Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-23
When Fleet Sails InJanuary
Will Surpass All Others.
VIII Tour The Mediterranean
May Make Trip Around World.
6olng through susz Canal, Thence
through Panama Canal Home.


american fleet sails for the Mediterra.
mean IN January, 1t will be of nearly
twice the muzzle energy of the famous
patsie fleet sent around the world ii,
iaVf by Former President Roosevelt
ana OF half again as great tonnage
| The schedule and ports of cali have
not been worked out vet in the navy
department and 1t merely has been an
naunced that the big fleet would tour
the mediterranean in divisions 1t was
the original plan in connections with
tho opening of the Panama canal to
have the fleet pass through from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, about Jan. /.
the tentative date of the opening.
THIS practically is disarranged by the
decision TO send the fieet abroad. but
it was pointed out. today, that from
the Mediterranean 1t is comparative
ly short voyage through the Suez
canal and into the Pacific and the fleet
could return that way making the pas
sage through the. canal from the Pa
lcific TO the Atlantic.
The main ships of the line to go on
the January cruise will be the battle
ships Wyoming. Florida, Arkanas,
Delaware, North Dakota, Utah, Ver-
mont, Louisiana. Michigan, Now
Hampshire South Carolina, Virginia,
Georgia, Nebraska, New Jersey Rhode
Island, Minnesota, Connecticut. Kan
sas and Idaho.
Comparing these ships with the feet
which went around the world. they
aggregate a tonnage !, of, $4,000 as
against $685.
Navy officers point out that a more
striking example of the advance in the
navy's effective fighting power is
shown by a comparison of the muzzle
energy of the main batteries of the
fleet, with the world girdling fleet of
1907.
In round figures the muzzle energy
of the battle fleet of 1907 summed up
100000 foot pounds. The main bat
lteries of the fleet which will make the
Mediterranean trip will total 9,550.0a0
foot pounds-almost twice as much.
The battleships will be accompanied
by all the destroyers that can be
spared and an accompaniment of re-
pair and supply ships. This official an
nouncement by Secretary Daniels
makes it apparent that the ships will
go fully equipped.
It is the plan to have the ships sail
about Jan. l.
The navy departments official an
nouncement declares that the fleet Will
be too large to be accommodated at
any one time in many harbors to be
visited and that at Gibraltar it will
be divided and make a tour of the
Mediterranean in divisions.
Official announcement of the fleet
movement, as made late Sunday night,
at the navy department. declared the
object was to send the fleet on pleas
ant cruise to stimulate enlistment and
educate officers and men. Accompany
ling the announcement was compare
/ tive statement of the fighting strength
of the fleet as against the battle fleet
of 1907 and also a short review of the
cruise of the White squadron, the first
of the new navy to cruise in foreign
waters and the cruise Of the battle
! fleet of 1907.
The white Squadron" had four ves-
sells Their total tonnage was 1920,
| Just that of the Connecticut, Evans
| flagship in the famous battiesntp
cruise The total muZzle energy OF the
squadrons main battery was 10000
| foot tons, that of the Connecticut -
| $40. 900. A salvo of the squadron Hre0
1000 pounds of projectile; that q the
| Connecticut 1900 pounds and TQAOQ0
! foot tons in salvo, is nearly TWICE
| The size and fires three times tho
weight eff metal, with six times TN
| energy of the whole of the famQneI
White Squadron in 1920. ~ =. s..
The battleship feet of 1907 was COM
posed of l6 battleships, five auxillartAAI
and the second torpedo Aottlla.
feet called at Trinidad, Rio De JAr,sst'
70. Punta Arenas, Callao, Magdalene
bay and arrived at San Francisco, My
s. 1905, total distance Of $4,000 mile
Thence the feet visited Puget Sound,
returned to San Francisco and sailed
on July I, Via Honolulu. New Zealand
| Australia and Manila for Yokohama,
arriving there, Oct. is, 1908. afters
journey of $4,000 miles and spending
week OF courteous exchange OF comph-
ments The fleet assembled at Manila,
departed thence, Dec. !, 1908, via Cey-
Ion. Suez and Gibraltar. and anchored
| III HAMPTON Roads Feb. %, 1893. b.
ass miles sail from Manila, completing
what is probably the greatest practice
cruise in the history of navies.
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