Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-07-11
JAP SCARE MAY
RES U[T IN
EXP ANS|ON
Of NAVY
Secretary Metcalf to Make Trip
to Hawaii to Inspect Nav
al Defenses There With
View to Recommend
ing improvements

! Washington. D. c., July 9.-victor H.
Metcalf. Secretary of the Navy, Will
leave the United States before the end
Of July for visit to the Hawaiian
Islands where he will examine the ma
val base and the Notifications there
with view to making recommended
tons to congress at its next session
for the Strengthening of the position
of the United States in the islands.
Unless his plans are changed, Sec
rotary Metcalf will sail from the Pa
cific coast on the steamship Siberia on
July 25. Oscar Straus, the Secretary
of Commerce and Labor, will sail on
the same steamer He will make an in
spection of the immigration system IN
the Hawaiian islands and will a lso
conduct an investigation Of the stories
that large numbers Of Japanese are
focking to the islands.
All Plan to Enlarge Navy.
Secretary Metcalfs visit to Hawaii
is to assist President Roosevelt in per-
suading congress to provide q larger
navy. strongly fortify the Philippines
and Hawaii and strengthen the forti-
fcations on the Atlantic and Pacific
coasts of the United States.
The decision to send the battleships
to the Pacific coast was reached large
ly to induce congress to authorize the
construction of large number of bat
tleships so as to have an Atlantic and
! Pacific feet
| The visit of Secretary Metcalf to
Hawaii and the nature Of his mission
clearly demonstrated that there is
perfect understanding between Presi-
dent Roosevelt and his secretary OF
the navy regarding the movement OF
the battle ships and the announce
ments made by the President at Oys-
ter Bay and Secretary Metcalf on tho
Pacific coast, referring to Fourth OF
July gift" to the people Of his section
the dispatching of the ships.
Rear Admiral Evans. with mis- fleet
of battleships, will sail for the Pacific
coast early in October His voyage will
begin after the regular maneuvers on
Z the New England coast. The maneu-
yers are scheduled to begin Aug rs
from Narragansett Bay to Portland,
Maine.
Assistant Secretary Newberry, who
has been in the vicinity of Oyster Bay
since Wednesday last, returned 10
Washington today to resume his duties
as acting secretary Of the navy. lie
was in conference with Rear Admiral
igation, who also returned today. after
having discussed the subject of the
fleets movement with the President
After conference with Rear Admiral
Brownson, he said that he was even
yet without official information in line
with the authorized statements Of the
President and Secretary Metcalf.
Inasmuch as 1t will require three
months to make the journey, it is not
thought that the fleet will arrive at
San Francisco before the first Of the
year. The course will be through the
straits of Magellan, and not around
the horn
Brownson Defends u. 8. Jaekies.
Much comment was caused in Wash
ington by the slurring criticism Of the
American navy reported to have been
made by Admiral Sakamoto of japan
American sailors never desert in
envy" said Rear Admiral Brownson,
chief of the bureau Of construction. In
discussing the charge Of cowardice
made by Admiral Sa IA moto of the Jap
anese navy. 1.-THE glorious history OF
the American navy demonstrates be-
yOQQ all question tTdL our Ulell lleNST
turn their backs to an enemy.
ut is true that our navy does suffer
from assertions in time Of peace, be-
cause the men become homesick and
on account of the lack Of activity.
but those who desert during a time
Of peace are the first to respond to
their country's call during time Of
war.
Il do not believe that Admiral SAX
-. 80, koI -,
of courage never charges another with
cowardice."
, Other naval officers who declined to
discuss the subject for publication be-
cause Of the order of President Roose-
welt forbidding them to talk about ma
tional and international affairs, were
indignant over the expressions attrib-
, uted to Admiral Sakamoto They Bit
i terly resented the accusation Of cow
2 ardce and declared that an examna-
, ton of the naval history of this coun-
try will disclose that the records OF the
crews of American warships are with
out a smirch.
Aoki Doubts Reports Truth.
; Viscount Aoki. the Japanese ambas-
sador, laughed when his attention was
called to the statements Of Admiral
: sakamoto. Il have not the least idea
that Admiral Sakamoto said anything
Of the kind. 1t is foolish"
Ambassador Aokl smiled when his
5 attention was called to the fact thai
i from numerous sources come state
a ments that war between the United
States and Japan Is Inevitable.
There is no change in the situa-
= tion," he said. between the two coun-
tries. ana there is no possibility of ia:
i pan considering war because Of any
T thing that has occurred.
"All there is to give vitality to this
T discussion Is in California, and, re-
l. duced to narrower limit, Is In Sar
Francisco. The newspapers of thai
city quite q while ago, printed som.
, extrsvagant things IN relation to th'
Japanese and In the course of tim,
these publications, reaching Japan