Evening capital., 1907-08-10
TO RENDEZVOUS IN PACIFIC
HEAVY ARMORED CRUISERS
To BE SENT TO THESE
WATERS
Formidable Array Of BattIestips-PIans
For Formation Of Three
SquadrOns

So much attention has been de-
voted 10 the prospective dispatch Of
the battlesbips 10 the Pacific that the
fact has been overlooked that plans
are being worked out at the Navy De-
partment for the rendezvous in Pacific
waters Of all the heavier ships Of the
Pacific fleet. These Will be augment
ed by the addition of powerful arm
ored cruisers recently either upon spe-
cial service duty or just turned out by
Pacific coast shipyards.
These facts were developed at the
Navy Department in connection with
the intention Of the Government TO
send the heavy armorcd cruisers Ten
nessee and Washington TO the Pacific
as soon as they have been over
hauled at Eastern navy yards. These
new cruisers have just returned TO
the United States from Brest, France,
on their way back from the Inter
national Maritime Exposition at Dor.
deaux.
Admiral Stockton rctires on Octo-
ber 10 next, and will be succeeded in
command by Rear Admiral UricI
Sebrcc. IIe will take the Tennessee
and Washington TO the Pacific Coast
and there add the new aTmored cruis-
ers California and South Dakota to
his command, taking charge OF a di-
vision Of the Pacific fleet.
This new Pacific fleet Will be in
command Of Rear-Admiral James II.
Dayton, who Is commander-iD-cltief
OF the present Pacific fleet, with head
quarters AT Cavito. Admiral Dayton
IS expected 10 sail in a few days from
Cavite for San Francisco with four
heavy armorcd cruisers, 10 bring to-
gether in proper formation the new
Pacific fleet.
Rear Admiral BTownson was, until
he recently became chief Of the Bureau
Of Navigation, cOmmaDdeT-in-cbie Of
the Asiatic Aoet. At that time there
was no Pacific fleet. The vessels on
both sides Of the Pacific were arranged
In groups known ~ the 'Asiatic
'ncet, = under Admiral BrownsoD, and
the Pacific squadron, under Rear-Ad-
n1iral SwinbOuTne. Recently these des-
ignations we're dropped and all vessels
In the Pacific were brought together
as part OF the Pacific Heef, just As
the vessels i'm the Atlantic, not on
special service duty, were brought to-
gcthcr under Admiral Evans as the At
Iantic fleet.
Now the Navy Department has de-
cicd upon "A further rcarrangemcnt Of
the Pacific fleet in order to give IA a
well-worIled-o -out formation Of squad
rons and divisions. Under this plan
tho Pacific fleet will consist Of three
sanadrons Of not less than two diyi-
sions each. Two squadrOns will be
stationed along the Pacific Coast Of
the United States, where there is not
al ff. etff a ftf ala
The first squadron will be under
Rear Admiral Dayton. The second
will be under command Of ar-Admf-
raj William n. SwiDbourne, and
will consist Of two divisions Of pro-
tected cruisers. Both these suadrons
will be IN the American coast waters
Of the Pacific, while the third squad
ron, In command Of Rear Admiral
Joseph y. Hemphill, will remain in
Asiatfc waters with Manila as its
headquarters.
Upon their arrival at San Francisco
tho Tennessee and Washington will
be Joined by the brand new armoTed
cruisers California and South Da-
kota. The California was built by
the Union Iron Works, San Fran
cisco, and was placed in commission
on the first Of August with Capt.
Thomas s. Phelps as her commander.
The South Dakota is nearing com
pletfon at the Union Iron Works and
ig-a sister ship Of the California.
She was 97.5 per cent. complete on
July !, and will be placed in COM
mission about October ].
In addition TO the sixteen cruisers
there arc now on the Pacific coast
three battIeships-thc Nebraska, Wis
consin and OregoD-tbe ultimate dis
position Of which has not been deter
mined. The Nebraska went into COM
mission last month. The Wisconsin
and Oregon are now out Of commits
sion at the Puget Sound navy yard,
but II is understood that they will be
put back in commission in the near
future.