Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1916 — Fleet In Pacific Might Be Victim For One Good Ship [ARTICLE]

Fleet In Pacific Might Be Victim For One Good Ship

While the house military committee wias taking steps toward getting its bill for increasing the lar army and the federalization of the National Guard before the house within ten days, the naval:committee was being Jnformed. by Admiral Cameron Winslow that the entire Pacific fleet which he commands might be an easy victim for a singly good enemy battleship. Admiral Winslow made the statement smilingly. Pressed by Representative Stephens of California for an exact description of the condition of the ships under his command, he said that the force was wholly inadequate, even with all its reserves called out, to meet any probable enemy in the Pacific. What p,ans the navy department had for meeting an emergency there or in the Atlantic, however, he said were matters of strategy which he did not care to reveal except in confidential sessions.