The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-11-15
SCRIBES BARRED
ON NAVY CRUISE
ALL CORRESPONDENTS ARE RE-
FUSED PERMISSION TO GO
WITH ATLANTIC FLEET.

WASHINGTON, November Fifty
press correspondents are pleading
with the Navy Department to be per-
mitted to go on the long cruise around
South America to San Francisco. The
President and Secretary Metcalf con-
ferred about their petitions yesterday
and agreed that it would be Impossible
to accommodate so many civilians,
and as it was considered a delicate
matter to discriminate among them,
an order was issued that none of them
could go. The admirals, it was said,
will give out what news is permitted.
Possibly this may be the first real
effort of this Government to follow
the policy so well maintained by Jap
an in her late war, with respect to the
war news. Army and Navy authori-
ties have freely declared their ability
to keep from the public news of move
ments which might be OF value to the
enemy in time Of war
There is no question but that the
battleship fleet which will sail from
Hampton Roads on December 10th.
will be the most luxurious that ever
sailed the seas. Much has been writ
ten about the quantity of provisions TO
be bought for the $4,000 sailors who
man the ships, but it may not Oe
known that they will live like princes
compared to the fare of sailors of Tor
mer generations. Hard tack will be
eliminated from the bill of fare for the
first time in naval history, and bread
will be baked daily on board the ships.
Potatoes and other vegetables will
be carried as long as possible, as will
also fresh meat All kinds of fruits
will be in the commissary store. and
there will be plum dur every day. The
ships doctors will lay in an extra sup
ply of Depsin to combat dyspepsia.
Among the most radical innovations
introduced in The equipment of the
fleet is wireless telephony. This has
been proved perfectly feasible with
improvements made by officers Of the
Navy Department. The old system OIL
flag signals will be practically displac-
ed by the new wireless ship telephones
and some system of telephone cipher
will be used in communicating be-
tween ships when it is considered nee
essary, although it is thought the
wave lengths of electricity can be reg
ulated so that no receivers except
those adjusted properly will be able
to take the message.
Some difficulty has been experienced
in getting enough labor at the Brook
Ign Navy Yards, and elsewhere, to fit
out the fleet for the voyage. Plans
for taking skilled mechanics to the
Coast under two years contracts are
still under discussion.
Arrangements have been completed
for delivery of coal to the ships on the
voyage to the Coast in addition to the
golfers, The repair ship Panther will
accompany the fleet, as will also the
Potomac as general tender and the
Yankton as tender for the commander
in chief.
Golfers will meet the fleet at stipu-
lated ports for the delivery of fuel, !
the Marcellus and Leonidas joining
the fleet at Trinidad The Ajax, Aba
renda, Brutus, Caesar and Nero will !
meet the fleet at Rio and all of the
golfers, with the exception of the
Ajax, WILL upon transfer of the coal, |
return to the United States, reload
and proceed again to the Pacific. The
Ajax will accompany the fleet from
Rio, picking up any coal left over on
chartered colliers and which cannot
be taken on board the battleships at |
the different points.
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