Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-06-27

To SAIL WITH
olars rs Have The RaellAt Ard
Tbs Aslansle Fleets Equally
Matched
rlgsPEcT PANAMA CANAL


THO recently created pacinc EJECT.
now being organised from vessels
heretofore forming part og the All
lantic forces. win saii from Hampton
Roads for tho West Coast between
july is and 30, Secretary Daniels an
nouuced yesterday Mr.. Daniels prob
ably will be passenger on one Of the
warships making the trip 80 the
Pacific through the Panama CAnal
The uper-dreadnoaght New Mex
leo VIII nv Admiral Hugh Rodrnan's
flag rs flagship at the Pacific lcet.
and the Pennsylvania viii remain the
ilaEahip Of the Atlantic fleet: Tho
composition or the two fleets, Secre
.tary Daniels announced will be made
public within few lays.
The Pacific fleet upon reaching tho
Western Coast will visit san Diego,
Los Angeles and san Francisco, md
probably viii make the last stop u
Puget Sound. Secretary Daniels II
able Is make the "trip, VIII visit the
Paciile Coast naval yards and estah
iishments with q view To making
recommendation to Congress next De-
ceinber for necessary changes.
The Scoretary's Piaas
In announcing the date Of tlcpar
ture OF the Pacific fleet from HamE-
ton Roads, which Is about d month
earlier than previously contemplated.
Secretary Daniels said he had plum.
ned on visiting the Pacific Coast II,
August and that he therefore would
make every effort TO go with the fleet
y Id order to study the scope Of con.
templated improvements os naval m
cilitfes at tho Phnafna Canal II WAS
learned ut the Navy Department that
extensive changes wdhih be necessary
iii the naval establishment ia the Gin.
nal Zone, especially Oh the Pacific
side To take caro- Of the greatly aug
Iiented Pacific fleet.
When ii was first decided to make
the Atlantic and Pacific necta of equal
size and strength, tho plan was 10
semi aii Of the ofl.burning ships %
the West Coast and 10 keep the coal.
burning vessels iii the Atlantic. due
10 the geographical Disposition os tie
nations fuel resources This plaii has
been abandoned, AT was announced
yesterday. because of the fact thai
such d division would necessarily
make the two fleets very unequal In
size and empower. almost all Of the
newest and best ships being OH burn
ers.
40 ne Equally Matched
Under the final division tho two
chief nnits VIII be az nearly equal Ii
number Of ships gun power, speed
and all other elements as Ii ii pos
sibls TO make them.
Secretary Daniels reiterated yester-
day that he wanted the fleets % be
e4ually matched 70 that when IL came
to competitions such as the war
games, planned 81 the Naval War
College, that The admirals Of the two
fleets would oppose each other on such
equal terms that only strategy and
skill could decide the issue. II was
announced that such battles" would
be held dit least once each year. alter
hating probably between the Atlantic
ind pacifics
Both fleets will meet at the winter
drill area at Guantanamo, Cuba. each
winter for target pracgsce, nianeuycrs
ind other exercises I'll. In the past, la
addition extenaivo maneuvers and
practices are planned for the vicinity
of the Hawaiian Islands each year
should 4 Foe Threaten
When asked how long 1t would take
nc two great fleets To unite on either
coast in case of threatened danger,
Secretary Daniels said that under or
1inary conditions. with the Atlantic
feet In the vicinity of New York and
the Pacific fleet around San Francisco.
ne jnnction could be Effected and the
combined feet ready To meet aay foe
within two weeks. This time, he ex-
pIained. would. Of course, be much re-
1uced were the neets operating to tile
south or those ports.
After every war we have Rad the
American Navy has gone stale. said
Secretary Daniels yesterday. discuss
sng The division OF the fleets. We In
tend ID match the two fleets one
against the other In such HtiR compe.
sition that Every ofllcer and man will
K kept oil tiptoe every minute, We
intend to keep the navy just Al enc
lent as It is today. That viii be out
hope, our aim and our policy
s---L----
veal remains Iii tie ssOlnAcil fot hye