The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-01-09
Sailing Orders Countermanded by
CabIegram to the Admiral
From Washington.
OFFICERS NOT SURPRISED
Plans Of Navy Wives Knocked in
Head-MrS. Thomas Can
GELS Her Bookings.
LFrom saturday s Advertlser.l


The ships of the Pacific fleet VIII not
sail for the Coast this morning
This information arrived yesterday
afternoon shortly before two o 'clock in
the form of a cablegram to the com
manding officer Rear Admiral Chauncey |
Thomas, and was read to him over the |
telephone by one of his staff officers.
While Admiral Thomas would not
give out anything but the bare state
ment that the fleet IS sailing orders had
been delayed and that he is now await
ing further instructions from the navy
department at Washington, it was
learned yesterday that the reason for
the delay is the present unsettled state
of affairs political in China. Indeed the
message from the national capital made
no concealment of that fact and laid
the postpOnement of the vessels sail
ing at the door of the revolutionary ac-
tivity of Doctor Sun Yat Sen and his
followers.
In the commissioned ranks of the ser
vice the orders were received with mix
ed feelings, depending largely on wheth-
re the officer directly concerned had or
did not have his family down here with
him. Some of those who had already
made arrangements for the sailing of
their wives and children were naturally
upset, but the unmarried ones, and
those among the benedicks whose fami-
lies planned to remain in Honolulu for
some time after the departure of their
lords and masters were delighted with
the chance to linger a while.
Checks Packing.
The cabled order from the depart
ment reached the fleet Just about two
o'clock, and word was sent scurryiRg to
various officers who had moved some of
their traps into hotels ashore, and
were busy packing up preparatory to
getting under way today, that there was
no need TO rush the packing and they
might as well take things easy In this
way the news of the receipt of the or
der became known in the city and by
three O'Clock it was being generally
discussed in all the gathering places
where naval officers and their friends
had been in the habit of meeting.
Admiral Thomas had left the cruiser
California and rejoined Mrs. Thomas
word of the change in program. He
was delighted at the opportunity to re-
main while longer, although the feel.
ing was accompanied by slight hint
of embarrassment when he remembered
the ''farewell reception" he had given
to the territorial officials and the mill
tary last Tuesday.
To the reporter for The Advertiser
who applied to him for confirmation of
the change in schedule the Admiral
said:-
''I would not say that we are to be
here Indefinitely, although there is moth
ing in the cablegram received by me
this afternoon indicating whether our
stay here will be long or short, 1t states
simply that our sailing orders have been
delayed and we are put on waiting or
ders pending further instruction from
headquarters
Ships Marking Time,
Down on the ships the order put an
end to the rush OF preparation. Coal
ing had been practically finished, the
ships had been trimmed and water
stores taken ON board. In fact, all ar
rangements possible had been made for
getting the ships under way on time in
the morning. Then came the cable
gram and the hustle hushed and the
ships seemed to mark time, so tc
speak They are still at that job
Almost as soon as the news Of the ar
yival of the cable from Washington
became noised abroad, additional ru
m0rs began TO rear their heads, and
anything from positive assertion thai
the ships are 10 be sent scurryinf
across the Pacific 10 the shores of China
60 take part In the revolution, 10 the
assurance that "sealed orders for IN,
fleet are coming down ON the Man
ehnTia,n could Doe heard about th,
streets. on the waterfront these rumorl
of course clustered thicker than any
where else. and went 10 the leugih o.
discussing the different classes Of store
taken abound by the ships and wha
they indieatod
The allowing of liberty 10 speeia
first class conduct men and Iestretin
an others 20 shiphMri with the an
nouncmHruf thHt fuI IiIoriy Noul
be restored ly Monday wac bel
10 mean that the admiral is ul
certain lu hiH oNH mInd io ius
what fhf 1rlfrt from Washington nf
81 he iaken 40 meau Tla holding q
ali lut tlf arre.M lIlrnF mrn %
b0nfa mnY ht significant af uHfrftaiut
90 che pnr M ihe commanding ohee
nr 4 mhH mfHn flHf if lrnH Hsf hu
long DO aMp hove n TfWflr ln poi
and Hhuif i0 hf tnfa ~ lrsFlnH hlii q
haHaf ~ ihr'I Hleres altH lr .atif r
fInW lhf nhhf
elfs cuRrp lheT0 " DAYS.
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