Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 August 1901 — BIG WARSHIP READY [ARTICLE]

BIG WARSHIP READY

Wisconsin May Be Rushed to the Isthmus. THE SITUATION IS SERIOUS. Conditions at Panama Disturb Navy Department—Formal Order to Proceed Awaits New Developments—Wisconsin One of the Giant Battleships. An order has been sent to Captain George C. Reiter of the battle-ship Wisconsin, now at Anacortes, near the Pirgef sound naval station, to proceed to San Francisco, from which point the battle-ship will be dispatched to Panama in case the state department requests the presence of a war-

ship on the Pacific side of the isthmus. This action was taken after Acting Secretary Hackett had received from the state department a communication from J. Edward Simmons of New York, president of the Panama Railway Company; setting forth the seriousness of the situation on the isthmus and suggesting that warships be sent both to the Atlantic and Pacific side. Mr. Adee, the acting secretary of state, replied to Mr. Simmons that the gunboat Machias had been ordered to Colon on the Atlantic side, but it was the view of officials, both at the state and navy department, that there was no present necessity for sending down a ship on the Pacific side. For this reason Mr. Adee made no request on the navy department for another ship, but as a matter of information he transmitted the letter of Mr. Simmons to the acting head of the navy department. While this was not a request for a ship, yet Mr. Hackett felt that it was quite desirable to have one in readiness to go should the request be made. He therefore directed that the order be sent to the Wisconsin to come down to San Francisco and there await further orders. In view of Mr. Simmons’ letter, which was construed to be a request for the protection of American interests, it was deemed best to have the battle-ship at San Francisco, where she can proceed without delay to the isthmus. The Wisconsin is one of the finest ships of the new navy, and if it should be sent this will be practically its first active duty, as it has been in commission only a short time. It has a displacement of 11,500 tons, is heavily armored and has a main battery of four thirteen-inch breechloading rifles and fourteen six-inch rapid-fire guns, which, with the second battery, makes it one of the most formidable ships afloat. Its complement is about 500 officers and men, including about seventy-five marines.