Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-19
10 Assemble BsF0aE COMING HERE
Flagship Connecticut Juos Emerging
Frm Dry Dock, Where Every Bolt
Waa RIvl,cd-supply Vessels being
Put In shape to Receive caraocs--
Small Boats Reduced one.half.


10 big American baltic ships. which
VIII start next month on one of the
most notable cruises OF the world, arc
at the IIrooklyn Navy Yard receiving
their last preparation for tho long
Journey to tho Pacific ocean. Tho
other II are at tho Norfolk. Boston
and League Island navy yarda
Several of the battlcships now at
other yards will come to New York
within tho next ton days to 10 into
tho dry docks Mt tho Brooklyn sta
ton. Ton and possibly ~ Of the ioot
VIII rendezvous In New York hnrbor
prior 10 December /. and will sail eth.
or on thnt day or December for
Hampton Roads. from which port the
start for San Francisco will DO made
On December i6. after n review of the
assembled ships by President Roosc-
vclt.
In addition TO the flvc heavily ar.
mored fighting craft at the local yard.
four vessels Of the, auxiliary squad
ron OF ,gppply and repair ehipA. now
undergoing repoira will DO read, 81
few days to receive their full car.
gUoa 40 a s.i,.is ~ ~
Tack ~ leading 10 BIc one.
Tho task OF loading the foodstufIa
~ by no means ono OF the simplest
OF the problems involved In the sail
Ing out OF the heaviest Fighting squad
ron ever assembled undsr tho Amer
lean flag. "a fact which Is patent, when
Of potatoes alone the acquisitions. noy
In the hands of the pay corps officers
call for 100000 pounds.
The Connecticut. tho flagship of
Rear Admiral Evans. which will head
the battlo ship column In It's hemis.
phere girdllng cruise. was taken out
or dry dock late yesterday afternoon,
her white sides Slstening with tho
fresh. new paint. The Connecticut
IS ready for the Journey In dry
dock her hull was scraped free of al.
sea growth and treated with an extra
heavy coating OF lead. Rivets were
tiGhtened. the rudder post inspected,
bllgo kcels-the long. fniike blades
OF steel projecting laterally along the
nun beneath the watorllne to prevent
cvcesslrc rolling in heavy seaway---
were strengthened. and tho scttings
OF tho giant copper bladed propellsss
were thoroughly gone over. aa IL Will
20 many months before the red un-
derhody OF the Connecticut IS again
out of water
Fight With Sea Growth.
The ability of fleet Dent out In
the best of cruising trim To Withstand
the nccumulntions of SEA growth In
tho course of q long cruise will be
one OF tho many valuable lessons at
tending the projected transfer of the
bat!eshiDs from tho Atlantic TO this
Pacific. r
Tho Connecticut came out of Dry
Dock No. 3. the largest In the yard.
me baltic ship Ohio was locked today
Tor final painting below the water
limo. rho Louisiana. tho Rhode Is
land. and tho Alabama Admiral Sper-
rvs flagship of tho fourth division
are also undergoing repairs at Brook.
iyn Tho repair ship Panther. the
tender fankton. tho supply shin Cul.
goa. nnd tho refrigerator ship Glacier.
arc tho other units of the Pacific
hound feet gathered here. Tho hat
tleship Virginia is expected shortly
from Norfolk, to be locked IN No. 8.
snd will he followed in that basin
ny the Minnesota. whica will also
come fresh from the mechanics hands
Mt Norfolk
NS"iN' 81 tHdupN lis DclnE made III
fha appearance of the superstructnro
I'f the battleships by tho stripping OFF
lof nearly one-haif of tho small boats
formerly carried. II was once the
'fea OF TIE navy to carry small boats
enough to accommodate q ship's com.
panv In case of wreck or disastet in
naric, Such a plan has long since
been impractica BILE. for tho crews of
fhe modern fighter have grown TO
moro than 500 men and If small boats
enough TO caro- for these wore cais
rcd there v1onld be room for little
elfc aboard. The danger of shipwrecl<
i7Hw 10 regarded "a remote. and IN
tho event of sinking IN battle. tlin
men. IT iq believed would tave a rood
chenec of rescue in caring Cor them.
selves individually rs they would In
an endeayor TO gei away In boats.
! The rescue Of men from ,fntiuR ehlns
"a raearded as one OF the duties i'm
lrpsed upon the victor.