The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1908-10-16

Eighty five millions OF people have for
months been attempting to interpret
the movement and solve HE problem.
our government is attempting to prop
erly adjust by this decentralization OF
the globe When President Roosevelt,
first announced that the ncct of battle
ships was Ia make the long journey
from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean,
the Democrats turned prophets oC evil
aud predicted many disastrous things
would follow rs consequence OF this
unprecedented move.
Armada and world Cruise.
The armada took its departure from
Hampton Roads, Dec. 10, 1907, and
after = wholly successful voyage around
the Horn, Of about twelve Thousand
miles, il dropped anchor In san Fran
cisco Ilarbor May 6, 1908. The ships
| that form the four divisions OF the Noet
in this record makiug cruise are: The
Connecticut Louisiana, Maine. Mis-
souri,, Georgia. New Jersey, Rhode ISL
and, Virginia. Alabama. Illinois, Rear
sarge, kentucky, Ohio, Minnesota, Kan
sas and Vermont TO which were add
ed the Nebraska and the Wisconsin, al
ready in Puget Sound. thus making a
| fleet OF eighteen Grst-clasS modern
! battlcships in perfect condition.
There were already in the Pacific
and Oriental waters the fine armored
cruisers West Virginia, Colorado, Ma
| rylaud and Pennsylvania. Their two
sister ships, the California and South
Dakota, were also on the Pacific, and
the powerful Washington and Tonnes
see went from the Atlantic to join the
armada, thus making eight armored
| cruisers to be added to the eighteen
batteshipS In addition there were in
the Pacific several protected cruisers,
| gunboats aud other lesser craft. All
told there were ten hundred and fifty
officers and nineteen thousand five hun
drcd men.
In due time the lain fleet of war
ships resumed its western course ana
will touch at the leading ports Of China
ana Australia, passing on east by way
Of the west, and coming finally To Nal
i Ia and Gibraltar, where it will coal
and ultimately return to its starting
point at Hampton Roads, some time
early next February.
In this expedition the Republican
party has a policy which projects itself
far into the future, but it is an entire
misunderstanding of the whole scheme
TO suppose that It is aimed narrowly
or definitely at any single power. 1t is
one Of those robust constructive poll
cies of the party gagged on world lines.
| II is more of 4 notification than Il
threat, to all existing governments.
Welding North and south America.
The eyes Of the world have followed
our feet with absorbing interest. one
of the great advantages gained by this
cruise is the cordial welcome and close
acquaintance which it has evoked from
the governments and peoples of the
chief republics Of Latin America. To
the Brazliaus. the ArgcntincS. the Chi
lians and the Pcruvians. the mighty re
public OF the north had been merely a
name or dim figure, powerful and
honored perhaps, but not actually
known. For years there had been lit
tie or no visible evidence OF the wealth
or authority Of the United States, I'm
the chief South American ports. But
they were all visited by swift and
stately liners, flying the flags of the
maritime powers OF Europe.
At every South American port the
feet, our navy, our government, our in.
sttutions, our people our aims, our
industries our tradc-cvcry conceivable
thing that is ours. have been discussed
as they never were before, and that
without suspicion of our political and
diplomatic intentions. One business
house in New York states that Its
South American correspondence has in,
crea sed fourfold since the fleet visited
Rio Janeiro. In this case it seems that
trade may follow the battleships.
President HOoscvcIt Explains Move.
mcnt.
In a statement in a speech ne made
I'm st. Louis, President Roosevelt took
the public into his confidence to n de
gree when he said; "California, Orc
| EOll anu W NNullStbu IuNt Il COAST INT
which is our coast line just as emphat
ically as the coast line OF New York and
Maine, OF Louisiana and Texas. Om
fleet is going to Its own home waters
i'm the Pacific and after stay there Il
will return to its own home waters
IN the Atlantic. The best place for ia,
naval cIicer to learn his duties IS NJ
sea, by performing them and only by
actually putting through a voyage OF
this nature, n voyage longer thnn any
enc before undertaken by rs large q
fleet OF any nation, can we find out
just exactly what Is necessary for MS t.
know as to our naval needs and prac
tlce our officers and enlisted mon II
the highest duties Of their professions
Awakening of the Orient.
The Pacific Ocean Is recognized by
all far seeing statesmen as the thcatel
Of the worlds coming great struggles
Cor military aAl commercial mastery