Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1907-06-27

'''''" "'" ~" war Uafie 10 Test the
Efficiency of Our Dcfcnccs.-
Work i'm All the Navy Yards
Orders Sent to Manila and Hono-
lula Urging Great Activity i'm For
tifying the Harbors.
The Washington correspondeut of
'he New York American says COM
prehensive plans for putting the
Navy in state of preparedness fo,.
any emergency We're sent to Secretary
Oh the Navy Metcalf for Immediate
dlspatch to the president, on Wednes-
day of last week
by special direction of the Presi-
uent the General Board of the Navy,
Oh whlch Admiral Dewey is the presi-
dent. has been in session for several
days discussing the needs of steps to
insure the presence of the war fleet.
IN hghting condition, at the point
Where IT could render the most eff
iectlVe service in case of an emer-
Sency: and the board has now for
mulated and handed to Secretary
Metcalt series of recommendations
which include the following:
That the entire battleship squad
ron OF the Navy be concentrated on
the Pacific Coast.
Ihat prompt measures be taken to-
improve to the highest point of eff
cheney the shipbuilding plants and
dry docks on the Pacific Coast. even
to the extent of taking these plants
and docks under Government con
troll If that be found necessary.
Other recommendations of similar
tenor are included in the plans sub
mltted to Secretary Metcalf
While these plans have been pre-
pared by the Navy Board at the di-
rect request of the President il is
not certain that they will he approv-
ed by him. But the fact that he has
thought il necessary to seek counsel
from the navy experts at this time is
regarded here with the utmost sig
nificance and has stirred navy circles
to an unuasual degree of activity and
interest.
Nor is this likely to he lessened by
the announcement made that the Sec
retary of the Navy will leave for Cal
ifornia where he will make a special
study of naval conditions on the Wes-
tern coast. and that n Joint naval
and army game is shortly to be in
auSurated on the Pacific slope for the
purpose of ascertaining what success
a foreign foe would have in passing
Notifications and entering certain
specified ports with landing eXpedi-
tions.
Information is to the effect that at
Honolulu and Manila orders have al
so been issued TO put more energy
into the work of fortifying the two
harbors that has heretofore been
shown
Immediate interest. however, at
taches to the recommendation of the
Navy Board, and therefore of Admir-
al Dewey as well, that our complete
force of battleships he concentrated in
Pacific waters. The board has many
times expressed the opinion that the
greatest usefulness of the battleship
Is attained when such vessels are
maintained in squadrons in the
places where they are most likely to
he needed.
Ii is significant. that, in pursuance
of this opinion, the battleships which
have heretofore all been gathered to-
gether in the North Atlantic. with the
exception of the Oregon and Wiscon-
sin, at present out of commission,
should he recommended for concen-
tration on the Pacific. Here is the
full complement of ships which the
Naval Board desires to have sent
around the Horn, travelling i'm a re-
verse direction over the course Of
the historic Oregon:
Connecticut, Captain Hugh Oster-
haus, 5000 tons.
Mains. Captain Nathan f.. Niles,
12, 500 tons.
Missouri. Captain e. c. Pendleton,
IL ,500>tons.
Louisiana. Captain A. r. Couden.
| 6 900 tons.
Virginia. Captain Seaton Schroe-
der. 14,94S tons.
Georgia, Captain X. G.. Davenport
/ ,94S tons.
ball, 4,94S tons.
Rhode Island. Captain c. G.. Bow
man. IA ,94S tons.
Alabama, Captain S. p. Comfy, l.
552 tons
Illinois. Captain G. BlockIinger,
| ,552 tons
Kersarge, Captain Herber Winslow
| 500 tons.
Kentucky, Captain +. B. Barry.
| 500 tons.
Ohio. Captain l.. G.. Hcllner, 12,-
| 800 tons.
| Indiana. Captain ID. II. Mahan, 10,-
| 2SS tons.
Iowa. Captain Henry McCrca. 1 >
1916 tons.
| Minnesota, Captain John Hubbard.
| 5000 tons.
Vermont Captain William G. Por-
ter, 900 tons.
Four flag officers are assigned to
these battleships. Rear Admiral
Robley ID. Evans, Rear Admiral
Charles NJ Thomas Rear Admiral
William II. Emory. The vessels
could be made ready to start on their
journey to the Pacific i'm sixty days
time or less, should the President OPP
pose the recommendation. and as To
that there in naval circles there is
lcurrent n belief that the order for
them to prepare for the trip will be
issued by the president in a few days.