The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-07-05
BROOKLYN NAVY
 YARD INPERILLED Apprehension Over Proposed Pacific Ocean Battle
 ship Fleet. REDUCTION IN LABOR. Difficulties In Way of Car ing For Boats in
 the East.
REDUCTION IN LABOR.

SO1lCSpoiluSHI OL Lue DIOOhlSu EdSl0 l writes to his newspaper that the adoption of the policy of maintaining a battleship fleet in the Pacific Ocean will infict much hardship on the navy yards of the Atlantic coast, particular ly the one at Brooklyn. With the re- moval of this large detachment of warships from these waters, repair work at the navy yards will fall off tremendously, involving reductions in the force all along the line. An official of the Navy Department said to-day that it will be necessary materially to cut down the number of laborers at the principal Eastern navy yards after the departure of the bat tleship fleet. In spite of the Oyster Bay denial of the published statement that the fleet is to go practically every one at the Navy Department comedies that the movement will take place sooner or later. It was not expected that high officials when pressed for 8 definite declaration would admit that such radical departure from the old policy was to be made That the ships will be turning westward before very many months have passed is accepted as finality by practically every officer Identified with the administration of the Navy Department
 'The greatest difficulty with which the navy is confronted in the contem- plated establishment of a battleship squadron in the Pacific,' said high department official to-day, "is the pro blem of maintaining the vessels after they have reached their destination. The navy is woefuly weak in naval stations and dry-docks on the Pacific weaker in fact than the public has any idea of. The government owns just two docks on the long stretch of coast from Seattle to Lower California. Only one of these two docks has ever received battleship and 1t is ques- tion whether the other will ever be available for vessels of this size"
 The single available dock for battle- ships on the Pacific is located at Bre- merton on Puget Sound. This is an admirable basin and having the neces- sary complement of repair shops on shore makes the Bremerton naval sta tion a source of real strength to the navy.
 The other dock on the west coast is located at the Mare Island Navy Yard just below San Francisco. There is more or less of scandal attached to the history of this dock It Is claimed thsk politicians secured the appropri- ~ation for it's construction and that it op fyrlo oY,d tory and that in order to make it available channel had to be dug to the sea. At any rate, there has never been enough water leading to the dock to warrant the Navy Department risk ing battieship in it. The biggest ves- se docked in this basin is the Charles ton.
 If the battleship fleet should be transferred to the Pacific the Navy Department would have to depend largely upon commercial docks for keeping the ships in good cruising con- dition Two large steamship compa- nies have splendid dock facilities, one at San Francisco and the other at Seattle.
 A second dock has been authorized for the naval station at Brernerton and an unlueky contractor is strug- gling to complete 8 new dock at the Mare Island yard. The latter enter prise has been under way for nine years and at the present rate of pro- gress will be completed in about twen ty-five years from now. There is no doubt that the present state of af- fairs will be taken advantage of by Pacific coast interests to secure from Congress next year large appropria- tions for the development of the naval 1-~stations on that coast.
 The possibility of trouble with Japan was not the only consideration that suggested to the officers of the general hoard the necessity for increasing Americas naval power in the East. A great deal of world politics was mixed up in it.
 If has been represented to the Pres- gdent that this nation cannot afford to yield the supremacy of the Pacific to Tanan or to any other nation. Recent developments have convinced the naval strategists that the United States must present strong and aggressive front in the Orient or else suffer both sn prestige and in commerce.
 Grave doubts have arisen concern ino the purpose of Japan in China. It is believed by certain American otfi- cials that if Japan is unopposed she will assume the same control in Man churia and other provinces of China that she now exercises in Korea. The affairs of the Hermit Kingdom are SC completely dominated by the Mikadc fha+, Korea no longer maintains diplo- noat,c officers at Washington. Theil fnnctions have been taken over bS Japan.
 If is an open secret that Japan GOV cts the rich trade of Manchuria anC other portions of China. In the opin lion of certain Washington officials the Open Door policy is threatened Various European nations are negoti atins new trade treaties with Asiatit powers, the terms of some of whicl have raised doubts regarding the sin cerity of past pledges that the Opel Door principle shall be maintained.
 These developments have so i'm nressed the administration that it ha been decided to sound the Powers ol this important question. In the nea future the State Department will is sue A note to the Powers asking for declaration on the subject of the Opel Door and the administrative entity of China. This latter phrase was coin ed by Secretary Hay, who was also