Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-05-10
DANIELS WON'T
CONE UNLESSIT
Is With SHIPS
secretary of the Navy Plans
Trip to Hawaii With At
lantic Division
EXPOSITION TO PLAN I
in OWN DEPARTMENT
ear of Slides In Panama
Canal Continues to Delay
Final Decision
BY c. 9. ALBERT.
Especial Star Bulletin Correspondents

Especial Star Bulletin Correspondence
WASHINGTON, ID. c., April 26.-
u declared by Secretary Daniels
With great positiveness that he would
proceed from San Francisco with a
Nh division OF the fleet, five first class
'attleships. TO Honolulu, where he will
Iepect the great drydock at Pearl
I1fbor and other defensive works In
ne Islands.
The secretary said that he had de-
|ermined not to make the visit to Ha-
|aN II for any unforeseen reason the
ATLANTIC fleet was prevented from
|4o1ing through the Panama canal, as
row arranged. He said II was not his
|Ipectation to see the exposition un-
less he went to San Francisco with
ne fleet. He did not think Il would
be profitable or expedient to 60 by
train from here TO the coast and then
|Ireed with a division Of warships
1thered there. He desired to take
only battleships OF the Atlantic fleet
WITH him TO Honolulu, he said.
Naj-gen. Goethals, governor of the
|1nal Zone, Is leaving Colon for this
|'(F May and Is due to arrive here
Nay 8. He doubtless then will be
d position to give some upto-the.
IInnte advice concerning the adyisa.
|'IIty Of taking the fleet through the
Nc ditch.
The plan OF Secretary Daniels to
lake the Atlantic fleet through the
1nama canal In July is meeting with
clcrmined opposition In his own de-
|1rtment, II is learned today.
The secretary has talked all along
4 II II were q foregone conclusion
hat the trip would be made. Occa.
'onal hints that the canal would not
ave settled" sufficiently In July to
make the voyage wise we're ignored
|0tII the secretary's recent absence
rom Washington for a few days.
While he was gone departmental Of.
.cIals Unexpectedly announced 1t was
more than likely the whole expedition
would be abandoned. Canal slides we're
||'l likely, they said. They explained
'1o that there was only 80 feet OF
1tcr IN Cule5ra cut and that no naval
Ipert would risk dreadnought In
is than IS.
Al earth slump might occur after
ne fleet had passed TO the Pacific
'1o. II was stated, and weeks pass
1|ofe Il could get back Or a slide
night cut the fleet In two in the mid
'1 L was suggested. half In the Al.
.|Ic and half In the Pacific ocean.
Cen. Goethals, too, was quoted as
.lIng refused absolutely, through the
MAR department, to give assurances
nat the canal could be depended on
+. soon as the date set for the trans
'InIIan voyage. s
The big ditch is all right for mer
|1nfmen, naval officials who disagree
|||I Secretary Daniels declare, but
|| FOR dreadnoughts They add that
.. tI8k of rushing the latter through
|01|d be taken in q great emergency,
b. var. but not for show purposes.
Then Secretary Daniels returned.
me of the FIRST things he did was to
~ unequivocally that the fleet would
L. through the canal He hardly tried
a. conceal his feeling that officials of
ne 1epartment had talked too much.
.I1f ne modified his declaration
|||e. admitting that the trip would
..| Be made IL the fleet got to the
ANAL and found q slide imminent.
At cabinet melting the; decision
|..1 reached not to abandon the voy.
lie unless slides occurred I'm the
|1nIIme."