Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-10-17
WAR FEVER SPREADING
HOSTILE PREPARATIONS FOR
WAR WITH JAPAN
UncIe sam Making Ready TO Fight Iapsu

4
Preparation for hostile emergency
IN the Pacific is occupying the time
aud attention 0f fbe military ard the
naval authorities 80 such an extent
| that al other work has been su=pendf a
/ in some branches Of the two services.
| The war fever - spreading ihFoBgh
| the personnel of the Army aud the
navy. Many officers are noN aware
Of the circumstances. which lea 10 the
decision 10 send the battieship feet
70 the Pacific, and with their eyes
opened in that respect they are watch
| ing the trend Of events witb absorbing
| interest.
The idea that war - coming - sp-
parently firmly fixed in thc minds of
some Of those having superior means
Of obtaining Information a. 10 the
Governments attitude. Others. while
deprccating the talk of war and in
cIined 20 the belief that there wiiI Be
no conflict, contend. however. that
| the preparations now under Eay
are justified BY the situation as they
| understand IL aud commend President
| Roosevelt for wbat they regard as ad-
mfrabie foresight on his part.
Under orders from the Navy Depart
meDt the entire working force at navy
yards on the Atlantic coast is being
employed IN making ready the Ees-
sells Of the battiesbip neet for fbe so
called practice cruise 10 the Pacific
Every cass 81 labor that can be still
| fzed IN getting the feet into condition
| for its long voyage has been with
drawn from its usual duties AZ the
yards and put to work ON the ships
The authorities Of the army signal
Corps are dey0ing themselves exeiu-
sively TO arrangements for the install
/ Iation Of electric fire control apparatus
IN the fOrtifcatiODs Of Subig Bay. the
new naval station established IN the
Philippines. Tho work Is being con
Quoted To the detriment Of other pro
jects, but the orders TO complete IT,
(which are understood 10 have core
directly from President Roosevelt
are imperative.
TIE decision Of the President "a send
the batflesIiip fleet To- the Pacific had
its inceptiOn-at least its apparent
cOnceptiOn-iB disqHietiDg infOTma-
fion furnished to the military depart
ments Of the Government BY conf
Dental agents abroad. There Is no
shadow Of doubt that the Navy De-
partment received reports to indicate
tflAb 0AHnn - HAAHAAE A@AAN~ NAAEA~A
To replace its military and naval for
ces on a war footing and that reports
Of the asme general tenor came 70 the
War Department. The agents Of both
departments told Of heavy purchases
of war supplies by japan guns
shells, torpedoes. etc--in England
| France and Germany. Naval officers
sent TO Europe to make purchases q
torpedoes for our navy found that ia
pan had placed orders Of startling
magnitude for similar war material
The Philippines, 80 the military
branches OF the Government were no
tilted, were being flooded with Japan
ese spies, many Of them women Of the
demi-mOnde. There was feyeEish ae-
tfvity on the part Of the japanese
Camps Of instruction had been estab-
Iished IN remote parts Of Japan and
troops were being drilled ineessantiy-
Foreigners who wished To visit the
interior Of the Japanese Empire en-
conntered insnrmOuntaBle difficulties.
They were not treated with open dis
courtesy, but found themselves sub
iected to delays and embarrassments
| that made progress inward impossi-
bic. Japan, except that part Of il
| fringing the coasts. had suddenly be-
| come a hermit nation again. All this
| and more information OF the same
character reached the Government from
| its confidential sources Of news
| At Mr.. Roosevelt's instance or Og it,
| own volition the General Board Of the
| Navy gave consideration TO the inf0r-
| nation at hand that Japan was getting
ready for another hostile struggle In
| the minds OF the members Of the.bOard
there was only one answer 70 the ques-
| tion why is Japan making al this
| preparations The outcome Of their
i deliberation was a recommendation %
the President that the Atlantic battle
ship fleet be sent to the Pacific
The official assertion that the heet :
| voyage 10 the Pacific is a practices
cruise is y technical quibble. Its prae-
tice will consist OF establishing proper
Dases Of operation and otherwise get.
ting ready for a conflict. Present plans
do not contemplate the return 0f the
fleet to the Atlantic. or even its Teten-
tion at stations on the Pacific Coast oi
this continent. Unless the purpose nov
in the minds of those who will have
a large part in determining its future
movements undeTgoes = change the
fleet will proceed to the Philippines
and will remain there.