The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-07-06
THEY NEED PRAC-
T|CE WAS THE ON
LY REASON.
Why Metcalf Planned Battleship
"a Pacific Cruise. -
NO OFFENSE TO JAPANESE
Rear Admiral Evans. Who VIII Com.
mand Vast Squadron interviewed
At New York

SAN FRANCISCO. july g. Secretary
Of the Navy Victor IL Metculf desires II
10 be- distinctly understood that hls
project Of sending fleet OF eighteen
battleships around Cape Horn 10 the
Pacific coast early next winter IL with
out any international significance
In the course of an interview Secre-
tary Metcalf declared that be- had
planned the cruise 10 the Pacific purely
to give the squadron much needed
practice. lie made Il clear that no
ofrense 10 Japan was intended and
closed his remarks by promising TO
give the people OF San Francisco and
oakland the finest naval spectacle ever
witnessed on the Puclfc coast
MANY false impressions have gained
circulation about the movement" said
the secretary. Il have held all along
that there was practically no signln-
cameo 10 this movement from n mill
tary standpoint have planned this
cruise around Cape Horn Tor the prac-
tice VI the squadron. How long the
ships will remain herr cannot say.
Il hope the talk u japanese trouble
aud OF international differences may
be dropped by the newspapers. There
II nothing 90 produce any feeling ex-
cept this talk ~ the newspapers. The
story that Ambassador Aoki Il Ia Dis
favor with hig own government L.
lisye 10 be- purely un invention. I
know of no reason why Japan aud the
United states should not -be on the
frisndliest terms"
Details ~ the movement u the heet
10 Pacific waters have been theoretical.
~ worked out weeks In advance by the
naval general board But these details
are necessarily subject 90 constant
change resulting from the withdrawal
OF battle-hlps FROM active commission
on account Of having been declared
antiausted or IA need % repairs and
the substitution ~ other ships Just go.
ing into commission and fresh from
the builders hands.
There Il Ia the navy department To-
day scarcely any one authorized 10 NJ.
ford any Information officially NJ 90
the contemplated feet movement Soc.
Rotary Metcalf 4 IN California. Assist
ant Secretary Newberry h az Watch
uill. r.. 4: Admiral Bruwn-on. the
chief Of the navigation bunau. who ..
next In line. has gone a. New York.
and the acting secretary ~ the navy
today i Rear Admiral Mason chief ~
the bureau Of ordnance. who assumes
the once by virtue u seniority. bot
can -csrcely b. regarded az an au-
ihority IN the matter ~ disposition ~
ships which does not directly concern
bis bureau work
The opinion ~ naval experts Il that
but one route only Il feasible for th.
big ships. and that "a by way ~
the strait u Magellan. The route
from New York acruss the Atlantic aud
through the Mediterranean sud the
sueI canal l. open O. the objection
that Il would bring the big ships A.
most iuto japanese waters aud tie
movement might consequently be- ~.
garded ne a menace. which Secretary
Meicslf has stated has never been con.
tsmplaicd
II Il conceded that Dear Admiral
Robley D. Evans viii command the feet
IN this great movement
Concerning the trip 90 the Pacific
Admiral Evans said when interviewed
AZ New York
II have received no orders Tor
cruise What may h Ia contemplation
" course do not know.