Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-06-03
bATTLESH|P FLEET
TO REAsSEMBLE;
JUNE IS
ManeuverS viii Form
Another important Chapter
in Stirring Peace History Of
the u, S. Navy,

Washington. ID G., June l.
The battlcship fleet Of the United
! States navy win reassemblc in Hamp-
ton Roads agian on June IS to take
up the never ending game of making
ready for war at which half the Ia
tions of the earth are constantly play
ing.
The summer %maneuyers, to which
the following several weeks Will be
devoted. Will be another chapter in
The recent chronicle of American NJ
val events in which the voyage arounu
the world occupied 50 imporCaut a
part.
The place Of the rendezvous VIII
le the same d9 that from Which The
battleships started on their 'nomeH-
tous voyage ana the same 1T which
they arrived last February, The
ships, too, will be the same with the
exception of the New Hampshire, Id
aho and mississippi, which have
been substituted for the Illinois, Kear-
sarge and Kentucky, now held in re-
serve. In appearance, however, tho
fleet viii be vastly different.
The white squadron is no more.
The covering Of the ships is now a
gray, lustreless paint as nearly as POS
tDie the co'or of the sea itself against
which they are scarcely visible at a
comparatively short distance. The
huge vessels instead of having tue gay
holiday appearance in which they
We're welcomed in all the port3 alons
the line of their forty-thousand mile
voyage, viii look more like the real
lighting monsters hat they are.
Although the ships have undergone
little change in vital characteristics
during their stay III the navy yards
shlcc their homecoming, their out
yard aspect has been much Il4Cfc1.
The ornate brass figure lleads have
been removed. The top hampcr. that
portion Of tn ships equipment above
decks, has been much reduced. The
after bridges ana the flying bridges
forward have been removed. In place
OF the Old military masts, the vessels
viii have fire control masts Of the
wire waste-basket type, which detract
greatly from their symmetrical ao-
p%earance. At a distance they viii be
merely gray hulls with little more
than %turrets, smoke stacks and tho.
gauzo-like masts showing above The.
sides.
This change Of gulse foreshadows
in no small way a change OF policy
IN the American navy. 1t appears
as If the specter OF war which con
fronts European nations at eVrrN
turn, had cast its shadow aao oyer
the western hemisphere, and as If
the gray fleet were the visible SYM
Dol of the spirit of militarism Of
which the American people have be
come increasingly conscious during
the last few years. The navy depar.-
mfnt has kept pace with these
changes in color ana form by train
Ing its officers mt men to be ready
Tor war at a moments notice. =. IS.
ldent Roosevelt reiterated time and
tlmc again the advantages Of tuis
policy. President Tart has adlptel
much the anne view be removing
from responsible positions officers
who are on the retired list.
When the rcasscmbled fleet sails
out to sea this summer. it will be to
play the game of wal more energet-
ltally than ever. The m~nncuVcrs w,l
he Gar more important in This respect
than wns thu voyage around the
world. This journey demonstrate
fully the fleets quality for
stcaming aud placed in the hands OF
the department valuable dlta for
rut!1licc IN the constructors IF iasI
SHIPS e. the future. Att"ltinn is now
to he concentrated upon lighting quail
tiles. TO this and the fcct viii be
divided and the game of war carried
with a%uNiliarics. cruisers II scout
cruisers, as well as torpedo boats.
one of the most important features
of the mancuvcrs viii be the firing of
TIC big guns under battle conditions.
Target practice viii take place not az
a'asured distance as heretofore. bu.
IN rolling sea such as might be en-
'ountcrcd were the fleet moving for
ward to attacks real enemy.
The value ofNe waste-baskct masts
Ia which the IRE control Instruments
arr mounted is expected to be .uily
Established The torpedo boat will n'
out as an instrument of naval
Warfare used in conjunction with
fAAA i'0lAt INa ~ AAAtAia hAiAlAt N EAilfiltN 4
have been nude IN the torpedo that
I is likely to figure much more prom
nontly in naval engagements in the
allure than it has in the past. both Is
casop of increased accuracy of con-
rol and length of range.
Generally speaking. it is believed
these maneuvers win mark p
epoch In the American navy. The
game of war will b. played more en-
'rgetically and more scientifically than
yer before. And whether the ships
arc at sea or In port. they viii always
laNc the appearance Of engines oi
e. truction as an ever present remind
= that the prospect Of war is as
iouslN considered in the United
rs Il l. in The counties over
cas- where the fear Of the world
powers is being expressed In constant
y growing naval budgets and the rap
oily increasing number 81 %launchings
II the grim leviathans of war.
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