The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-31
WILL COAL FIVE
TIMES On TRIP
Over 125, 900 Tons of Fuel Will
Be Required During Voy-
age of the BattIeships.
GOLFERS TO SUPPLY PART
PLENTY OF MEAT FOR OFFICERS
AND MEN.

Washington, Aug.-Acting Secretary of
the Navy Newberry returned to Wash
ington today. after ten days vacation and
a conference at Oyster Bay with the
president and Rear Admirals Evans and
BroWnsOn regarding the cruise of the bat
tleship fleet to the Pacific.
1t viii consist of sixteen battleships,
six torpedo boats nine navy Golfers, one
repair ship, one water ship and two sup
ply ships. Upon reaching San Francisco
the fleet will be Joined by two other bat
tieshlps, the Nebraska. recently commits
stoned. and the Wisconsin
Verbal instructions have been issued to
all OF the different bureaus and depart
mentS OF the navy to have the fleet in
readiness to sail from Hampton Roads on
the long journey by Dec. J. 1t is not
likely that the start will be made on that
day, however, but the day of departure
viii be some time between Dec l and Is.
According to the schedule arranged the
fleet will reach MagdaIena bay some
time between March and 10, and it is
contemplated to have the ships remain
there Tor about thirty days in target
practice. They will thus reach San Fran
cisco some time between the middle and
definite, and no plans whatever have been
made for their return trip.
Needs $4,000 Tons of Coal.
Careful estimates have been made by
naval experts and the decision was reach
ed that l00,504 tons of coal in addition to
that which the battleships will carry in
their bunkers when they start out, will
be required to make the trip. This is
in addition to the 1900 tons which the
torpedo boats will burn in making the
voyage. All told, in the neighbOrhOOd of
$4,000 tons of coal will be consumed.
On the way to San Francisco the fleet
will coal five times, first at Trinidad,
next at Rio, then at Sandy Point in the
Straits of Magellan. then at CallaO, Peru,
and last at Magdalena Bay. There are
only nine navy colliers available for the
purpose on the Atlantic side, and one,
the Saturn, on the Pacific side.
1t has been decided that four small col
liers, the Hannibal, Sterling. MarcelIus
and Nanshan, each carrying about 900
tons, shall be sent to Trinidad. They will
supply fuel sufficient to carry the ships
to Rio. where five of the large navy col
Tiers will be in waiting for the battle
ships. These Golfers will be the Ajax.
Aberenda, Brutus, Caesar and Nero, each
carrying approximately 1900 tons.
To supply coal at the three other places
it will be necessary to contract for it's de-
livery in chartered ships. Arrangements
to this end already have been begun.
Wherever it is possible, American ships
and American coal will be used, but when
this is not possible or practicable, foreign
bottoms and foreign coal will be obtain
ed. Four GOLFERS of 5000 tons each will be
sent to Sandy Point four with a similar
amount to Callao, and four to Magdalena
Bay. There is or will be sufficient coal
afloat in San Francisco to fill the bunk
ers of all the battleships when they reach
that place.
Plenty of Beef for All Hands.
The torpedo boats will coal in dock and
from merchant ships at various places
along the route. 1t will be necessary,
however, to coal all the big ships at sea.
The Panther, fully equipped as repair
ship, Will accompany the fleet. as will
the water ship Arethusa, and the supply
ships Glacier and Culgoa. The Glacier
will be provisioned with sufficient fresh
meat to last the fleet all the way from
Hampton Roads to San Francisco.
1t is calculated that the only supplies,
! in addition to coal, which the fleet will
take on board on the way will be such
fresh vegetables as may be procured al
the different points where the ships will
stop. AS il Is summer in the South At
lantic in December, January and Feb
ruary, pleasant weather is anticipated.
The fact that the navy lacks sufficient
| GOLFERS TO supply coal for the trip en-
] phasizes the necessity of additional ships
I of this class, and 1t Is probable that con-
gress will be asked to make an appropria-
I ton for building them. This might afford
| work in all eastern navy yards while the
/ battleship fleet is in the Pacific. Al
( present only two Golfers are in process
which is 30 per cent completed, and one
at Mare Island, which is only 1 per cent
| finished.