Coal II.

This is coolbert:

Coal - - USA!

Think NOT it was only the British that maintained a whole series of world-wide coaling stations during the era of the pre-Dreadnought and Dreadnought.

That parvenu [upstart] nation the United States, globally at least by the 1890's the leading economic power in the world, extending influence and beginning to participate militarily on the world stage in a big way, power projection through sea power, an essential element of which of course is a large and very strong pelagic [deep water] navy!!

In the Pacific Ocean alone, the wide expanses requiring the American fleet access to coaling stations, naval bases, concessions or friendly harbors and ports from which pre-positioned stockpiles of high-quality coal could be obtained.

Pacific Ocean coaling stations locations to include:

* Alaska.
* Hawaiian Islands.
* Guam.
* Pago Pago.

American naval vessels patrolling and operating in the Pacific Ocean NOT at the sufferance of foreign powers, friendly, neutral or hostile, independent and autonomous action possible, coaling stations an intrinsic and vital component of oceanic missions.

"sufferance - - consent or sanction implied by a lack of interference or failure."

The need for coal by the American two-ocean fleet exemplified most drastically during the Spanish-American War [1898] by the epic and legendary voyage of the battleship USS Oregon [BB-3]. The Panama Canal at the time not existing, the Oregon having to nearly circumnavigate the South American continent [14,000 mi (23,000 km)], repeatedly having to make stops for the replenishment of coal. 

"Oregon departed San Francisco on 19 March"

Stops at friendly and neutral coaling stations to include:

* Callao, Peru, the first coaling stop on her trip.
* [bypassing] the coaling station at Valparaíso, Chile.
* Punta Arenas, where she was joined by [the USS] Marietta,  Both ships coaled and departed on 21 April.
* Rio de Janiero 30 April. [coaled]
* Barbados for coal on 18 May.

Again from the archives of the New York Times [1891] the value and importance of coaling stations [secure] as discussed and made clear for the reader of the time in a manner that a modern might find somewhat amusing:

"A GREAT NEED OF THE NAVY"

"The importance of securing coaling stations for vessels for the United States was never so urgent as at the present moment. The majority of the new war ships have little or no sail power. They depend almost entirely for motive power on their machinery. Let one of these new cruisers run short of coal and have no means of obtaining a fresh supply and her condition is at once little short of helpless."

"But this is not all. The coal required by such cruisers as the Charleston, Baltimore, San Francisco and Philadelphia to say nothing of the Yorktown, must be of the very best quality. Anything short of the best Pocahontas, Lehigh egg, or first-rate Cardiff means a diminution in speed power."

Right! Modern warships as that term is understood. All-steel hull vessels dependent "for motive power on their machinery". AND that type of coal must be of the highest quality available. Pocahontas, Lehigh egg and first-rate Cardiff [Wales] high quality bituminous coal and not hard rock anthracite [nor brown lignite coal suitable as a fuel source].

Have ships - - got coal - - will travel!!

coolbert.