Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-12-19
NAVY FOR THE ATLANTIC
saaboard on This Side Of The
Country Will be Protected.
BUILDING UP BIG hEH FLEET
Some of the Old eattlcships Being
overhaulcd and Several New Fight
ing Machines VIII Be In Commission
in a Short Time.

the war dogs OF Europe or elsewhere
should take notion 10 snarl at the
United States. the moment the battle
ship fleet has reached safe dis
lance from home waters. they will moi
find Americas front door without n
guardian while Bob Evans is looking
over the situation In the back yard
He will scarcely have turned tho cor
ner OF the house lrforc the organi-
cation of another big fleet viii be
started on the Atlantic scaboard. BY
the first of the year tho first division
OF the new fleet will be under tenta
tive formation. TO he known ms 1.-The
third squadron of the Atlantic fleet"
AT its head will be the new Missis-
sippi. soon TO he placed in commits
sion ut the League island navy yard.
commanded by Capt John C. Free
mont. She will be Joined by her sis
ter ship. Idaho. ut the same yard
This division will be completed by
adding the battloshil Indiana, now Mt
tho League island yard, and the New
Hampshire. which is being completed
by the New York Ship Building Com
pany nj Camden. N. j. 1t is expected
mat these four ships will he under
one commander. probably Rear Ad-
miral Richardson Glover.
The second division will be organ
ized as rapidly as the first It will be
made up OF old protected cruisers,
NIL recently renovated. The nagship
VIII be the Minneapolis, and William
swift, who will be promoted to rear
admiral January 3, Will probably take
command. The other units OF this If
vision Will be the Columbia. the Des
Moines and the Tacoma. This groun
OF vessels, when assembled. will be
practically as formidable as was eth
er squadron that participated in the
Spanish war, Within few months
more. through the addition of new
warships, 1t will he as strong as the
combined squadrons of Admirals
Schley and Sampson at Santiago.
IN the spring Il special division will
oe formed by The three scout cruis-
ers-Chester. Birmingham and Salem
and by June or July the two monster
armored cruisers, North Carolina and
montana. now being completed at the
newport News yard. will form an
other special division. The indiana
mas just been thoroughly overhauled
ana undermined Accordingly. In con-
junction with the three new battle
ships, she will form division prac-
ticaliy as heavy as any now com
manded ly Admiral Evans. The Mas.
shchusetts Is being modernized at the
New York navy yard and in n year
she VIII be turned out almost as COON
as new The Iowa is being repaired
ana re-eqnipped, but both she and the
INDIANA are being held in readiness tc
De placed In commission on IS hours'
notice. The Brooklyn has Just been
sent TO the New York navy ward ann
next week the work OF oyerhaulino
her Will begin. She will be MS on.
cient upon completion MS she was
when Admiral Schley trod her bridge
at Santiago
AZ the same time the cruiser New
YORK Is being made over ut the Bos.
ton navy yard. The Columbia and the
minneapolis recently have been over
hauied at League Island and the Dies
MONIES and the Tacoma have becn
well repaired at the New York ward
Aside from these are the gunboats
Marietta. Paducah and Dubuoue
which have been on Central American
patrol. Each will be repaired an,
ovci hauled SO with the new shlns
and old ones as much like new as
possible. there will be sufficient bat
'ieships and cruisers to form two full
squadrons of 16 ships within a yea,
and haif, for by that time the Mich
gan and South Carolina also will he
ready Tor commission. A year later
me big Delaware and the North Dako-
I'd OF 2O.OOO tons will he completed.
torpedo and submarine division
already Is being formed under the di-
rection of Capt. Charles NJ. Marsh. II
VIII be made up of two hotIllas of two
submarines each for the third torpedo
liotiila of six torpedo boats. and he
VIII nave nearly score of torpedo