Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-26
The Future Of the Navy.

from it's epoch making voyage around
the world. the question of it's future
becomes an interesting one. OF course
the president-elect has given no init
nation of his naval policy, but early
in his administration the problem will
come up as to the disposal of the At
lantic feet and the new ships that will
shortly be added to it, There is a
call from the Pacific slope for larger
naval strength in Pacific waters and
it is not at all unlikely that this call
will be needed, for, until the compile
ton of the Panama canal, it is slow
aud troublesome business to transfer
a fleet from the Atlantic coast to the
haroo, Of San Francisco, or to Homo
lulu and Marila. With the compile
ton of the vessels now under con-
struction and planned for, the naval
strength of this country will be large
enough so that the muchtalked-of
two-ocean navy can be pretty well
realized.
While the big fleet was in Pacific
waters, the Nebraska and Wisconsin,
fresh from Pacific navy yards, took
the place of the Maine and the Alaba-
ma which were detached at San Fran
CISCO and thus Is ships in all We're en-
gagged IN the voyage around the world.
During the year that the fleet has been
absent several new vessels of the bat
tleship type have gone into commits
sion. These are the New Hampshire,
The Idaho and the Mississippi, while
two others, the Michigan and the
South Carolina, will go into commits
sion during the coming summer and
fall During 1910 the North Dakota
and the Delaware, ships of the new
20, 000-to class, will be completed, and
the following year the Florida and the
Utah. both of the 2l0O0-ton class, will
be ready for business
When that time arrives, or by 1911
dl tIlt 'dleSt, Tic SouIllIS VIII HdNC 20
battleships, enough to form two pow
crful fleets, together with the modern
q users which are but little behind
the battleships in tonnage and effec-
tiveness, and the torpedo boat de-
stroyers and auxiliary vessels. There
will then be fighting force under the
American flag fitted to meet the ships
of any nation. There is no question
that the present administration favors
having part of this naval strength
Geta chcd for permanent service in tn"
Pacific, and there is every reason to
believe that this will be The policy of
President Taft. The Atlantic will con-
tlnue to have the same claims as in
the past. and so the division of the
fleet will result, with force strong
enough in both oceans to serve the
interests of the nation at home and
abroad.
All this is without actually planning
for warfare. for in times of peace sit
| uations are constantly arising, the
world over. which demand the presence
of American war vessels, and Ameri-
| can interests abroad are frequently
inperiled without actually involving
| serious danger of war. Then, there
are the demands of international
friendship which frequently call for
visits to foreign ports There will be
such {, case, for instance, when Japan
holds her great exposition few years
hence and at that time it Is not at all
| unlikely that this country will be rep
| resented in japanese waters BY as
| large and strong a feet as recently
circled the globe.
Speaking of the fleet in the future,
| the question comes up as to the size OF
| The battleships which will be built
| from now on. lii the fleet which has
| Just returned from the A. mile voy-
age. the largest ',attleship is of 1906
tonnage, White the ships now being
built and which will be in commission
next year and the year after, will be
Of 10000 tons and 21,00o tons. Moreover
both of the battleships authorized III
| the bill now Ltfore Congress are OF
the 26,,'c0-ton class, or 10000 tons larg-
er than any now in our navy In a re-
cent ADDRESS Rear Admiral Goodrich
Illustrated the rapid increase in the
size OF armored vessels by contrasting
! the Massachusetts. which is lying al
the Brooklyn Navy-Tard, with st.veraj
OF the vessels At Hampton. The Cor
necticut, Admiral Sperry's flagship, is
NEARLY .Wice as large as the Massachu-
sets, which was one of Admiral Samp-
sons fleet at Santiago. 1t is only
sbout one third the size of the i've
new ships for which Congress has pro-
vided. If within 10 years such prog
ress is achieved, certainly within the
next generation the 40.oO0-ton battle
ship is likely to be realized There are
no mechanical obstacles in the way.