The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-07-13
AMAZING NEGLECT OF PACIFIC COAST
II MAY TURN BACH OUR BIG WAR FLEET
special Cosrsspondsnos to The Press

special Correspondence TO The Press
WASHINGTON, D. c., July 13.-
Anpamazing problem now confronts
the navy department as result of
its determination to send the battle
shin fleet to Pacific waters.
There are no adequate docking
facilities on that side of the con-
tinent, and unless the government
cAhs make use of private docks it
will be absolutely necessary to
have the fleet return to Atlantic
waters a few months after the
Aeet's arrival in the far east.
There is the big dock Dewey at
Olongopo in the Philippine islands,
but as yet there are no shops to
amount to anything on shore at
6ubdg bay, nor an adequate number
Of workmen to take care of the or
binary repairs and to scrape the
bottom of battleship.
The one dock at Mare Island, San
FRANCISCO bay, is too small to take
battleships, and the only one which
II in any way equipped is that at
Puget sound.
It Is expected that one result OF
sending the fleet to the Pacific
waters will be to call attention in a
striking way to the failure of con-
gress and the navy department to
make proper provisions for the Pa
cific fleet.
There ought to be full docking
plant at Hawaii and there ought
to be, as is conceded by practically
every member of the general naval
board in Washington, at least 2
more naval bases on the Pacific
COST, 1 in the vicinity Of San
Francisco and another at San Diego
or some point in the vicinity, where
adequate harbor facilities may be
had.
The latter need is now empha-
sized by the prospect that in few
years the Panama canal will be
completed, when vessels will come
through the canal and will desire to
dock and At up some place on the
American coast not too far north
before continuing their journey to
the orient.
The blame for the present state
of affairs seems to be about equally
divided between the navy depart
ment and congress. The navy de-
partment has not compelled con-
tractors to finish docks which were
appropriated for and started 10
years ago.
The Brooklyn, Long Island and
Mare Island docks are the most
fragrant examples Of this.
Nothing but lethargy and extreme
duilness on the part of members Of
the house and senate naval commit
tees have prevented the proper con-
sideration of the needs of the Pa
cific coast The subject was
brought to the attention of Chair
man Foss, of the house naval COM
mittee. last winter by this news
paper, and other congressman were
urged personally and by people of
the Pacific coast, voicing their
opinions through these columns, but
Foss declined to go into the matter,
as he said that there would be a
contest among people interested in
different localities as to the loca-
ton Of the proposed naval bases,
and the committee did not want to
be troubled or asked to expend any
larger sum of money.
The danger of trouble with ia
paA, which has been truthfully and
repeatedly set forth in this news
paper, and which is officially ac-
knowledged by the present move
ment of the Atlantic squadron, will
make it necessary for congress to
give attention next winter to the To-
cation of these additional naval
bases. 1t is also expected that the
menace to the Pacific will necessi-
tate an enlargement of the navy by
the addition of couple of battle
ships of the greater-than-the-
Dreadnaught type.