Show WAS WiS PELT T f fOR OR AMERICAN t fL ET Officials at Capital Feared Destruction of Ships in the Straits NEW NW YORK TORK March March 6 Official G. Official Washington ton was filled fied with grave crave apprehension apprehension ap lp- that the American fleet sect on its way to the tho orient would be made helpless at the Straits of ot Magellan ad- ad a n t to the statement of James T. T McCleary 1 second assistant postmaster postmasterS moral in tho the course courso of a a. speech at ate atthe atthe the S e dinner of ot the tho New York state postmasters postmasters postmasters' post post- masters masters' as association at the hotel Alan As Ar Astoria t lan toria ria a last night Mr fr McCleary 1 is in m mcharge charge of ot the transportation of the thA United States mails by sea and ho he had adduced cd this argument nt in favor of a subsidy for the restoration of the tho American merchant marino marine Ho lIe cape espe especially deplored that all aU but one ono of the tho military fleet leet concerned in tho the carrying of C coa coal and supplies for the fleet o of Hear Reu Admiral Evans should have been foreign It is w a matter of duty of high im im imperial A penal dut duty said he earnestly Ie to to n ch thane change e all this A fleet without proper auxiliary vessels without coal eoal and supplies supplies sup sup- plies is is like liko a fleet without guns Thero There is is a n nation which has tho the reputation reputation tion Lion of striking first and declaring war afterward It did it with China and it did it with Russia Supposing that splendid Meet fleet of ours to be bo approaching the Straits of ofIa Magellan Ia ellan an and suppose that the tho Japanese fleet anticipated them Suppose that fleet struck and none of f u. u us ui knew where that foreign n fleet was I r can tell YOU vou that there was grave anxiety in Washington ton but that is iy 9 all aU passed now Suppose if you jou oU I will that fleet had met our colliers and carried them then out to sea taken what coal they wanted and sunk them thorn and ou our r sect fleet had then arrived Then what What bat could that fleet foot have 4 done Bono no then J The telegraph tines lines would havo bavo been cut This is is only a a. hint bint of what might be Wo We must hat havo o an auxiliary aux mx- auxiliary i jary fleet of our own |