Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-12


The Presidents policy Of strengthening
the defenses on the Pacific coast was
practically inaugurated today by the de-
parture from Hampton roads OF the spe-
cial service squadron or the Pathnnoer
Fleet" as it has been called. consisting oil
the armored cruisers Tennessee and Wash
ington, on it's long voyage of about l",ooo
miles around the coast of South America
to Magdalena bay, southern California
where the two ships will go through reg
ular naval maneuvers In company with
the two new armored cruisers California
and South Dakota.
The four ships named are of the same
class, each being of 1860 tons dispiace-
ment, having an indicated horsepower OF
q, 600, and having eighteen guns in It's
main battery. The California and South
Dakota were built by the Union Iron
Works of San Francisco, and are now in
that vicinity. The California is in COM
mission and 1t is expected that the South
L/.kota will be ready for active service
by the time the special service squadron
arrives Oh the Pacific coast.
Officers of the Squadron.
Rear Admiral Uriel Sebree, one Of the
junior officers Of that grade, is in COM
mand of the special service squadron. and
the Tennessee is his flagship. Capt. Thos.
3. Howard, recently in command of the
cruiser Olympia, Is in active command OF
the Tennessee. and Capt. Austin M.
Knight formerly president Of the naval
board of ordnance. Is in COMMAND Of the
Washington. According to the approved
itinerary Of this squadron, it will proceed
direct to Trinidad. where 1t Is due to ar
rive on the 18th instant A stop of four
days will be made at that port. when the
squadron will sail for Bio de Janeiro,
where it is due November 2.
A stop Of seven days will be made at
the Brazilian capital, after which the
squadron will proceed TO Montevfdeo
en- days will also be spent at that port.
The next stopping place will be at Punta
Arenas, near the entrance to MMagellan
strait where the vessels will renAain three
days before proceeding through the strait
to Callao, Peru, where they are scheduled
to arrive December Z. One week will be
spent at that port in oruer to permit of
visits to Lima, the Peruvian capital. The
last leg of the cruise will be from Callao
to Magdalena bay, where the vessels Will
engage in target practice and maneuvers
Beginning of Big Movement.
An interesting phase of this cruise is
that it marks the beginning of an extern
sive movement Of warships from the At
lantic to the Pacific coast, which move
ment will include fleet Of sixteen battle
ships, commanded by Rear Admiral
Evans, and a large flotilla of torpedo
boats, commanded by Lieut.. A. G. Howe
of the Hopkins.
The battleship fleet Is under orders to
start from New York or Norfolk about
December Is, and il is expected that the
torpedo dotilla will either accompany that
feet or will follow in it's path a short
time afterward. All the vessels will fol-
low practically the course adopted for the
special service squadron, and because of
that fact. the Tennessee and Washington
aIe regarded by some as being in the ma
ture OF pathfinders. AS matter of fact,
however. the cruise has already been
made by numberless warships large and
small, including the historic Oregon, and
the course is perfectly familiar to nearly
all of the officers Of the navy. especially
those who have had much service.
None of the warships will go around the
Horn. that being -he course now followed
only by sailing vessels. The only war
ship that has made the voyage around
the Horn in recent years Is the gunboat
Tacoma. which went in those waters in
search Of missing nerchantman.