 not be surprising IL a special effor
We're made to dredge out the schannc
lat the Mare Island Navy-yard, SO a
10 make the drydock accessible to tn
deep draught battleships. which It i
mot now.
a Preparing Dcfenxcs.
Last year the Navy Department
lYound 1t impossible to spend all of tn
money Congress had appropriated 70
1.-THE building and operation OF ma
fcflinery plant in the Mare Island Navy
yard. r3 - I 81
That was because tho material
Gould not readily be had. but a NOR
FEerious difference was the lack o
ltrained mechanics and skilled labor
kAs this Is the only dock on the Pacif
coast now ready to handle a big battle
|Ehip, some special induceDent must b
held out by the department. to sc
ftralned navy-yard workers to max
their homes iii Bremerton. and it
tbelieyed that steps have. already bee
taken In this direction Aitogethe
Notwithstanding the total absence Z
any appearance OF furry or anxtet
Iamong the few officials who remain 4
washington, 1t is patent that muc
Euseful work is being done in quie
way to put not only the navy, but I'll
"a army coast defense. In as good positio
rs the appropriation made by Consre.
Will permit.