The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-09-27

all the talk that President Roosevelt
| had entered into an understanding with
the German Emperor by which German
fleets were to guard these shores after
the departure of Admiral Evans and
his 16 battleships.
POWERFUL NEW BATTLESHIPS.
The flagship of the new fleet is to
be the New Hampshire, 16,00O-ton
battleship, which is to be ready for
commission early in January. Soon
after her pennant is broken out she
will be joined by the Mississippi and
Idaho, two frst-class battleships which
the Cramps are building and which
are now more than 80 per cent COM
pleted.
The New Hampshire is similar to
the Connecticut, the present flagship
of Rear Admiral Evans The main bat
terry consists of 4 twelve-inch rifles, S
eight-inch and II seven-inch guns. In
the secondary battery will be 20 three
inch, II hree-pounder semi-automatie,
? one-pounder semi-automatic and a
full score of machine guns of smaller
caliber. The hull is protected by a
complete belt of armor with a uniform
thickness of nine inches.
The Idaho and the Mississippi are
different type, are in fact of a type
peculiar to themselves. Although of
only $4,000 tons, as against the 16,-
600 tons of the New Hampshire, and
vessels of her class, the Mississippi and
Idaho carry in their main batteries
guns almost identical in caliber and
number to those mounted ON the larger
vessels. The only difference is that
whereas the New Hampshire carries II
seven-inch, the Mississippi mounts but
10 of this caliber. Owing to the re-
duction in length from 45O feet to 375
feet, the secondary battery is some
what smaller than that carried by the
Connecticut.
BEING MODERNIZED.
These three ships are alone as pow
erful as was the Atlantic battleship
fleet at the time of the war with Spain.
They are to have as consorts three
of the veterans of that war, the Iowa,
Indiana and Massachusetts,. All three
of these are now being modernized, and
when completed will be far more pow
erful and efficient than they were dur
ing the Santiago campaign.
This feet will have as its auxili-
aries the three new scout cruisers which
are now almost ready for service, the
Chester, Birmingham and Salem. These
vessels are of $3.50 tons each, and are
expected to attain the extraordinary
speed of % knots an hour.
The fleet will subsequently be in
creased by the addition of the two 16,-
000-ton battleships, South Carolina and
Michigan, and those two fast armored
cruisers, North Carolina and Montana,
vessels of 1850 tons and an improve
ment on any that are now in service.
1t is the present intention of the
Government to send Evans feet to
Hawaii and the Philippines, and if it
is brought home at all to bring it home
via the Suez Canal But there is no
hint as to when the Government means
to have the fleet begin its homeward
journey-there are many, in fact, who
believe that once out in the Pacific it
will be kept there.
ANOTHER STORY.
WASHINGTON, D. c., September 5.
1T is stated at the Navy Depart
ment that the President does not con-
template the creation of two battleship
fleets. Nor does Secretary Metcalf,
nor even the General Board, which is
supposed to represent the extreme view
in naval developments, favor either the
division of the present magnificent feet
under Admiral Evans, commander, OF
the creation of another feet in order
that there may be formidable Amer
lean navy in both oceans-the Allan
tic and the Pacific. On the contrary
. it is reported at the Navy Department
as better policy to maintain one per