Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-07-05
japanese Ambassador SaysSend-
ing of Ships to Pacific Would
Not be Regarded Unfriendly
EVANS TO LEAD cRu's'
Admiral Will Take Fleet to Pacific Wa
tiers in November, Unless Conditions
Change and Order is Countermanded
"Trip Not Planned as Menace
Washington News.

hague, seeking IOr llle dpolltioii VI an
war and striving to coax down the
dove of peace with offers of the corn
lined not to be caught mapping If the
mikado casts envious eyes on his pos
sessions in the Pacific Altho the navy
department is striving to minimize the
Importance of the announcement that
the sixteen big battleships in the At
lantic squadron are to be transferred
to the Pacific coast the matter is Of
such moment that Viscount Aoki, the
Japanese Ambassador, has publicly ex-
ment would not regard it as an I'M
friendly move. There is the strongest
reason for believing that this program
was fully mapped out and adopted, and
it is known that work on the new bat
tleship Nebraska, which was placed in
commission this week at the Bremen
ton naval station in Puget Sound, was
hurried with almost feverish haste
However, in view of the publicity Civ
en- the program, it is regarded as not
unlikely that President Roosevelt will
order that the transfer of the ships be
made quietly and unobtrusively, and
rot in squadron as was first contem-
plated. 1t is considered practically
settled that the United States naval
forces in Pacific waters will be
strengthened so that it may cope with
any eventuality. The condition in the
navy is causing much uneasiness to
the department. There is a woefuI
lack of officers and men, and this week
the Indiana and Iowa were placed out
of commission because there We're no
crews to man them. These fighting
craft have gone TO join the Texas,
which long since was placed in reserve
and the Massachusetts, the Oregon and
the New York, all of which are out Of
commission.
Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, COM
nander-in- chief Of the Atlantic fleet,
left Washington yesterday for New
York. 1t is announced here that he
will proceed to prepare his command
for a cruise to the Pacific, beginning
not later than November.
There are strong influences within
the navy, which oppose the transfer of
the Atlantic fleet to the Pacific, and
some officers who feel this way, pre-
dict that altho the policy now does
contemplate the change it will be re-
versed before the time comes for the
fleet to get under way.
Rear Admiral Evans flagship the
battleship Connecticut is at the New
York navy yard undergoing repairs.
The new chief Of staff of the Atlantic
fleet, Capt. Royal B. Ingersoll, who
has just reported for duty, will be at
Rear Admiral Evans right hand dur
ing the entire summer.
In an emergency the squadron can
start for the Pacific within thirty days.
The proposed increase of the Pacific
Japan or any one else, as is shown by
the prompt assurance of the Japanese
ambassador, that his country would not
regard the sending of battleships as
an unfrienrly act.
Secretary Taft's announcement that
he may return from Manila next fall
by way of Siberia and Russia has given
rise to much speculation in diplomatic
circles as to the result of such a visit
on the relations between the United
States, Russia and Japan.
The opportunity that would be Gre
ated by the secretary's visit for Russia
to make a friendly demonstration over
him as the representative of the Amer
lean administration and government,
would be one not to be overlooked, ac-
cording to some views expressed and
the effect would be far-reaching to-
ward causing Japan to change its APP
parent indifferent attitude towards this
country.
The national zoo has received a pair
of extremely rare birds, as a gift from
Carlos H. Jones, a prominent planter
in the state of Campeche, Mexico. They
are ocellated turkeys, species found
in a narrow strip of country running
thru southern Mexico and Central AM
cries The bird is considered to be the
most gorgeous of all American birds,
its plumage far surprising that of the
peacock. The term "ocellated' is ap-
piled to the wonderful colors and eye
like markings of the feathers. The tur-
key is extremely rare, even in its own
country, and only one pair was ever
exhibited in Europe. The national zoo
has been seeking a pair of these birds
for a long time.
Deep interest is being taken here in
the bill that passed the Wisconsin state
assembly by an overwhelming vote,
providing for the naming of United
States senators by direct vote. The
first election Of the kind will be
watched closely by political experts,
and it is believed that if the Wisconsin
experiment proves the plan a success,
it will be adopted by other states, with
the result that the personnel of the
upper house of congress likely will suf-
fer remarkable change.
France is in danger of losing its dis
tinction as the greatest silk producing
nation of the world. The rapdity with
which the industry has Increased in
the United States during the last few
years is shown in a bulletin just issued
by the cen.:as bureau. This bulletin
shows that there has been an increase
between 1890 and 1905 in the capitai
invested Of more than 50 per cent.
na'-in- the total money invested in the |
silk Industry exceed sloaooo.eto. Wom-
an workers are benefting by this
growth. for in the five-year period !,
!, IS found that the proportion Of men