Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-05

I II
nine war vessels that left New York
harbor during the past week an
nounced to the New Workers that it was
about to leave the port by certain
number of thunderous reports from its
great guns. To the department at WASH
| fngton 1t spoke the same tale by a few
ticks of the telegraph instrument
In other words, Uncle Sam conducts
great maritime exchange in which he
registers the movements of each one OF
his vessels. just as the movements of
each one of the great merchant fleet of
the world are kept track of by the various
| governments, so does the Navy Depart
ment watch each movement of it's fight
ing machines, not, however, in fear of
It's dash from one port to another to es-
| cape customs. but to see that it is in
constant communication in case of an
emergency. 1t is estima ted. barring ac-
cidentS, that every vessel of the United
States Navy can be communicated with
| In much less than twelve hours and sent
upon any hurry orders which might be
necessary.
Each vessel that has recently left New
York has done so under orders that have
emanaSed from what is officially known
as the office of the aid for operations
| At present this office is under the admin
istration of Rear Admiral Richard Vain
wright. one of the direct assistants of
the Secretary of the Navy, to whom every
daily familiar.
This office might be called the center of
operations. 1t Is here that all the vessels
Of the navy. from the largest to the
smallest, are kept track of in a great
register. to which the officials have but
to refer to gain the latest information of
any of the fleets. Formerly such opera
tons came directly under the bureau of
navigation. The increase of naval force
and modern naval methods have. how
ever, demanded such constant and expert
supervision that distinct office has be-
come necessary to keep track Of the
movements of each vessel.
Three fleets are now in commission In
the navy, officially known as. the Allan
tic. Pacific and Asiatic fleets. These aver
age from thirty to forty vessels each,
including battleships, cruisers, torpedo
boats submarines, Golfers and supply
vessels. and with the unattached vessels.
which ply from station to station or on
various duties, the average number of
ships which the department must keep
track Of is from 200 to 800 daily.
The reporting Of a single vessel of the
navy is, on the surface, a very casual
operation. 1t means simply the sending
and receipt of a telegram. But the re-
ceipt of that telegram means much more,
because its contents are noted in an in
dexed list under the name of the vessel,
SO that at any time its movements can
be traced. Thus, any vessel of the navy,
by the aid of the modern wireless APP
much more than six to eight hours with
the department or its flagship.
X
In fleet organization such reports
are simplified to great extent. For in
stance, the recent departure of the fleet
from New York harbor was reported by
the flagship direct to the office Of the aid
for operations. Should this fleet or any
number of IT'S vessels proceed to any one
point Its movements would be likewise
reported by the flagship at any port of
arrival or departure. But in the case
Of recent movements of the Atlantic fleet
many more reports would come in, for
several of those vessels have gone in OPP
posite directions. and each will report its
daily movements
Sometimes orders will emanate tenn
porarly detaching vessel from the fleet.
In such a case that vessel will proceed to
it's destination. reporting meanwhile Its
movements not only to the office OF the
aid for operations. but also to the admiral
Of the fleet from which ii was detached.
who also reports such facts TO the de-
partment. Thus check on the move
ments of the arrival and departure OF any
vessel Is constantly Kept.
In the days of the Old navy such or
ders used to be slow process. Most OF
those orders used to go by mail or mes
SenSef TO the nearest nag Signalling Std
| tion to he wigwagged off shore. Those,
also, were the days of sealed orders
| when such orders were virtually sealed
| up in a big and important-looking official
envelope. which was weighted down by
! a forbidding black lump of wax. The
| ship receiving them was to sail off shore
\ to certain remote position. where the
| commander was to break open the seal
| and discover his important duties 1t
| meant that there was to be no possible
tft.lf
out to the world. In the present meth
| DDS the orders 30 by code, which is itself
| as mysterious as the seal. The orders
| are flashed over the land wire to some
| one of the war vessels off shore, and the
code keeps them just as safe from curious