The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-12-03

or the offensive type But seH forts
and the like are necessary so that the
navy may be footloose. In time of war
there is sure to be demand. under pres
sure of fright for the ships to be scat
tered so as to defend all kind OF ports.
Under penalty Of terrible disaster. this
demand must be refused. The ships
must be kept together. and their OBJ
iective made the enemies feet. IL
fortifications are sufficiently strong, no
modern navy will venture to attack
them, so long as the foe has in exist
ence a hostile navy OF anything liko
the same size or efficiency. But unless
there exists such navy then the forti-
fcations are powerless by themselves
to secure the victory. For OF course
the mere deficiency means that any
resolute enemy can at his leisure COM
bine all his forces upon one point with
the certainty that he can take II
Gives Reasons for Despatch
OF Fleet TO the Pacific.
Until our battle feet IS much larger
than at present il should never be split
into detachments so far apart that they
could not in event Of emergency be
speedily united. Our coast line Is on
the Pacific just as much as on the At
lantic The interests OF California,
Oregon and washington are as en-
phaticallv the interests OF the whole
union as those of Maine and New York.
Of Louisiana and Texas. The battle
feet should now and then be moved TO
the Pacific Just as at other times it
sbouId he kept in the Atlantic. When
the isthmian canal is built the transit
Of the battle feet from one ocean TO
the other will be comparatively easy.
Until II is built / earnestly hope that
the hattie fleet viii be thus shifted be-
tween the two oceans every year or
two The marksmanship on all our
ing the last five years. Until within
+bs last two or three years IL was not
nosxibIe TO train battle feet In squad
ron rnaneuvers under service conditions
and II is only during these last two or
three years that the training under
these conditions has become really ef-
fective Another and most necessary
stride in advance is now being taken.
The battle fleet is about starting by
the Straits of Magellan to visit the
Pacific coast. Sixteen battleships are
going under the command OF Rear Ad-
miral Evans, while eight armored
cruisers and two other battleships VIII
meet him at San Francisco. whittier
certain torpedo destroyers are also go
ing. No feet OF such size has ever
made such q voyage. and IL will be or
very great educational use TO all en-
gagged In st. The only way BY which 70
teach officers and men how to handle
the fleet so as 70 meet every possible
strain and emergency in time Of war 10
to have them practice under similar
conditions in time Of peace. Moreover.
the only way to find out our actual
needs is TO perform in time OF peace
whatever maneuvers might be neces-
sary in time OF war. After war is de-
clared Il is too late 10 find out the
needs: that means TO invite disaster
The trip TO the Pacific will show what
some OF our needs are and will enable
us TO provide for them. The proper
place for an officer 10 learn his duty
IS at sea and the only way in which
navy can ever be made Efficient Is by
practice ct sea. under all the condi-
tions which would have TO be met IL
war existed"
He reviews the work accomplished
BY the second peace conference at The
Hague. notes the Improvement OF at
fairs in Cuba, and the preparations be-
ing made TO reestablsh the govern
nent OF the island republic: asks per
mission to cancel the remainder Of
China's indemnity obligatisn to US. and
reviews the effect OF Secretary Root
visit TO Mexico
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House.
December ). 1901.