Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-03
HUGE NAVAL CLASH
IS EXPECTED SOON
Large Fleet Of United States
Battleships Prepares for
the Enemy.
GET ALARM HUN is COMING
Admiral Gleavos Declares U. S.
Has $50 Ships and $4,000
Men "Over There"
GET ALARM HUN is COMING
Iny Annotated prcss1


NEW YORK. June ".-Th2 United
States now has a large number Of first
class bat,leships. preparing side by
side with the best ships OF the British
navy for an engagement on the high
seas. which is expected to occur at
any time with the German feet" ac-
cording to statement made in an
address here tonight by Rear-Adm!ral
Albert Glcavcs.
II am not going beyond The border
line of secrecy declared Admiral
Gleavcs." when l say that few days
ago here came an alarm TO the heads
OF the British navy that the German
battleships were about TO come out for
the expected engagement on the high
seas. l know that the British navy
heads gave the frst-class American
battleships post OF honor in prcpara-
t!on for the attack.
Il do not profess TO know much OF
what is going on in the arena OF war
on the other side OF the ocean" Ad-
miral Gleaves continued. because am
kept busy with my own part of the
game, which Is the management Of the
cruiser and transport operations.
Again ] am limited to narrow lines
in the matter Of giving out informa-
ton. and would not go into details
even did know such things. But
! believe I am within the Limitations
Of orders when say that the United
States has large number of first
class battleships now preparing side
by side with the best ships of the
British navy for an engagement on the
high seas, which is expected to occur
any time with the German fleet.
Il know that our ships now work
ing with the British navy in makn
ready for this fight are in the prime
condition and are fully prepared to win
the engagement. We have about $50
vessels over there now and between
$4,000 and 10000 men aboard them.
NAVY NOW FOUR TIMES
GREATER THAN BEFORE WAR
Asserting that it was gratifying to
ing the signature OF President Wilson
carries with 1t sl.3oo.oO0.Oo0 to back
UP this rapidly growing navy of ours.
admiral Gleaves added that we now
have a navy of 1900 officers and more
than 100000 men" or "a navy four
times greater than it was just before
we entered the war"
Describing the life of soldiers aboard
transports. the speake rsaid that the
men had everything ,ha, can be fur
nished them TO remind them of life
ashore" From 1900 TO 10000 meals
have to be prepared each day aboard
these transports. he said adding that
each ship is little world all to
itself"
In reply to a question as to whether
II had been found possible TO carry
airplanes on cruisers. Admiral Gleaves
said:
"All navies have been experiment.
ing along such lines, hut the airplanes
are so fragile that they arc often put
out OF commission by the discharge
Of the big guns OF IL cruiser, and IL
is difficult to take them on and off
The Seattle carried six. and the North
Carolina and the Huntington carried
some. but encountered great difficulty"
NO METHOD DEVISED TO
DESTROY ONCOMING TORPEDO
Asked If any method had been de-
vised 10 destroy an oncoming tor
pedo. Admira! G!caves replied: "Prac-
tically none"
Asked how near to our shores Ger
man submarines had approached. he
referred his qucstioner to the Secre-
tary Of the Navy, who knows"
Asked if he could explain the dis
appearance of the naval collier Cy-
clops, he said that lit would take a
fortune-teller to account for the Cy-
clops."
Asserting that the american sailor
has no superior Admiral Gleaves said
that he had never heard OF any dis
elimination In the navy against en-
listed men Of German parentage and
that there was mo caste in the Unit
ed States Navy except that of giving
orders and obeying orders"