Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-19
FLEET SAILS IN
DRILLING RAIN
BATTLESHIPS OFF FOR PUGET
SOUND
NORTHERN COAST TO VIEW THE
ARMADA
Reorganized Divisions Take Their
Places In Line and New Order
of Things Goes Into
Effect
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO. May 1S.-In the
gray mist of rainy morning the At
lantic fleet sailed out through the
Golden Gate today on its way to visit
various ports in Puget sound.
On it's way up the coast the fleet will
sail close to the shore at certain points
in order to give the people of Northern
California and oregon an opportunity
to view the long line of fighting ves-
sells under way at sea.
The ships will arrive in Puget sound
on Thursday, the Minnesota, Missouri
and Ohio dropping anchors at Port An
geles; the Illinois and Kearsarge an
choring at Port Townsend; the Connec-
ticut, Louisiana, Kansas, Vermont,
Georgia, Virginia and New Jersey go
ing to Bellingham. and the Wisconsin,
Nebraska and Kentucky going to the
Bremerton navy yard.
Reassembling at Port Townsend on
May %, the feet will proceed to Seattle
that afternoon for a three days visit.
Then the ships of one squadron will
sail for San Francisco for docking,
while the others return to Bremerton
to be docked there in preparation for
the resumption of the world cruise.
which starts from San Francisco
July Z.
Anchors were lifted from San Fran
cisco bay at 11;15 today, and the fleet
got under way for the first time under
the command of Rear Admiral Sperry.
New Order In Effect
The reorganized divisions took their
respective places behind the flags of
the Connecticut and the new order of
things went into effect.
The veteran ships, Maine and Ala
bama, units of the long cruise from
Hampton Roads. were missing from the
line today, their places being filled by
the Nebraska, ship of the Georgia
class, and by the Wisconsin, sister ship
to the displaced Alabama.
| The Maine and Alabama will set out
| for the east by way of the Philippines
and the Suez canal June Is, sailing as
a special service squadron. Smoky
mist hung heavy over the harbor dur
| ing the early hours of the morning, but
| lifted sufficiently by sailing time to rob
the departure from any risk in man
euvering in the thick weather.
Several thousand people stood in the
rain on the hillsides to witness the
going of the fleet, and while the pic
ture was robbed of the flashing re-
f1ected by the sun, there remained
much of the old time inpressivenes
and display of fighting strength that
go with this wonderfully self-reliant
force.
Only Two Remain
The sailing of the Atlantic fleet left
only two ships of war anchored in the
fairway where a little more than a
week ago the secretary of the navy
reviewed the largest assemblage of
ironclads ever brought together under
one flag.
The Alabama and the cruiser South
rakota, the latter being busy with the
grimy work of coaling after her suc-
cessful three days trial trip, which
ended Saturday afternoon, were the re-
naming ships. The Maine Is at Mare
island. The performance of the South
Dakota in steaming 22.36 knots for four
hours under forced draught. and 20.36
knots for twenty-four hours, is at
tracing much attention in naval
circles.
The big cruiser was displacing 100
more tons of water than when she
underwent the builders trial, and her
total displacement was just short of
| 5000 tons, more than 1000 tons of
weight being on board in excess Of the
planned displacement of cruisers of
this type. Under these conditions the
| fast time made was most gratifying to
the officers of the ship and the men,
bers Of the official trial board.