Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-05-05

dent Wilson upheld me in my contention
with the secretary of war that no ton
should he charged for naval vessels go
ing through the canal
The creation of "A strong Pacific fieet
was the result of long consideration
and study. Long before the world war,
when Rear Admiral Cameron Mclao
winslow was made a full admiral and
placed I'm command OF a Pacific fleet,
then small and containing no modern
dreadnaught, I directed him to make
study of the needs of the Pacific. Other
officers were likewise instructed to make
similar studies.
AS n result. in 1914-15. | had decided
to organize n powerful Pacific fleet.
which could be united with tho Atlantic
fleet within few days notice. The
world war postponed it's creation. When
the time came the expansion in ship
construction had been so great we were
able TO constitute two fleets. each hav-
ing 1876 <ships. Lggrcgating for each
525 600 tons. or 10000 more tonnage
i'm each fleet than composed the whole
fleet which Fighting Bob" Evans took
around the world on that famous voy-
age ordered by President Roosevelt.
WarnIng TO the World.
with the completion of the ships au-
thorized in the thrce-ycar program our
navy will have strength uncqualcd by
any other nation: and the ncct when
combined. will be an armada which will
compel respect. and, | trust be a warn
| ing to any nation not to emulate Ger
! many's greed for world conquest.
The decision Of the navy department
! To organize and establish a now Pacific
/ fleet of strength equal to the Atlantic
! fleet is based ON sound reasons, both
stratecical and administrative. The re-
suits of having the entire navy organ
! lied i'm two grand fleets. tho Atlantic
and the Pacific, will undoubtedly greatly
improve the efficiency Of the navy as q
whole. due to the fact that moro wal
| problem exercises on largo scale car
be carried out during a years work
and these exercises can also be con
Quoted on the two oceans which are or
the shores of the United States In ad-
dition the spirit of competition in tn,
| results to be obtained in target praC
| ticc. engineering records and other
| various forms fleet exercises an,
training viii undoubtedly produce
flnC GtfFGt ON inc tltii Af''r sAH4'a AiA'''' ~
/ greatly increase the general efficiency
Navy Not divided"
ii is mistake to speak of the navN
AS helms divided into two fleets, in tn,
sense that the two fleets are widely sep
aratcd and therefore. do not supper
each other, Tho more correct expression
is to say that the navy is orraui2cd il
two great flccts. each composed of tn,
same number of divisions ot the various
tvrcs Of ships which go to make up tha
tactical organization called a feet
This is true because the Panama cana
prrmit, the two fleets ut all times, to ~
in clos,. touch with each other Eithc
fic,.t could he sent from the main stra
tcs.iCal positions on on" coast L
those positions on tho Other coast. with
IL comparatively few DAYS and as thi
period Is less than that M which ans enc
u7y of any important strength could At
tac< clthcr one of our Seacpa Sts il is cvi
dent that ia no way does thc two-ficc
organization plan weaken the protection
of our coasts As matter Of fact thi
alan ~ organization grcat'y increase