The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-10-14
new FLEET TO Be
MICHTIEST OF ALL
Canal Win Make Atlantic and
Pacific One.
THE PRIDE OF AMERICANS.

Sans Navy May Become One, Thus
Forming Greatest Naval Unit In
World - Twenty five Dreadnoushts
60 File Through the Canal.
New YOrk.-How many people In this
land realize that the days of the At
lntic feet are numbered? The At
l,ntic fleet that great organization
which inspired Kipling to help i'm
mortalize Bob Evans. which brought
applause from an admiring world when
II sailed out of Hampton Roads and
steamed triumphantly back again at
the end Of the FIRST great naval cir
cumnavigation of the globe; which
thrilled millions of Americans when
majestically it passed in review before
the president of the United States on
Its way to sea last year; the feet Of
which every American is and of right
ought to be proud. Yet the day of its
passing is not far off.
But the going Is also the coming, for
simultaneously with the end Of the
world famed Atlantic fleet there will
come into existence still greater feet,
TO be known as the United States feet;
feet that will pass at the viii of the
which will be--as the Atlantic feet Of
today is not-equally important in the
defensive scheme Of both the Atlantic
and Pacific seaboards.
The Atlantic feet of today is
splendidly officered and manned or
EanizatiOn of twenty-one super-Dread-
noughts, Dreadnoughts and first line
battleships As a fighting unit II is
certainly the equal and, in the opinion
OF thousands who are in II position to
Judge. the superior. ship to ship, OF any
feet that sails any sea under any flag
1t is feet whose vessels total in dis
placement more than 100000 tons, ex-
elusive of auIiliaries. 1t numbers
among its units the great super-Dread-
nOught Arkansas. which less than
fortnight ago made civilization take
notice when II was officially announced
that her gunners had smashed every
existing record made with guns Of the
twelve inch type.
The day when the Atlantic feet
passes gloriously into history and the
United States fleet takes its place in
tHle lineup of the worlds great naval
organizations will be the day when the
old Oregon. the famous ship of 1893
that sailed around South America and
50ined Sampson In the nick of time to
win an undying name at Santiago. win
Head the American feet from the At
iantic to the Pacific via the Panama
canal Behind the Oregon, which for
a day only will be flagship. will trail
In n majestic line the fleet that is dy-
ing and the fleet that is being born.
The feet will include twelve Dread
noughts and super r-Dreadnoughts and
as many more battleships of the first
line. The displacement of the feet will
approximate half n million tons.
The fleets thousand guns of all types
az fired simultaneously would burn up
In smokelcss n2wder more than $780,
900. the prolectiles would weigh APP
proximately 23l 900 pounds. and the
total firing cost wonld be slightly In
excess OF $li5,0O0.
Ia order properly to appreciate the
magnitude Of the United States feet
that IL to be II may not he out place to
say word or two of the Atlantic feet
Of yesterday and today the splendid
Heet which sailed around the globe un-
der Evans. Thomas and Sperry. trio
OF great fleet commanders, all now
dead. When Theodore Roosevelt us
president of the United States bade
the heet under Evans godspeed MS 1t
steamed past the Virginia cnpes that
December day In 1907 there was not
an American worthy the name who did
not feel heart throb of pride ms he
cav or pictured that magnificent line
or vessels which the flagship Connect
cut led out to sea. from her foremast
auttering the two starred blue pennant
ss Fighting Bob" Evans. who was
then beginning as events proved. his
hast voyage as commander In chief of
tthe Atlantic fleet.
The United States neet Is to be the
Arst under the American dag In which
two entire divisions will be made up
- vessels OF the all big gun type.
That feet, when It officially comes into
-eKtsteace, will probably comprise TWEEN
<s-nve lighting ships In addition to
great feet OF naval auxiliaries and
1otislas of torpedo boat destroyers
and submarines. The New York will
be tho nagshlp, and therefore It Is not
cot Of place to tell briefly just what
kind of ship this namesake Of the
5nmplre State Is TO be. She will carry
nn her main battery ten guns OF the
newly perfected fourteen inch type,
zach so mounted that all can be used
In single broadside to either port or
sfsrbS. u. Each OF these guns will
IRE projectile weighing l.400 pounds
a ..aaA