The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-08-02
DISCUSSING NAVY PLANS
HONOLULU DECLARED THE MOST VALUABLE RENDEZVOUS A
WASHINGTON sTRATEGISr- PROPOSED
TO THE PACIFIC MAY Be GIVEN UP ACCORDING TO ONE
CORRESPONDENT

WASHINGTON, July 12.-The Seat
tie acknowledgements Washington
correspondent says No great surprise
would be occasioned among naval Of
fcers if the proposed visit of the At
antic battleship fleet to the Pacific
coast should be abandoned after all.
Although the general board of the
navy has had such a movement in
mind for a long time-long before
there was any yellow journal talk of
trouble with Japan-it is a striking
fact that no stronger official reason for
! it has been given than that which Sec
| rotary Metcalf gave when he told mis-
gaping neighbors in Oakland that he
proposed to give them 1.-The greatest
naval display ever seen" on that coast
It is true that Mr.. Metcalfs announce
ment (when he finally decided to tell
the TRUTH was reluctantly confirmed
at Oyster Bay, but there is no evidence
that the president entertained any
other design than to acquiesce good
naturally in Secretary Metcalf's plan
for giving the people of San Francis
co a holiday-backed as that plan was
by a purely tactical purpose, of long
standing, on the part of the general
| board.
1t was the original intention of the
general board, which planned the en-
tire maneuver, to have the fleet sail
late in August, or as soon as all the
warships had been put in good condi-
| ton at the navy yards. The latest Of
fetal announcement on the subject
was that the usual target practice
would be held in the late summer, and
then the armada, under Admiral Ev-
ans, would start on it's long journey.
No definite day was set for the fleet
to move. This leaves the whole thing
open for further vague announce
ments regarding the departure.
"The administration has paved the
way for dispatching the fleet to the
Pacific at any time in the future with
out furnishing an excuse for a sensa-
tion," said a high naval officer today.
'If the present lingo talk dies away,
it is doubtful whether the fleet will
be sent on the long and expensive
journey to the Pacific"
In connection with the plan of send
ing Admiral Evans fleet to the Pacific,
1t is recalled that the navy department
once had occasion to make a big bluff
to avert an attack from a hostile fleet.
1t was during the war with Spain,
shortly after Admiral Dewey had cap
tured Manila and was in a more or
less ticklish position because of being
so far from the main portion of the
American fleet.
Spain had one or two battleships
near completion and hurried them into
service. Admiral Camera was given
command of the little squadron, with
orders to proceed at once TO Manila
and attack Dewey. AS Dewey had no
battleships, much concern was shown
when the Spanish vessels got under
way and started for the Philippines.
One day, Admiral Crowninshield,
who was then chief of the bureau of
navigation of the navy department,
tackled up the following announcement
on the department bulletin board: "If
Admiral Cameras fleet passes through
the Suez canal, en- route to the Philip
pines, a fleet of American vessels will
60, nd OF "a
Spanish coast" The department was
in no position to spare ships for an
expedition of this kind. because Admi-
raj Cervera had not yet been accounted
for. But the blum worked perfectly.
Cameras feet was stopped at the
mouth of the Suez, and after loafing
there for several weeks turned back to
Spain.
The wise men of the navy are hav-
ing heated controversies about the re-
spective merits OF coaling stations and
GOLFERS. A wide difference OF opinion
exists regarding the wisdom OF tying
up the nayy's fortunes with these two
methods Of supplying the feet with
fuel
One Of the elements ~ the navy eon-
tends that coallug stations are a nonrce
~ weakness rather than strength 49,
peclally n they are locaifi ~ cnnaiii
able diuianrs from che home coast
They assert that che possibility NJ ihs
enemy rapiurinr hn enormous coal
E.eeNYsee.es, =, etaF.s MN 80
Difn
KAhAtiEi.E 90 Honolulu August :
1901. Mics kranp kanahrlr dannh
irf NJ ~ and hfs sam kauahfie
Funfral ~ ihs bone ~ hf liitnaw
lnaahf Aaglum faad iaasi ai b H