Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-13
Great Fleet Fully Prepared
For Long Cruise.
Equipped 10 Steam Around The
Globe Il Desired.
Greet Quantities Of Ammunition
and Stores Aboard.

Old IO1nt CO1HIoTt' Nd'' ~.
Final word Of Ready" was ilasned
from every vessel in the battlesnip meet
today, In it's last analysis. this slsnai
meant that the 16 most powerful craft
in the American navy are prepared
not only to start next Monday morning
on their projected cruise to the west
ern ocean, but are equally prepared to
90 anywhere in the twin henispheres
To do any work 1t meant that hullS
arc sweet and clean, that giant COM
Mound engines are all fit for their task,
that officers and men are trained TO
the hour, that bunkers are oVerhowlng
with the best steam coal In the coun-
try, that store rooms are choked with
provisions and that magazine doors are
closed upon the greatest stores OF am
rnunition ever placed on board Ameri-
can vessels of war.
The care with which the 16 ships
have been groomed for their voyage
and the completeness with which they
have been provided with all the necessl-
ties of a battleship for peace or Tor
war, leaves no doubt of the mobility
Of the great armed force. Even the
officers themselves are little surprls-
ed at the amount of work that has been
accomplished and the quiet confidence
that has marked every step Of prepara-
ton, II the ships were destined for
immediate conflict little more could be
done t, make them ready for the fray.
The distinctive white and buff paint
which has gained so much admiration
to the American ships would, OF course
have to give way to the safer leaden
gray, but that is a matter of only
few hours work. Gray paint is always
carried by the American ships ana
many Of the officers believe 1t would
not be a bad idea to use this color on
such a long and hard practice cruise
as that upon which they are about to
set out.
Now that all is ready. officers and
men alike are anxious to get away. The
trip IL to he anything but junEet
and 1t means long hours and hard work
for every body in the fleet. There is an
entire absence Of enthusiasm. but
manifest atmosphere of serious devo-
ton to duty surrounding the departure
of the fleet. The orders and the pub
lished itinerary offer little prospect Of
entertainment or amusement en- route.
Sea duty. drills and target practice
are the outstanding features of the
trip through Magellan straits to the
sand dunes and Indian hutS of Maya
delena bay.
One Of the features of complete readi-
ness of the fleet is to be found in the
chart houses of the navigating officers.
When the fleet was first ordered to
prepare for the Pacific voyage the navi-
eating officers of each ship were sup
piled with specially prepared charts
leading down the South Atlantic coast.
through the treacherous waters of
Magellan and along the Pacific coast
to San Francisco. Several weeks ago
these charts were supplemented by
others, showing the way to Manila.
Then more recently have come lately
revised charts capable of guiding the
fleet all the way to Gibraltar The
furnishing of these charts has given
rise to gossip that the fleet is destined
eventually to circle the globe and that
there may be something more beyond
Magadelana than San Francisco.
The ordnance officers attached to the
fleet have accomplished probably the
most difficult duty in preparing for the
CTulSt- hey nave ildu " SCS W NIX
storage of more than 2.000,o00 pounds OF
ammunition In the carefully protected
magazines and to the installation OF
the new and secret fire control system.
Armor piercing projectiles filled with
explosive d. said 20 be the most power
full and effective of all the secret for
mulas in the possession of the navy's
experts, have been placed aboard the
ships. and huge supplies of snokeless
powder charges have been slowed away.
One Of the greatest problems which
confronts the ordnance experts has to
do with the storage of the heavy
charges of gun cotton taken along to
load tn" score OF harbor mines which
each bat:leship carries. The solution
has been found in the distribution of
the deadly explosive in small portions
throughout the officers quarters. Lit
tie wooden boxes. IS inches long and
six inches in depth and breadth. con-
tanning several bottles OF gun cotton.
have been placed about five feet apart
in the wardroonl and steerage dining
rooms, and even the officers staterooms
have been invaded. The effort has been
to keep the delicate explosive as far as
possible from the magazines and from
the shock of the big guns. At the SAME
time It Is believed that the system OF
distribution adopted is such that should
one portion Of the gun cotton accident
ally explode. it would not set off the
general supply.
The fire-control which has been in
stalled OH the ships is a visual and
audible system of directing the fire OF
all guns in the first and secondary bat
teries. From the forward fighting tor
the ordnance officer Of a ship by squeez-
ing hub gives Il buZzing signal t
each gun crew whose piece he wishes
brought into action. The range of the
enemy is also flashed upon an indicator
The system was recently tried by The
Maine at target practice and broad
side was fired with the roar of L single
gun. The rapidity of fire is such that
the entire supply OF ammunition car.
ried by the largest ships would be ex'
An, Anl To- fro,.