Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-08-25
BATTLESHIP FLEET


this coast, as per program, in
~ December, just when The Herald
believed and stated it would, and for
the good reasons then given, viz:
That 1t would be wise to take adj
vantage of the summer season in the
southern hemisphere and to take the
minimum risk in the great enterprise
There are always unlocked for acct
dents possible to such great aggre-
cation of costly ships, and it would
forever destroy American naval pres
tige to suffer disaster to her ships to
occur in times of peace. and in the
execution of feet maneuvers when no
enemy was in sight or feared.
The magnitude of the undertaking
is not grasped by the landsman, who
generally believes it only necessary to
order the ships away, and they go.
Those who are charged with their
equipment, maintenance and command
know differently. A great fleet on this
coast without base of supplies fur
nished to keep 1t would be not only
something to laugh at by other ma
of mismanagement. and the fact that
10000 worlxingmen on the Atlantic
coast fought to keep the ships from
coming proves 1T. The same number
of men will be required to keep these
ships In trim for action here, and all
needed there must be duplicated here.
In the long run around many Of the
engines or boilers may develop faults
or suffer breakdowns; it is even pos
sible some may come to port in tow
of others. and no man be to blame.
In short the possible list of mishaps
is a long one, and the president and
his advisers know it, hence the sum-
mer trip and the straits route.
That the Oregon made a successful
passage was not due alone to the
ability of Captain Clark or the ex-
cellence of the ship, but that her
chances, being alone, were at a mini
mum, and she won. Had there been
q fleet of ships and one or more had
broken down and the others had to
be convoy the story would have been
different, and especially so if the Span
iards had had a first class armored
cruiser under a competent man TO
harass them.
1t should be borne in mind that
chief result of the passage will be the
experience in deep water fleet drills
and In executing full maneuvers in
seagoing trim, including engaging an
enemy and the movements to attack
and defense. These and many other
professional points are to be studied,
and the officers and men are to be
made perfect to meet all possible re-
auirements in time of war. Squadron
and fleet tactics will be tested and the
ability to use the batteries in a sea
way; the actual coal capacity and
steaming radius tested; in short, the
art of seafghting will be exemplified
in all it's bearings. 1t will be seen
how small a figure the likes or dis
likes of local boosters can have in
view of such a program.
Arrived on the coast without mis-
haps the fleet will at once enter upon
defensive tactics on a sea field now
being marked out by competent
board Of officers, and the social side
of the visit can only come when the
exacting duties called for are faith
fully performed. The holiday side Of
the matter would be limited to such
port calls as coaling and repairs de-
mand, and no more.
San Francisco and Puget sound, be-
cause of the location of available dry
docks at Mare island, Hunters point
and Bremerton, will necessarily be most
favored, but the strategic Importance
Of the Santa Barbara channel, the deep
water shelter in San Pedro and the
base possible at San Diego will bring
the ships to all of these places, and,
in turn, all may inspect them.
In the matter of the labor cutlery
in the east, 1t is but natural, but not
to their credit, that 10000 men should
complain at the loss of a years work.
but such complaint would not be
entertained by the department. and If
It shall transpire that local Jealousies
or interests shall be used to affect the
movements of the ships when here. it
is safe to say Admiral Evans will
lose any standing he may now have in
the Sunday school army. 1t is wholly
a professional undertaking of national
import and is fraught with a meaning
OF deepest Importance to ALL AS such
It should be regarded and treated by
all people, regardless of political af-
filiations. If our merchants are ready
for the trade and our mechanics,
through civil service, are ready for the
work they will make, there can be no
complaint in any quarter.
Residents of this glorious climate Of