The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-09-03
BATTLESHIPS
FOR PACIFIC
No Turning Back in the Policy
of Moving the Big
Fleet.

make the cruise to the Pacific next
winter lie at anchor here, ready to
put to sea tomorrow for feet drills
| and battle maneuvers. Rear Admiral
Evans, commander in chief of the
Atlantic feet, returned to his flagship,
the Connecticut, yesterday, and al
though he has not spoken a word of
his conference with President Roose-
welt in Oyster Bay on Friday, it is
now realized that there is no turning
back In the policy which will strength
en- American prestige by transferring
the bulk of the American sea power
to the Pacific, where national respon-
slbilities and interests are heavy.
Since President Roosevelt has or
dered that the cruise be made via the
straits of Magellan, San Francisco and
Puget Sound, no officer can express
the opinion, held by so many, from
Rear Admiral Evans down, that the
Suez route to the Pacific. is far pre-
ferable
President Roosevelt found out at the
conference OF Friday that the fleet re-
quires only general repairs of the usual
fall docking to be ready for the cruise
of 1872 knots from Hampton roads
to San Francisco.
$4,000 OFFICERS AND MEN.
At no time, if present plans are fol-
lowed, will the feet be separated. This
means that is big battleships will visit
five South American ports, at four of
which never more than four have been
seen at one time. It means that 49, |
600 officers and men must be given lib |
erty in at least two of the ports of
call, where not more than 500 ever
have gone. ashore before. It means |
that % Golfers will be required to |
ship to the ports where the feet will /
stop the coal necessary for them to
make the voyage.
Here is the itinerary for the cruise of
the battleship feet and it's half dozen
auxiliaries:
Leave Hampton roads December Is,
1907; arrive at Trinidad, 1880 knots,
December %; leave Trinidad Deem
Der %, arrive at Rio Janiero, 1900
knots, January 10; leave Rio Janeiro
January 16, arrive at Punta Arenas
SANDY point), 223O knots. January
rs; leave Punta Arenas January 81,
arrive at Callao, 1850 knots, February
I3; leave Callao February 10, arrive at
Magdalena bay, 3012 knots, March 5;
cave Magdalena bay after target prac-
ice April 5, arrive at San Francisco,
900 knots, April TO-. Total distance,
1872 knots; total using days, So;
otal days in port coaling and target
'ractice. 50.
The torpedo fotilla itinerary is as
oilows:
Hampton roads to San Juan, 1880
,nots; San Juan to Trinidad, $40
,nots; Trinidad to Para, 1850 knots;
ARA to Pernambuco, 11O4 knots; Per-
ambueo to Rio Janeiro, 1150 knots;
Ito Janeiro to Buenos Ayres, HOO knots;
'uenos Ayres to Punta Arenas, 1912
nots; Punta Arenas to Talcahuana,
hile, 1911 knots; Talcahuana to CAL
10, 1900 knots; Callao to Panama, 1900 !,
nots; Panama to Acapulco 500 knots;
capulco TO Magdalena bay 112 knots;
Tagdadena bay to San Francisco 1000
nots. Total distance 14.9S4 knots; es-
mated cruising time at 240 knots a
ay, IL days; estimated days in e
ort, As. IA
The torpedo ffotilia will be ready to n
cam about December Is, but the
,tuaI date has not been settled. Re-
arding the fotilla it is more difficult "
plan the time of arrival and de- Q
arturo at the ports of call than with fl
lie battleships, but if the f1otilla
ayes Hampton roads in the middle n
December it may be expected to 81
rive at San Francisco about May 1. e.
Fifteen of the sixteen battleships a.
hich will make rhe cruise will leave | a
e anchorage they now occupy on n
Is and will not be home CO
rain until their anchors catch bottom d.
thin Golden Gate. Indications are b,
at their stay at San Francisco may CT
short, for the feeling of the well
formed in the feet is that before a
tother year has passed most of the h;
fps will be in the Philippines, p;
President Roosevelt's well known A
an for a globe girdling cruise made til
ssible by bringing the ships home fic
a Suez, is considered probable of ~
lition only at a remote day. Before 70
e battleships return from the Pa m
ic it is expected that the true ocean in
andard will have been recognized in ne
e American naval policy and the a
" paved for the construction of a m
Wy large enough to protect the ma Is
N from any foe, either in the Allan Tt
or the Pacific. st
The Philippines are the ultimate des- or
lation of the arnored cruisers Ten III
ssee and Washington, which early Sc
October will steam from here for
N Francisco under command of Rear pc
Imira1 Sebree. ha
When only 1000 knots from its des- E.
ation the fleet will go into Magda- tn
Ia bay, Mexico, and spend one us
,r+t, ~ noropetifiva o1In fire The | bo