The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-08-16
WILL MOBILIZE A
BIG PACIFIC FLEET
The Orders Said To Have Been
Issued.
A LARGE ARRAY OF WARsHlPs.
Plan Said to Contemplate Bringing
the Entire Asiatic Squadron Across
the Pacific, So That There Will Be
Squadron of Sixteen Fighting Ships
OF the California Coast.


Washington, D. c. Especially
Surprising revelations were made
through the disclosure of the hith-
erto well-guarded plans of the adj
ministration to begin at once the
mobilization in Pacific Coast waters
of the most powerful cruiser fleet
ever assembled. Orders have been
issued for almost the entire cruiser
strength of the Asiatic squadron to
be brought across the Pacific. Two
new monster cruisers, the California
and South Dakota, will shortly be
ready for service; the st. Louis IS
now making her way up the west
coast, and the Washington and Ten
nessee will start out to join them
before the close of August.
In accordance with the plans, the
people of California will shortly
have the opportunity of viewing 16
modern and capable fighting ships,
eight of the worlds biggest armored
cruisers and an equal number of
formidable protected cruisers-be-
fore Rear Admiral Evans sails out
from Hampton Roads with his 16
monster battleships to join them.
Admiral Dayton In Command.
This new Pacific feet will be I'M
der the command of Rear Admiral
James H. Dayton, who will leave
Manila shortly with four of the
heavy armoured cruisers.
The plans promise to create al
most as much of stir throughout
the world as the original announce
ment of the decision of the govern
ment to transfer the Atlantic fleet 4
TO the Pacific.
officers of the Navy express
opinion that the mobilization
the purpose of defending the
Coast, should Japan resent the 1
ment of Admiral Evans fleet of bait
tleships.
If Japan should see fit to strike
sudden blow, the Philippines and
other Pacific insular possession will
be left to her mercy, so far as the
Navy is concerned. as it is plainly
apparent the present force in the Far
East would not be sufficient to cope
with formidable enemy. The
transfer of the Atlantic feet to the
Pacific, of course, would leave the
eastern coast undefended, but 1T is
expected that Admiral Evans will
keep in constant communication by
wireless or cable with the WASH
ington authorities. The early mobi-
iization of the Dayton fleet is ex-
pected to prevent possible enemy
sailing across the Pacific, and at no
time will Admiral Evans be so far
away from the Atlantic Coast that
he could not turn about and arrive
in time for defense in case hos
tile fleet were dispatched from the
Far East through the Suez.
Vessels In The Fleet.
The composition of the new Paci-
f1c fleet will be as follows:
First Division-First squadron,
under command of Rear Admiral
James H. Dayton:
West Virginia, IS guns, 1850
tons.
Colorado, IS guns, 1850 tons.
MARYLAND, 10 guns, 1850 tons.
Pennsylvania, IS guns, 1850
tons.
Second division:
Tennessee, 20 guns, 14,500 tons.
Washington, 20 guns, 14,500 tons.
California, 10 guns, 1850 tons.
South Dakota. IS guns, 1850
tons.
Third division:
St. Louis, IA guns, 300 tons.
Charleston, IA guns, 300 tons.
Milwaukee, IA guns, 300 tons.
Chicago, 10 guns, 5000 tons.
Fourth division:
Cincinnati, IL guns, 31,123 TONS
Raleigh, IL guns, 1928 tons.
New Orleans, 10 guns, S,430 tons.
Albany, 10 guns, 3,43O tons.
These plans will bring together on
the coast OF California by the end
of December four divisions OF four
vessels each, representing an aggre-
gate of 1896 tons and an aggre-
gate of $50 guns of four inches and
over. Admiral Evans 16 battle
ships have an aggregate of 233 ,436
tons and q total number of 356
guns of four inches and over.
Admiral Evans Ambition.
One of the reasons ascribed by
Navy Department officials for the
mobilization of the two big fleets in
the Pacific is that it will give oppor-
tunity for Admiral Evans to realize
a desire he has cherished for a long
time-to go through battle tactics
with the largest possible force OF
modern warships. This will give
him opportunity to see what the big
armored cruisers, which are larger
than any OF the older battleships,
can do against the biggest war dogs
of today. Aside from this. the flo
tilla of torpedo craft which will
probably accompany the battleships,
and the several submarines which
will be shipped across, with the few
gunboats now on the Pacific, will
make possible maneuvers of two big
fieets-cruisers pitted against bat
tleships-to display properly the
qualities of each type of vessel arma-
ment and. turret and gun arrange
ment.