The Washington herald., 1907-08-27

Acting Secretary. OF the Navy Newberry
returned 10 Washington yesterday after
ten days vacation, and a conference at
oyster Bay with the President and Rear
Admrals Evans and Brownson, regard
ing the cruise OF the battle-ship feet to
the Pacific At the conference all OF
the plans for this important movement
Of the big feet were gone over, and
everything at least tentatively
decided upon.
There viii be sixteen battle ships. six
torpedo boats. nine navy cOlliers, one
repair ship, one water ship, and two
supply ships concerned IN the movement.
Upon reaching San Francisco the feet
VIII be joined by two other battle ships,
the Nebraska. recently commissioned.
and the Wisconsin. Whether or not the
vessels will go to Puget Sound is a
matter which as yet has not been de-
termined definitely. It is a question
which viii be decided later.
Verbal instructions have been issued
to ali of the different bureaus and de-
partments of the navy TO have the fleet
IN readiness to sail from Hampton Roads
on the long journey by December / It
is not likely that the start viii be made
on that day. however, but the day Of
departure will be some time between De-
cember l and Is.
VIII Hold Target Practice.
According 10 the schedule arranged the
fleet viii reach Magdalena Bay some time
between March 3 and 49, and It is con-
templated TO have the ships remain there
for about thirty days in target practice
They viii thus reach San Francisco some
time between the middle and the last Of
April
Their stay there is indefinite. and no
plans whatever have been made for their
return trip. A decision in regard to this
matter will not be reached until jan
uary. Only about thirty days viii be
required 10 make arrangements for the
return.
The one important thing in regard TO
the long cruise IS the question OF supply
ing coal and this matter was one to
which much attention was devoted at
the Oyster Bay conference. The decision
was reached that 1o0,5O4 tons OF coal IN
addition to that which the battle ships
will carry in their bunkers when they
start out. will be required This IS in ad-
dition to the 1900 tons which the tor
pedo boats will burn in making the vOy-
age All told. in the neighborhood OF
$4,000 tons of coal will be consumed. To
supply this vast amount OF fuel az the
required points has been a problem 10
which much attention has been given
En- route 20 San Francisco the feet viii
coal five times-first at Trinidad. next
at Rio. then at Sandy Point. in the
Straits Of Magellan. then al Callao. Pc
Tu. and last in Magdalena Bay.
Have Only Nine Golfers.
There are only nine navy coIliers avail
able for the purpose on the Atlantic side
and one. the Saturn, on the Pacific side.
II has been decided that four small col
liers, the Hannibal. Sterling. Marcellus.
and NaRshan, each carrying 200 tons.
shah be sent to Trinidad They will sup
ply fuel sufficient TO carry the ships to
Rio. where FIVE Of the large navy col
Hers will be in waiting for the battle
ships. These eolliers will be the Ajax,
Abarenda. Brutus, Caesar, and Nero,
each carrying approximately 400 tons.
To supply coal et the three other
points It viii be necessary TO contract
for it's delivery in chartered ships. Ar
rangements 10 this end already have been
begun. Wherever IL IS possible American
ships and American coal VIII be used,
but when this Is not possible or practi-
cable foreign bottoms and foreign coal
viii be gotten. -Four eolliers OF 5000 tons
each will be sent to Sandy Point. four
with a similar amount 70 Callao, ans four
TO Magdalena Bay. There is or VIII be
sufficient coal ahoat in San Francisco 10
MI the bunkers Of ali the battle ships
when they reach that point
Must Coal Big ships at Sea.
The torpedo boats will coal in dock or
from merchant ships at various points
along the route. It will be necessary.
however. to coal all the big ships at sea
The Panther. fully equipped as a repair
ship, will accompany the feet, as win
the water ship Arethusa. and the supply
ships Glacier and Culgoa. The Glacier
viii be provisioned with sufficient fresh
meats to last the fleet all the way from
Hampton Roads TO San Francisco. It is
calculated that the only supplies IN addi-
ton 10 coal which the fleet will take on
board en- route VIII be such fresh vege-
tables as may be procured at the different
points where the ships will stop. AS it is
summer in the South Atlantic In Decem-
Der. January, and February, pleasant
weather is anticipated.
The fact that the navy lacks sufficient
colliers to supply coal for the trip en-
phasizes the necessity for additional ships
of this class. and it is probable therefore.
that Congress will be asked TO make ap-
propriations for building them. This
might afford work in all Eastern navy
yards while the battle-ship fleet is in the
Pacific. At present, only two colliers are
IN process of building.
Fleet Leaves Hampton Roads.
Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, IN ac-
cordance with the programme arranged
between him and the Navy Department
some time ago. sailed out from Hampton
Roads early yesterday morning with his
big fleet cf battle ships for the Southern
drill grounds. off the Virginia Capes. to
begin maveuvers and battle tactics, which
viii continue for two weeks. These ma
neuvers viii carry the entire battle ship
strength of the Atlantic feet up and
down the coast, from point off Cape
Hatteras to a point off New York OF
Newport.
The maneuvers VIII be concluded Sep
ternber s, and next day target practice
will begin in Cape Cod Bay. This will
continue about a month, after which al
the ships will be docked for repairs, and
other arrangements will be completed fol
the journey of the feet to the Pacific
starting from Hampton Roads early IL
December.