The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-30
THE TRANSFER or TIE NAVY TO
THE PACIFIC.
Pnlsalc Gppesalcn 20 the Crazy Project SAID
TO Ne Almost Unanimous.


From the Ulkea Observer.
TIE SuS refuses TO believe that the Nheet
OF warships under the command OF Rear
admiral Evans will ever reach ths Pacinc
Ocean. And yet the latest authoritative
statement from Oyster Bay indicates that it
10 the present iAtention Of the President 20
despatch the feet to San francisco. What
the next announcement may Be In OF course
beyond human ken. 90 n U 10 perfectly
safe and fully justified in refusing 10 believe
that these warships will actually make the
journey to San Francisco.
II has been along time since any proposition
from Washington has aroused suoh wide
spread clamor and such nearly un unanimous
opposition a. has the declaration that 1t was
the Presidents intention to send this battle
neet to the Pacific. immediately after the
announcement was made. and when the ex-
pressions OF dissent became general. there
came q denial from Washin gton: there was
no thought OF any such move. Tit denial
was followed by o second announcement OF
the destination OF the feet. and this In turn
by n second denial. just how many times
the announcement and denial have alter
mated we do not at present recall. but the
conflicting statements have been numerous
enough. Now the latest authorised an
noun0ement 10 to the effect that the feet will
start for the Pacific In December. And yet
The Sun refuses to be convinced that the
ships will ever reach their destination. Were
IL not for the Presidents well known pro-
pensity to yield to impulse his dislike OF
restraint. his intolerance OF opinion In con-
nict with his own and his indifference to
precedent, WI would be inclined to agree with
THE sun. But with Theodore Roosevelt at
the head Of the national Government the
impolitio thing 10 not SO improbable a. It
might be.
That the despatch OF this feet to the Pacific
l. - n - ------ ILL., IA A. -
polite for two reasons. IL seems In foreign
eyes like q menace to Japan; as . hint OF i'm
pending war. And secondly, it leaves the
Atlantic with but q mere handful OF effective
war vessels-a feet not as large, In fact. as
that which accompanied President Roosevelt
on his trip to Panama At the time Of the
frsG announcement Of the intention OF the
President TO send the fleet to the Pacific Coast
the anti-Japaness demonstrations In San
Francisco were occupying q large share Of
public attention. and very naturally the two
items OF news were coupled. Wal with Japan
was the first inference. However the Gov
eminent officials both In this country and Japan
may have looked upon the matter. that was
the very natural deduction Of the mar In the
street. And this deduction served 20 infiame
the jingoes and make San Francisco stall more
intolerant in her attitude toward japan. The
San Francisco incident long ago subeidsd.
but II will never be forgotten that the despatch
Of the war feet to the Pacific was first sug-
gested when chat topic was uppermostin the
public mind. And the voyage when under
taken viii revive memories Of incidents far
better forgotten.
Al to leaving our Atlantic coast unpro-
tected. there is little danger OF serious need
for the ieet to protect our eastern shore from
q hostile attack: though should Japan decide
70 make q demonstration. her ships could
reach the Atlantic coast via the Sues Canal
long before our own feet could return via
the Straits OF Magellan. There IL small
actual danger. however. though IL Ia poor
naval strategy.
II il to be regretted that the President has
determined upon this move. There seems to
be no good reason behind IL. II. ss TIE U
suggests. popular sentiment is to arrest the
progress or prevent the departure OF the fleet.
then public sentiment has DO time to waste.
It will take . long and firm rgument to con-
vince the President that he IL wrong wrong.
at least. unless there is some exceedingly
grave reason back OF the movement OF which
the public 10 at present entirely ignorant.
1t can hardly be that friendly relations with
Japan have been strained to the breaking
point without some knowledge OF the fact
escaping from of1cisi custody. That Ia the
frat reason that suggests itself. and that is a
poor one. Let Us hope that Rear Admiral
Evans's orders will be countermsnded be-
fore December comes round.