"TWO OCEAN" STANDARD.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 45, 21 August 1908, Page 5

"TWO OCEAN" STANDARD.

WHAT AMERICA NEEDS. By Te4t«T»pk.—Pre«s Association.— Copyright. (Received August 21, 9- a.m.) NEW YORK, 20th August. Admiral Robley Evans, who retired after taking the United States battleship fleet to San Erancinco, in, accepting a "loving cup" from his friends, urged that the proper standard of the American Navy was 16 battleships commissioned in the Pacific and 16 in.- the Atlantic, and eight in each ocean to be held in reserve. The present naval policy of the United* States it has been stated, is based on a "two ocean standard." The principle of this is rather similar to England's 4 two-Power standard, except that the*, States have no desire -to create a fleet equal to the combined sea power of any two others. The two-ocean standard contemplates the development of & fleet of forty-eight battleships, permitting an active fleet of sixteen, and a reserve of eight in each ocean, together with necessary torpedo crait auxiliaries, fortified naval bases, i such as Honolulu and, Manila, and coal \ stations. This is dedmed sufficient for the protection of American interests andfor the discharge of American responsibilities in either ocean. It is not probable that an enemy is likely to have--a much greater force before 1915, when I the completion of tho Panama Canal will permit of the quick combination of forces in the Atlantic and Pacific.