The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-17
U. S. BATTLE FLEET
WILL Be DIVIDED
Forces of Equal Strength
Ordered Maintained in At
lantic and Pacific.
WISDOM is QUESTIONED
Secretary Daniels Asserts That
Resulting Competition
Makes for Efficiency.
Special ptspoicA TO Tnn Son.


WASHINGTON. June 1.-two feets Of
equal strength. one In the Atlantic and
one in the Pacific. are to constitute the
peacetime disposition Of the United
States naval forces. according to an
announcement made to-day by Secretary
Daniels. The policy 10 a distinct inno-
walton and contrary to the accepted pol
icy so far followed by the United States
as we'll as leading European powers,
which consistently has been not to divide
the battle fleet upon which the main
naval defense necessarily rests in time
OF war.
1t is known that the expert advisers
OF Mr.. Daniels are by no means unan-
imous as to the wisdom of the new
plan. The Panama Canal admittedly
would make 1t possible to Join the
capital ships of both fleets into q single
fleet In case of threatened trouble. but
It would require some time to complete
this operation and meanwhile division
of the battle feet, experts say. would be
a source of weakness instead Of strength.
Mr.. Daniels purposes to maintain the
Asiatic feet as ''the third main division
Of the United States naval forces S.
Three Admirals Selected.
The Pacific feet will be under COM
Atlantic feet under Admiral Henry B.
Wilson and the Asiatic feet under Ad-
miral Albert c. Gleaves.
The Vice-Admirals Of the Atlantic and
Pacific fleets will be announced next
week. Rear Admiral w. L, Rodgers.
now in command OF the Asiatic feet.
will be the vice-Admiral Of that fleet
In making the announcement to-day
Secretary Daniels gave out the follow
ing statement:
The principal activities Of the Ameri-
can navy in the great war have been
completed and 1t now becomes neces-
sity to put the ships of the navy in such
effective organisations where the train
ing will be carried out during time OF
peace so as to always keep the navy as
whole ready for any military duty
which may arise.
During the war the one mission oil
the navy was to operate against the com
mon enemy of America and the allied
nations Of Europe. In carrying out thii
mission the ships of the navy were S;
organized and distributed as to best &C
complish the purpose. The peace time
training of the navy requires an Or
ganization whereby the. units are wei
balanced and of proper size to permit
the most efficient administration. The IN
terest of the naval personnel must b,
kept keen and alive and the ships, mos
he so distributed as TO meet this con
dition. The units of the organixatio
have been no disposed that when the en-
| tire navy IL called to operate together
| requirements OF fleet tactiis and manoeu
| vers can be properly made.
Battleships Equally Distributed.
The battieships Of the navy will bt
| equally distributed between the Atlantic
and Pacific feet. and practically al
equal number of ships Of other classe.
will be assigned to those fleets. Thes,
rlhes. mine laying ships. supply shi Ne,
pair ships, hospital ships, fuel ships Snt
| tugs.
sin the Atlantic fleet there win be
Four divisions OF battleships. two divi
sions of armed cruisers, eighteen divi
| sions OF destroyers. three divisions Of
| submarines. two divisions of mine lay,
| ing ships.
In the Pacific fleet there will be four
| divisions Of battleships, two divisions OF
| cruisers, eighteen divisions of destroy.
ers. two divisions OF submarines. two di.
visions of mine laying ships.
| "One OF the main ideas In making TIL,
| equal distribution OF the ships between
| INC anu tnc <ttiAntlC meet 10 tS
utilize the well known incentive existing
in all human activities which is compe,
| tition. 1t Is believed that a keen spiri,
Of competition will exist between those
| two great fleets Of our navy which will
result in a high esprit de corps in each
feet and in a high state Of efficiency ir
the navy as a whole. As is now the
practice in the navy careful records will
be kept of both fleets in their results OBJ
tanned in target practice. engineering
competitions, material endurance Of the
individual ships. expertness in tactics
mannuvres, &C.
| "At least once year these two fieet.
will carry out war problems with each
other In which problems the Inajo,
operations will be worked out and thu
skill and strategy OF the high command
| oficers put TO test"