Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-07-06

Washington, July 5.--Details of the
vast movement of the Atlantic fleet to
Pacific waters have been theoretically
worked out weeks in advance by the
national general board. But these de-
tails are necessarily subject to constant
change resulting from the withdrawal
of battleships from active commission
on account of having been declared an
tiQuated or in need of repairs and the
substitution of new ships just going
into commission. There is in the navy
department today scarcely any one au-
thorized to afford any information Of
ficially as to the contemplated fleet
movement. Secretary Metcalf is in Cal
ifornia; Assistant Secretary Newberry
is at Watch Hill, r. l.; Admiral
Brownson, the chief of the navigation
bureau, who is next in line, has gone
to New York and the acting secretary
of the navy today is Rear Admiral
Mason, chief of the bureau of ord
nance who assumes the office by vir-
tue Of seniority but can scarcely be re-
garded as an authority in the matter
of disposition of ships which does not
directly concern his bureau work.
The opinion of the officers on duty
today. is that but one route is feasible
for the big ships and that is by way of
the Straits of Magellan. The route
from New York across the Atlantic and
through the Mediterranean and the
SueZ canal is open To the objection that
it would bring the big ships almost in
to Japanese waters and the movement
might consequently be regarded as a
me mace, which Secretary Metcalf has
stated has never been contemplated.
The SuCZ route, too, is longer by a
thousand miles than the Magellan
route. This, according to the best cal
culations and allowing for short visits
to ports not On the nearest sailing
route is about $1,000 miles in length.
The opinion is that under ordinary
cruising seas, which, for the battle
slips means about ten or T. knots an
hour, and allowing a reasonable time
for coaling en- route, the Atlantic fleet
can make the passage from New York
to San Francisco in less than 60 days
1t is conceded that Rear Admiral
toblcy ID. Evans will command the
tlcet in this great movement, as it is
known by his friends that he would
like to wind uD his active career by
safely conducting around the American
continent the greatest fleet of warships
eyer gotten together in these waters.
1t is believed now that the sailing
route of the ships will be about as fol-
lows:
Leaving New York or Hampton
Roads in the early fall, the battlcship:
would probably steam to Culcbra
where coal would be taken on. The
next stop will be Rio dc Janeiro and TIL,
next Sandy Point in the Straits o
Magellan. Here again the coal supply
would be rcpleniShcd for the run t.
CallaO. Peru. The next stage would
be from Callao tn Panama ana from
that point the ships would proceed
without a stop to San Francisco.
1t is believed that after reaching
Peruvian waters the movements Of thu
vessels will be much more deliberate
than up to that point. Although thu
reason for this statement is not Off
cially obtainablc. it is apparent tina
the explanation is not TO he found il
the fact that the hattlcships will b,
within easy reach of San Francisco
in other words they could in an cmcr.
gcncy arrive at that port before an!
other fleet could.
Two methods of coaling have beer
provided for i'm the plans of the gen
eral board and it is not possible to sa,
now which will be selected The frs
! is to send with the battlcships a sufh
| cicnt number of Golfers to enable then
| to replenish their coal supply withou
dependence upon foreign stations.
| this case no less than 90 GOLFERS Wi
be necessary because something Iil1
1900 tons of coal will be burned O
this cruise.
| In the second case the plans provid
for the free use Of understandable Goa
| along the route, which, of courS,
| would diminish the need for Golfers
1 Admiral Evans will. it is expectot
starr with 16 battleships besides tn
golfers. The arrnorcd cruisers Wash
ingtOn and Tennessee, which are no.
| in French waters. are under orders t
return to the United States and. afte
refitting to proceed to the Pacifi
coast. 1t is possible that they will b
detained and accompany the battle
! ships on the cruise. When Admire
! Evans arrives off the Pacific coast. hi
feet will be increased by the additio