Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-07
StPaiegg's Boards Decision As 10
Base slIfs Army and Navy.
COAST ARTILLERY ORDERED OUT
Thirty.fifth Company. Now 4. Fort
Monrie. win Soon go Ao-oss the
Pacific aa MISUNDERSTANDING
Also to be Sent There.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 6.-Followlng
the recent action of the army and
navy joint board--the governments
board OF strategy-in deciding upon
Manila bay MS the defensive base OF
the Philippine Islands, both the army
and navy have begun to put Into ex.
ecutlon plans for the floating and
coast defense OF the Islands.
Orders were issued ut the war de-
partment for the dispatch of the Thir-
ty- fifth Company OF Coast Artillery
from Fort Monroe to Manila to man
he guns which have Just been placed
In official announcement was made in
the navy department that four sub
marine boats will precede the four
battleships or armored cruisers which
are to be sent to Manila bay either
| Immediately ahead OF or with the At
| lantlc fleet.
The submarines Shark and Por-
| poise. which are now ut tho New
York navy yard. on their way 10 An
napolis for maneouvers, VIII liz sent
from Norfolk about March to San
Francisco on the collier Caesar. Az
ter brief stop at Mare Island the
Caesar will proceed to Manila with
her cargo. while the Grampus and
Pike, two of the first submarines
built, will be forwarded simultaneous
" on a. collier now on the Pacific
Coast. They will make Manila. the
new naval base. their permanent sta
ton.
| IL has not yet been decided wheth-
er four soit-end battleshlps OF the
Atlantic fleet. or -four of the newest
armorcd cruisers. or eight of these
vessels, shall be sent to Manila for
permanent station. AS announced
the three new battleships now being
placed In commission ut the League
Island navy yard-the Mississippi.
New Hampshire and Idaho--wlll be
ssent to join the fleet IL battleshp
division Ii selected for the Philip
pine station. These three vessels
would form n division with the battle
ship Nebraska. Two important decl-
sions have been reached, however,
10 send four big ships and four sub
marines To Manila. to Is, added TO by
other vessels now on the Pacific Coas.
at IL later time. and also to send the
tiect home by way of the Suez canal
The ships will he sent to Manila. but
whether the fleet ever comes back
depends upon congressional appropri-
alton.
II has not yet been decided wheth-
err the Atlantic fleet shall visit the
philippines and other points In the
Far East rs expressed by an official,
or whether 1t will sail directly from
San Francisco for the Suez and home.
Indications now are that upon the
Atlantic fleets return the Pacific
ieet viii again make Its headquarters
In tho Far Easlt. with station In Ma
Mia hay.
There is disposition to have the
Two hattleships at the Bremerton
yard put hack In commission Mt the
earliest moment. Orders for rush
work would be given II sufficient Off
GERS ana men could be procured to
properly man the ships. The Wis
consln. which left the Aslatic station
with the Oregon n year ago. will be
ready for commission April 1, hut no
available captain for It has yet been
found. Commander Phelps, on duty
III tho Judge advocate generals Of
hce. has been selected as executive
oficer, under the new regulations
providing for commanders on battle
ships. The Oregon will be ready for
commission two months later. Both
ships are being thoroughly overhaul
ed and modernized IA much as posi-
Bile. at cost OF several hundred thou
sand dollars each.
| The Thirty-tlfth Coast ARTILLERY
VIII sail from San Francisco for Ma
Mia about April s. Work on the Ma
Mia bay Notifications mas been In
progress two years. but now that Ma
mia. instead of Subig bay. has been
decided upon as the permanent de-
tense. work Will be pushed more rap
idly. Several guns are already mount
I'll On Corregidor Island, and this
work will extend to Cabalio. Caracao
and Fraile Islands. II the sum OF ap-
proximately S6.000,000 asked of Con-
gress by Secretary Taft for this pur-
pose is appropriated. Other compa-
MES will be- sent over from time To
time. as tho Notifications are COM
pleted The Fifty seventh Company.
the first Coast Artillery company to
be sent to the Philippines. has been
in charge of the batteries recently
mounted on Grande island at the en-
trance TO Subig bay. This company
was sent over last summer as soon
as the guns We're placed.
Two steamers-the China. from San
Francisco. and the Verona. from New
York--arrivsd Mt Manila January %
with large assignments of equipment
for the Corregidor Notifications. Coal
shipped in seven chartered vessels
has augmented the coal supply at
Cayite approximately $4,000 tons
within the last three weeks. Most OF
this is for naval use. A consignment
OF over 100000 of the lateat rifle
ammunition Is now en- route for Ma
Mia in army transports. Another