The daily tribune., 1908-05-22
.BATTLESHIPS
PREPARE FOR
WORLD TOUR

the battleship feet will make its
triumphal entry into the harbor Of
Seattle, the metropolis of the North.
west. and reports received at the navy
department indicats that the recep.
tion to be accorded the officers and
sailors will be quite as enthusiastic
as that given by Los Angeles and San
Francisco. The stop at Seattle is
the last official visit the feet will
pay at Pacific coast ports. before con.
tinuing its tour Of the world.
Preparations for the voyage are
now bieng completed by the navy
department and the itinerary has now
reached final stage. A. total of
approximately 42, 500 miles will have
been covered by the Atlantic battle-
ship feet when it arrives at Hampton
Roads on February 22 next according
to estimates made by the naval Off
cials.
The distance to be covered accord
ing to an itinerary made public today
for the voyage of the feet from San
Francisco to the Philippines, thence
to China and Japan and back to
Manila Is 1921 miles. The longest
lap Of this distance is from Honolulu
to Auckland. $3.50 miles. said by
naval officials to be the greatest
steaming distance ever made by any
battleship fleet in the American
navy without stopping for coal. This
will require slightly more than six
teen days, and during about six days
of that time the department expects to
be in touch with the fleet through
the operations of the wireless teleg-
raph apparatus aboard the battleships
and the auxiliaries and the cable
station at the Fiji Islands.
One Of the colliers and two of the
supply ships will stop at Samoa for
coal and the battleship Illinois, W wbich
under ordinary circumstances cannot
carry enough fuel to steam 1000
miles. will store some coal in bags on
deck and also take fuel In her fire
room. Regular coal supplies will
be taken aboard at the various stop
ping places when needed.
Tie feet will leave San Francisco
on July 6, as originally intended,
make two stops instead OF one at Man
lila. hold extensive manasuvres In
the Mediterranean, and reach Gibral-
tar the first week in February. The
first stop in Manila will be eight
days. after which the feet will re-
turn for three weeks target practice
in the Philippines. Upon reaching
Australia the fleet will be divided,
eight ships going to Melbourne and
eight going to Sydney. thereby saving
several days time. The stops at
Yokohama and Chefoo will be for
only six or seven days, the feet max
ing longer stops at Hawaii and Samoa
owing to the difficulty in coaling
more than one or two ships at time
The plans are for the feet to be on
the Atlantic coast not later than Feb
ruary 22.
Leaving San Francisco July 8. the
battleships are scheduled to cover
the 2.io0 knots to Hawaii In nins
days, arriving there on July 10, where
the coalipg process will be long.
keeping the feet until July 90.
The next run, from Hawaii to
Samoa. Of aces knots. will require at
the ten-knot cruising speed ten days.
80 thht the meet may DO expected mt
snmoA oil August Another long
stay will be made on account OF the
cosling process At Samoa. the feet
In leaving that port about August il
for the 2 1856 mile run TO Australia.
Two divisions Of the fleet will
steam into Sydney about August ~
whereas the two other divisions
make their call at Melbourne. the
two feots will join st Sydney enrly
In September and start on tho long
cruise to Manile. reaching there the
middle Of September. The feet
| will arrive In Japan the 6rst week IN