The "Army and Navy Journal speculating on the squadron's purpose, said, "unquestionably the destiny of the squadron depends largely on the European situation.
Several senior naval officers asserted that the reason for the formation of the squadron was to permit the Navy to "put its hands" on vessels that are the most effective for all purposes, the Journal said.
Navy Department officials said that the vessels were ordered to the Atlantic squadron not because of the recent European crisis but for the purpose of having them view the East Coast ports prior to their participation in the gigantic fleet problem to be held in January.
The "Army and Navy Journal" said that "from a tactical standpoint, the cruisers comprising the squadron are among the fastest and especially adaptable for convoy duty and best fitted for a speedy trip round Chpe Ho: n."
Naval observers speculated on the possibilities of the new motor torpedo boats which will probably be tested in the forthcoming mangWvres. The small boats, which were being considered as "a U.S. mosquito fleet adjunct to the Atlantic squadron, ceased to be useful in heavy weather, the observers said. Because of this factor they may be used only for minor coastal defences, observers believed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.