Imperial Valley press., 1913-04-30
Where the Fleet Is

| NEW YORK, Apr. 3O.-A Washing
ton dispatch to the Herald tonight
says: 1--WE should have battleshir
fleets in both oceans"
| high officer of the navy made this
comment today when asked for an ex-
preston Of opinion on the recommen-
dation to strengthen the Pacific
fleet.
That the Pacific Coast is practically
defenSeleSS is admitted by officers or
duty in the department.
| The present Pacific fleet consists
Of four armored cruisers, the Colo
RADIO, the California, the Maryland and
the South Dakota, which have no guns
larger than eight inches. The reserve
fleet consists of the West Virginia, the
Pittsburg, the Charleston, The Chat
lanoOga, the Galveston, the Raleigh, the
st. Louis, cruisers, and the Oregon
which is the only battleship on the Pa
cific. The torpedo flOtilla consists O,
The Whipple, the Paul Jones, the Stew
art and the Truxton and the subma
rines FL, F-2 and F-3, with the Fo
| and the submarines AS and AS il
| reserve.
The navy departments policy il
The distribution of the fleet is in ac
| cord with the recommendation
| The Navy War College, in OppOsilioi
to dividing the naval strength Thi
| recommendation was based on tlI
dea that the fleet can move from on.
ocean to the other in about thre.
| months, which would be sufficient
lime in which to prepare for hostili-
lies.
Another phase OF the question: y
said naval expert today, ''is that ihe
Japanese government would hold The
battleship fleet in home waters unit
learned by which route this country
| Intended to send the Atlantic fleet IL
tnc Pacific. In case of hostilities be
ween the United State and Japan tire
japanese government could not seId
It's first class battleships to the Pacific
Coast and bCmbard the coast cities, as
Trey would rot get back to Japan in
time to protect their own coast in case
the Atlantic fleet should be sent b
the Pacific ocean by way OF the Suez
canal and the Philippines.
"Japan probably would take TIE
Philippines ehd Guam and possibly
Hawaii within few weeks. 1t might
send fleet Of swift vessels to bombar.
The western terminal Of the Panama ca
nal and the cities Of the Pacific coas..
l'his could lie accomplished before our
Atlantic fleet could be got around to
tie Pacific. The loss Of tNe Philippine
and Guam, would, of course, be hu
initiating tut when we got our fleej
aruutid 10 the Pacific Japan would be
helpless. The opening Of the Panama
canal will, of course, simplify the prob
lem of military defense of the Pacific
\f!er the waterway is completed and IN
operation The feet can be transferre i
| from one ucetn to the other within a
| lew weeks. The naval strength VIII
not be divided but the entire fleet viii
probably spend part Of each veal
IN both rr"ans.
Army officers do not agree with tue
naval policy # maintaining the en-
ire naval strength in single fleet
| Officials Of ;ile War Department con
tend that the vessels of the fleet
should be where they are most needed
| In the present political situation they
contend the Pacific is the proper sta
ion for the naval force of the United
States. If The entire fleet be maintaune'
on the Pacific Coast, they say, thcr
at least a part Of it should be sen;
there