Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-07-09
Shift Of BalueshIps 10 Pacific May
Bring on The Crisis
with Japan.
ORIENT LIMOGES MUCH AROUSED
Japan's Attitude With Reference to
Movement viii Undoubtedly Dis
close Her Feelings Toward Amerl.
ca-BIg Ships VIII Perhaps Dem.
onstratc to World What We Can Do.

The war spirit is growing. Naval
ana army officers are using the Jap
ancse situation as almost the sole
topic of social discussion Opinlnn
IS divided as to the out come of
sending the fleet of battlcships to
the Pacific.
III Japan thinks that she can whip
the United States" remarked Il
prominent naval officer today. 81
should not he surprised if she were
To regard the projected movement of
the battlcship fleet to The Pacific as
Il hostile act and declare war.
III, after measuring her own
strength, financial and physical, she
decides that she might get the worst
OF it. she will accept the movement
as 1T is intended by the United States
ana VIII make no fuss over IT,
but the traditional friendship be
tween the two Governments has been
broken. They will never again, in
my opinion. be on the same close
terms ms heretofore. The incident
VIII ranlNc. And some day. especial
ly If the United States should become
involved with any other power. the
feeling aroused now may burst out
into open onmlty.
1T is ridiculous continued this
officer, who. like all others in ser.
vice. is prohibited by regulations from
lending his name To discussions on
the meaning of naval movements, cs-
pcclllly when they may have Il di-
plomntic bearing. "for Japan to see
any overt act in this transfer of the
iicct just us Ii was for her people to
try 10 make a grave international
question out of the riotous acts of n
mob In San Francisco. Japan can
take exception to this disposition of
the American ships, only in case she
herself had sinister designs. If she
is really friendly. as believe she is.
her susceptibilities will not be arous-
cd.
In Our Own Domain.
| u see that Il Toxic dispatch recalls
That when in January, Japan propos-
cd to send cruiser squadron to San
Francisco on Il friendly visit. an in
| direct hint from the United States
that it might not be opportune, on ac-
count of the recent excitement over
| the school question. caused them to
change their plans. The Inference is
J that Il similar feeling ought to pre-
vent the sailing of Admiral Evans
fleet TO the Pacific. 1t is hardly ne
ccssary To point out that there is no
parallel in the two cases. We are
sending our ships to our own waters
Japan was Intending to visit us
Continuing, he said that he dcprc-
Gated the sensational publications
predicting the possibility of war with
Japan, first, because they might he
taken too seriously as representing
the real sentiment of this country:
and, second because they were liable
to strengthen the jingocs of Japan
and weaken the existing friendly adj
ministration Of the empire.
1t appears that the famous trip oil
the Oregon during the Spanish-Amc
lean war. when she sailed from San
francisco to Key West in siXty-hree
days, is to be duplicated by the bar
tleship fleet. The sixteen ships arc
to make a demonstration TO the world
of the speed with which the American
navy can transfer its fighting
strength from one ocean 10 the 9TH
er. With this point in view there
will be few If any stops to pay visits
of courtesy at the capitals of the
South American States. What stops
are made will be for the business of
coaling.
1t is understood that the ships will
sail in four divisions of four each.
with a day or two of interval between
each division. The rendezvous will
probably be I'm Magdalcna Bay.