The Washington times., 1908-08-23
FOURTEEN WARSHIPS
LEAVE FOR SAMOA
Uncle Sam Wants to I'M
press Pacific With Naval
Strength.

Rear Admiral William r Swinburne,
commanding the aTmored cruiser fleet
which. with a tOrpedO-bOat division,
viii sail today from San Francisco
to Samoa and return, telegraphed yes
teday 10 the Navy Department that
everything is in readiness, and that the
fleet Will proceed on schedule time to
follow the itinerary arranged some
time ago
With the great fleet of sixteen battle
ships now in the Pacific making calls
OF courtesy I'm Australasia and Incl
dentally demonstrating the naval power
of the United States, a lively interest
has been aroused in Europe over the
ability Of this country 10 follow 1t
across the same ocean with another
powerful armada within SO short a
period.
Seven armored cruisers and the same
number of torpedo boats viii make the
cruise, which IS undertaken entirely for
the benefit OF the practice and eNpe-
rience that will be gained. Rear Ad-
miral Swinburne will be IN command
and viii have the West Virginia as his
flagship. The other vessels viii be the
Maryland Pennsylvania, Tennessee,
Washington, California, and South Da-
kota. The last four will constitute the
second division and will be under the
command of Rear Admiral II. Sebree.
These cruisers. which number among
them some Of the latest crack ships of
this class. will be Joined later by the
Colorado, which is now undergoing
minor repairs at the BremeTtOn navy
yard as a result of recent slight ac-
cident in running aground in Puget
sound.
Two Torpedo FlOtillas.
The torpedo strength viii consist OF
two flotiuas under command Of Com
mander William A. gill, who will have
the Solace as his flagship. The Whip
pie. Hopkins. Hun, TruXtun. Preble,
Perry, and Stewart viii constitute this
torpedo boat fleet, and the golfers Sa-
turn and Justin will accompany the
outfit as Tar as Honolulu.
Their cruise will be only half as long
as that made by the Atlantic fleet from
Hampton Roads 10 san Francisco.
Leaving the latter port today the
feet will proceed to Honolulu, 2l0O miles
distant, and is due TO arrive there Sep
ternber . AFTER a weeks stay in port
it will proceed 10 Samoa, which is an
other stretch of 2,263 miles, arriving
September %. Leaving there seven days
later the fleet viii return to Honolulu
October Z After stay Of ten days the
ships will sail for san Diego and Mag
dalena Bay. At the latter place they
Will put in the month Of November in
target practice.
Plans for Maneuvers.
Numerically smaller and in actual
fighting strength much less that the
battleship fleet, considerable interest IS
nevertheless being manifested in this
cruise by department officials. It viii
be the first long distance cruise ever
undertaken by so many armored cruis-
ers and torpedo boats. The speed Of
the fleet will vary in order to carry out
evolutions, maneuveTs. and battle tao
tics at sea This work viii be carried
out on a more elaborate plan than has
ever before been attempted with cruis-
ers, and will be even, more eXteLs sive
than anything to be done by THE 1al-
tleship fleet Special maneUvering viii
be given the torpedo craft. and they
will be tried out for speed.
The special draft of $50 bluejackets,
which has been rushed across the con
tinent to Join the fleet. has ar
rived in San Francisco, and the men
have been assigned 10 the respective
ships The last draft of 80 men. ship
ped from Norfolk six days ago, reached
Oakland yesterday.