The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-05-23
Final Preparations for Great
Trip Of Ba(ueships
ITINERARY IS AGREED ON
FLEET TO SPEND MONTH VISIT
ING PORTS IN JAPANES
WATERS.

WASHINGTON, May 23.-(Special;>
The Atlantic fleets stop at Seattle is
tba last G3ticial visit the fleet will pay
at Pacific coast ports, before continuing
its tour Of the world.
Preparations for the voyage are
now being completed by the navy de-
partment and the itinerary has now
reached a final stage. A total of ap-
fortunately 42,50O miles will have been
covered by the Atlantic battleship fleet
when it arrives at Hapton Roads IN
February % next, according to esti-
mates made by the naval officials.
Some Long Laps.
The distance to be covered, accord
ing to an itenerary made public to-
day for the voyage of the fleet from
San Francisco to the Philippines,
theme to China and Japan and back
to Manila, is 1928 miles. The longest
lap Of this distance is from Honolulu
to Auckland, 1850 miles, said by naval
officials to be the greatest steaming
distance ever made by any battleship
fleet in the American navy without
stopping for coal. This will require
slightly more than 16 days, and during
about six days of that time the de-
partment expects to be in touch with
the fleet through the operations of the
wireless telegraph apparatus aboard the
battleshps and the auxiliaries and the
cable station at the Fiji Islands.
Coal Bothers Illinois.
One of the colliers and two of the
supply ships will stop at Samoa for
coal and the battleship Illinois, which
under ordinary circumstances cannot
carry enough fuel to steam 1000 miles,
will store some coal in bags on deck
and also take fuel in her fire room.
Regular coal supplies will be taken on
board at the various stopping places
when needed
The fleet will leave San Francisco
on July s, as originally intended, make
two stops instead of one at Manila.
hold extensive manaeuVres in the Med
terraneln and reach Gibraltar the
FIRST week in February. The first stop
in Mania will be eight days, after
which the fleet will return for three
weeks target practice in the Philip
pines. Upon reaching Australia the
fleet will be divided, eight ships 60
ING to Melbourne and eight going to
sydney thereby saving several days
tine The stops at Yokohama and
Chefoo will be for only six or seven
Gays, the feet making longer stops at
halai and Samoa owing to the difh-
c8lty III coaling more than one or two
ships at time The plans are for the
heet to be on the Atlantic coast not
later than February %.
Ten DAYS at Hawaii.
Leaving San Francisco July 6, the
OatteShips are scheduled to cover the
-IOs knots to Hawaii ir nine days, ar
H'Ing there on July is, where the
coaiing process will be long, keeping
The feet until July 25.
The next run from Hawaii to Samoa
y 1853 knots, will require at the lo-
NDot cruising speed, 10 days, so that
NE fleet may be expected at Sa-
"oa on August 4. Another long stay
VII be made on account of the coallng
process at Samoa, the fleet leaving thar
port about August IA for the 1856 miles
run to Australia.
TWO divisions of the fleet will steam
into Sydney about August "a, whereas
|'e other two divisions make their call
Melbourne, where they will remain
''' Ire last week in August, steamins
at the beginning of September &c
'''n the battleships at Sydney ano
>'S'l on the long cruise to Manila.
Neaching Manila the middle of Sep
'7moer. the fleet will spend eight days
manila bay before leaving there FOL
Yokohama.
Japan In October.
ne fleet viii arrive in Japan tne
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