Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-01-07
THE FLEET AT SUEZ'
AMERICAN sATTLEsHiPs ARRIVE
TWO DAYS AHEAD OF
THEIR SCHEDULE.
4 TEST OF CANALS CAPACITY
The Fleet viii Be the Heaviest Fight
Ing Ships That Ever Went
Through the Suez
Canal.

Suez. Jan, 4.-The United States At
lantic battleship feet, completing two
days ahead Of its schedule the next to
the longest run Of Its world girdling
cruise, arrived here Sunday morning
from Colombo, a distance OF S,44O
knots, from which place the meet
sailed on December 20. The loss OF
seaman from the battleship Illinois
who fell overheard and was drowned
as previously reported, was the only
accident to mar the voyage from
Colombo.
The Illinois remained on the scene
and is q little behind the feet.
The stately array Of battleships was
an imposing sight. The weather was
splendid and the bay was crowded
with craft, the occupants OF which
gave an enthusiastic welcome to the
ships. Despite their long trip, the
warships looked as smart and trim as
though out for a naval review.
All arrangements were made by
wireless for the ships Of the feet to
pass through the canal as quickly as
possible and to coal at Port SAID
where $4,000 tons are stored.
The authorities have made arrange
ments for the battleships to have
right of way for q clear run through
the canal.
The American feet is the most
powerful ever to pass through the
Suez canal and will give a new test OF
the capacity of the great artificial
waterway. Great Britain often has
sent strong squadrons to the east
along this road, but none has been
more than one-half as large as the
American feet.
The presence of this great force In
the Mediterranean has been the object
of curious theoretical study by Euro
pean admiralties. A member In the
stan Of the intelligence office OF the
British admiralty called attention
some weeks ago when war in the Bal
kans was discussed, that the United
States would have force In the
Eastern Mediterranean in January
holding the balance of power in the
event of naval Europe being divided
force capable of debating a settle
ment. Although this may appear q
fanciful suggestion, the presence OF
the strong feet is new phenomenon
In European affairs and is taken into
account in expert discussions as hay
ing future possibilities.
The passage of the canal is regard
ed as safe even for 16,000-ton vessels
such as the Connecticut class, which
will be the heaviest fighting ships
that ever have gone through. None
of the British Dreadnought types have
made this voyage. The canal, which
originally provided for vessels Of
draughts of "a feet Z inches, has been
deepened to somewhat more than %
feet. Vessels of the Connecticut class
require 26 feet inches. When the
present plans are executed the canal
will have 81 feet depth over floor Of
100 feet. The width is ample The
Dewey drydock, 1876 feet wide, got
through with only two feet In breadth.
to spare at one bad spot The Dewey
was the widest craft ever taken
through the canal and the Connecticut
classes will be a precedent so far as
draught is concerned.
The canal is 81 miles long. Sc miles
being through dry land and 81 miles
through the Menzaleb Ballah, Timsah
and the Bitter Lakes. There are some
doubtful places where the wash In
sandy cuttings tends to fill in the
channel, but for the most part the
soils are tenacious and the channel
dependable. Ships go through under
their own steam. The speed is limited
to six miles an hour. BY using cleo.
trio lights many vessels pass through
by night. The canal runs free from
sea to sea with a slight ebb and flow
OF the tides, following roughly the
course Of an Egyptian canal Of five
centuries before Christ.
Leave to 60 through the Suez canal
will cost the United States govern
ment, with quarantine and other dues
not far from $4,000, The regular
tolls are s1,47 per ton. British ship.
ping companies are continuously com.
planning against this rate, which they
aver is unreasonable. The Suez Canal
eompany's rate Of dividend on S4O.-
100000 capital has been from "a to
2s per cent for a number Of years.