Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-05-14
- sDllfg Tells How Fleet
1M hDfsss he World
u GET MII IRON rllD
nan Who is to Command Fleet Across
Pacific says Tina. Ships are In Bet.
8 Ter shape Than IL They Were Tied
Up.

ADMIRAL Charles 8. Sperry, who VIII
sstcceed Rear-Admiral c. N. Thomas
a commander.in- chief of the Atlantis
Sfiee. May Is. and who Is preparing
IS the l6 battleships homeward
JAY Z. by way OF Australia, Honolulu,
Manila. Yokohoma, China and the
sSuex canal. was asked today:
sWhat will be the effect OF TINS
cruise upon the world
The answer showed a new view OF
thaaaues,ioD, but one which might
haS been expected from man who
EWas president of the Naval War Col
eleRe al Newport for several years
and naval member of the American
detagaticn TO the second Peace Con
ference AT the Hague.
when the great battle teets dis
spersed after the Napoleonic wars"
he replied, the seas were infested
with pirates. The West Indies. the
7n4ian Ocean, the Mediterranean,
the China Sea and other waters were
sSerltRble nests OF pirates. and tha
great powers sent singly TO these
slAwless quarters of the world small
cruisers which engaged for many
years in the suppression OF piracy and
s4he punishment Of disorder. When
the seas were finally cleared Of the
black flag. they continued 10 order
out smail ships and called it show
'3n6 the flag. For the better part OF
! century Il continued.
A sentiment then developed
keaiust It on the score that II was use
fesa. unmilitary and expensive. Con
Hontratton OF. the fighting force In
1afxe fleets was advocated, and
kfadually policy was shaped to that
md. The construction OF Paducahs.
'GAlyestons and other nondescripts,
Nin6e visits to out-of-the-way places
made no Impression whatever, was
stopped. This feet Of 16 battleships
WA developed and what Is the result?
Neither our flag nor any other was
3ser shown to such advantage as ours
~ been thus far. and will be ss we
Aomeward across the Pacific.
86Sh the Suez canal and the Medi-
z9f42Aean..
NAVY Yard Demoraiixing. ~,
yghAt do you consider the chief
HaAae OF the cruise thus for and the
ess11se 10 Gomez"
Keeping the ships away from the
Ivy yards" came the answer with
ri hesitation. and 1t had peculiar
.lafce, since Rear Admiral Sperry was
2kAsiuaed at the New York Navy Yard
NJ several years before and In the war
Nth Spain.
go long as the ships are under the
- Of the navy yards there is
t1lstded responsibility for heir efIic-
1T maintenance. The yards are
&reedy Tor work. that labor may be-
lnpaOyed. The ships company is
I'D 10 lay down its work and go on
IrfRe. Between the two the ships SUI,
- Ia the days Of the old battle
SH1ne the ships companies took good
100 az their motive power, making
- Wending their sails, and they
0936 DO 10 now to as great an ex-
- - poesible. Few serious repairs
seeded when the ships force
~ day attends to defects as they
80 u Is an old saying about q
in time When near navy
- he tendency Is to let the work
NJ the yards. The further we
- sMay from the navy yards the
or coalition improved. The
o<the feet was thrown on It's own
Does tho less frequently the
booUA nag appeared. while up
~ arrival on this coast IL WAS
- tknt no extensive repairs were