Evening star., 1908-01-19
WAR PREPARATION LACKING.
Rear Admiral McCalla Calls Atten-
tion to It.

SANTA BARBARA. Cal. January is
Radical reorganization. of the navy should
be undertaken at once is the opinion OF
Rear Admiral McCalla expressed ycstcr-
day in an interview. The lack of prepara-
ton of this country for possible war
should demand early and serious consid-
Grafton. He said:
''Other nations have made mistakes in
building warships and with a Navy De-
partment under civilian secretary. de-
psrtment with eight different bureaus
and civilian secretaries, ruinouS mistakes
arc only what might be expected. Build
ing and organizing navy require expert
ence. 1t would be no more foolish 20
put lawyer or doctor in charge of Il
great railroad than it is to put d civi..an
at the head Of the navy.
Besides an adequate navy. for which
our people have begun to show an appre-
citation. it is highly important TO have
at least the skeleton of an army.
Now. we have not officers enough TO
train or command d large force arms
enough to equip it, and in case OF a dis
aster to tho fleet we should he helpless In
repelling An invasion. THIS WAS made
painfully apparent i'll the Spa nish war,
but the lesson has not been learned
The Second Submarine Flotilla.
NEWPORT. r. L.. January 1s.-The sec
ond submarine fotilla, consisting of the
submarine Cuttlefsh. Tarantula and
Viper, accompanied by tho tender Hist
and the naval tug Potomac. left tho tor
pedo station for the New York navy
yard yesterday. EXTENSIVE surface and
under water maneuvers have been carried
on successfully in this vicinity for the
past four months. The low temperature
of the sea did not interfere in any way
with the movements OF the craft under
water The second flotilla will join the
first f1otil.a and later will so to southern
waters.
German Observation of Fleet.
BERLIN, January ls.-Orders ..ave beer
! issued to the German cruiser Bremen
now al Rio Janeiro. to remain at that
port until January II, the date wic.l the
American battleslip fleet. under Rear
Admiral Evans, sails for Funta Arenas
The object of this order evidenil" Is to
lengthen the period of time in which the
officers of the Bremen will observe the
| fleet and gather material for technical
reports.
The North Carolina Fails Again.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. January IS
The new United States armored cruise
North Carolina failed again today Il
make her required speed of - knots a,
hour in trial off the Virginia capes
| The trial was not concluded, the shipyard
officials calling it off after the first tw,
| hours of the four-hou"S run. it being
| apparent that the vessel could not max,
| the contract speed. The cruiser will be
! given another trial in the near future.
Little Lightship's Long Voyage.
NEW YORk, January IS Fitting out
| to sail in the wake of Admiral Evans
| armada, now on its way to the Pacific
| ocean. a little ed-huIIed lightship, not As
| big as one of Columbus caravels. is al
| Tompkinsville, aud will soon be ready
! or the 15,nGO-mile voyage to California
| her future home.
| TIE lightslip is new and has been con
| str,icted ut a cost of S6n.Np to take 4
| position on BluntS reef off Eureka. Cal.
| The features OF the trip OF the new
| Iightship officially known as No. IS, is
| lhat she is to make tn" journey under
| ner own steam and with coal consump-
| ton ., only eight tons day. She vii
| carry crew of twenty. Tn" floating
| osacon will probably max. the voyage
! in about hundred days.