The sun., 1907-08-27
COAL FOR BATTLESHTPS TRIP
I?J.OOO TONS WILL BE USED on
san FRANCTSCO JOURAEI.

Nine Golfers VIII supply Part cf the Fuel
and Hired vessels WIN Take tho best
The ships to stop rive Times to Goal
big ships 10 Load Up ~ sea.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7e--Acting Secretary
Of the Navy Newberry returned to WASH
ington to-day after ten days vaoation and
a conference at Oyster Bay with the Presi-
dent and Rear Admirals Evans and Brown
non regarding the cruise Of the battleship
feet to the Pacific.
IL will consist of sixteen battleships, six
torpedo boats. nine navy GOLFERS one re-
pair ship, one water ship and two supply
ships. Upon reaching San Francisco the
feet will be joined by two other battle
ships, the Nebraska, recently commits
stoned, and the Wisconsin.
Verbal instructions have been issued TO
all Of the different bureaus and departments
Of the navy to have the feet in readiness TO
sail from Hampton Roads on the long jour
ney by December I. IL is not likely that tho
start will be made on that day. however,
but the day Of departure will be some time
between December and is.
According to the schedule arranged the
feet will reach Magdalena Bay some time
between March Q and 10 and it is contem-
plated TO have the ships remain there
for about thirty days in target practice.
They will thus reach San Francisco some
time between the middle and the last OF
April. Their stay there 10 indefinite and
no plans whatever have been made for
their return trip.
Careful estimates have been made by
naval experts and the decision was
had That tnn Of in aHIi-
ton to that which the battleships will
carry in their bunkers when they start
out will be required to make the trip. This
is in addition TO the 1900 tons which the
torpedo beats will burn in making the
voyage. All told, in the neighborhood
Of LIS 600 tons of coal will be consumed.
On the way to San Francisco the feet will
GOAL five times. first at Trinidad. next at Rio
then at Sandy Point In the Straits of Magel-
Ian. then at Callao, Peru, and last at Mag
dalena Bay. There are only nine navy
colliers available for the purpose on the
Atlantic side and one, the Saturn. on the
Pacific side.
II has been decided that four small COL
liers. the Hannibal. Sterling. Marceilus and
Nanshan. each carrying about 1900 tons.
shall be sent to Trinidad. They will supply
fuel sufficient TO carry the ships to Rio,
where five OF the large navy colliers will be
in waiting for the battleships. These colliers
will be the Ajax, Abarenda, Brutus, Cesar
and Nero. each carrying approximately
4 900 tons.
To supply coal at the three other places
il will be necessary to contract for its de-
livery i'm chartered ships Arrangements
to this end already have been begun. Where
ever il is possible American ships and Amer
ican coal will be used. but when this is not
possible or practicable foreign bottoms
and foreign coal will be obtained. Four
golfers Of 5000 tons each will be sent to
Sandy Point. four with a similar amount to
Callao and four to Magdalena Bay. There
is or will he sufficient coal afioat in San
Francisco to fill the bunkers of all the battle
ships when they reach that place.
The torpedo boats will coal in dock and
from merchant ships az various places along
the route. IL will Re necessary, however.
to coal all the big etips at sea.
The Panther. fully equipped as repair
ship. will accompany the fleet. as will the
water ship Arethusa and the supply ships
Glacier and Culgoa. The Glacier will be
provisioned with sufficient fresh meat to
last the fleet all the way from Hampton
Roads to San Francisco.
IL In calculated that the only supplies in
addition TO coal which the fleet win take on
board on the way will be such fresh vege-
tables as may be procured at the different
places where the ships will stop. As it is
summer in the South Atlantic in December,
January and February pleasan weather il
anticipated
The fact that the navy lacks sufficient
golfers TO supply coal FOR the trip empha-
sizes the necessity of additional ships Of
this class and il IL probable that Congress
will be asked TO make an appropriation for
building them. This might afford work
in all Eastern navy yards while the battle
ship feet is in the Pacific. At present
only two colliers are in process of building.
one at the New York yard. which is 20 per
cent. completed. and one at Mare Island.
which is only per cent. finished.