The Delta independent., 1908-10-16
WORLD CRUISE OF
OUR BATTLE-SH|PS
a Significant History.Making Move
ment by the United States.
P'cihc Ocean Saved to America BY
Robust Policy of Republican
Party.

"n war ships is one OF the most inter-
esting. important and far reaching per-
formances of any administration since
the Civil War. History rides upon the
prov of the fiagships OF this fleet.
Eighty-fve millions of people have for
months been attempting to interpret
the movement and solve the problem
our government is attempting TO prop
eriy adjust by this circumnavigation of
the globe. When President Roosevelt
nrst announced that the fleet Of battle
ships was to make the long journey
from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean,
the Democrats turned prophets of evil
and predicted many disastrous things
would follow as consequence OF this
unprecedented move.
Armada and World Cruiss.
The armada took its departure from
Hampton Roads. Dec. 16. 1907. and
after wholly successful voyage around
the Horn. OF about twelve thousand
miles, II dropped anchor In San Fran
cisco Harbor May 8, 1905. The ships
that form the four divisions of the fleet
In this record making cruise are: The
Connecticut, Louisiana, Maine. Mis-
souri,. Georgin. New Jersey. Rhode Isl
and. Virginia. Alabama. Illinois. Kear-
sarge. Kentucky. ohio, Minnesota. Kan
sas and Vermont. To which were add
ed the Nebra ska and the wisconsin. al
ready in Puget Sound. thus making a
feet OF eighteen frst-class modern
battleshlps I'm perfect condition.
There We're already in the Pacific
and Oriental waters the fine armored
n Ts.Fs fu
ryland and Pennsylvania. Their two
sister ships. the California and South
Dakota. were also on the Pacific. and
the powerful Washington and Tennes-
see went from the Atlantic to join the
armada. thus making eight armored
cruisers to be added TO the eighteen
battleships. In addition there were In
the Pacific several protected cruisers.
gunboais and other lesser craft. All
told there were ten hundred and fifty
officers and nineteen thousand i've hun
drcd men.
In due time the main feet of war
ships resumed it's western course and
will touch at the leading ports Of China
and Australia. passing on east by way
of the west. and coming finally 20 NAL
Ia and Gibraltar. where II 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 II is an entire
misunderstanding OF the whole scheme
to suppose that II 10 aimed narrowly
or definitely Mt any single power. IL Is
one OF those robust constructive poll
cics OF the party gaueed on world lines.
II In more OF notification than
threat. to all existing governments.
welding North aud south America.
The eyes OF the world have followed
our fleet with absorbing interest. One
of the great advantages gained by this
cruise IL the cordial welcome and close
acquaintance which II has evoked from
the governments and peoples of the
chief republics OF Latin America. To
the Braziians. the Argentincs, the Chi
llans and the Peruvians the mighty re-
public OF the north had been merely
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. In
Il the chief South American ports. But
Whey were NIL visited by swift and
stately liners. flying the flags OF the
maritime powers OF Europe.
At every South American port the
fleet. our navy. our government. our In
stitutions. our people. our aims. our
Industries. our tradc-cvery conceivable
al
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
creased fourfold since the fleet visited
Rio Janeiro. In this case II seems that
trade may follow the battleships.
President Roosevelt Explains Move
ment.
In statement In speech he made
in st. Louis. President Roosevelt took
the public into his confidence to a de-
gree when he said: california. Ore
gon and Washington have n coast line
which II our coast line Just as cmphat-
ically as the coast line OF New York and
Maine, OF Louisiana and Texas Our
fieat ir going to It's own home waters
in the Pacifc and after stay there It
will return TO Its own home waters
On tho Atlantic. The best place for the
naval officer to learn his duties Is mt
sen. by performing them, and only by
actually putting through a voyage OF
this nature, voyage longer than any
one before undertaken by MS large
feet OF any nation. can we find out
1ust exactly what is necessary for US to