Evening star., 1914-04-16
War Dogs on the Michigan
Laying Wagers on Speed
lest Trip.
HOPE TO REACH PORT
BEFORE OTHER WARsHIPS
Accident at Departure and Halt for
Fog Depresses Spirits of Some Of
the Superstitious.
BY WINGRovE BATHoN.

san C,riespondent Of The Washington star. on
board tn" L. ). hattcshp Michigan bound for
Tampcn.
ON RoARu THU, L. $ RATTLESHIp
MICHIGAN Thy wireless 10 Cape May.
n. j.. April Is-War DOGS OF the L nitcd
States Navy aboard the Michigan, restivc
under two delays that threatened to hold
them back from participation in the first
few days action at Tampico. are iubilant
today and laying Wagers OH the race With
the other hattlcsfips to rampico, despite
the landicaps of the first day Of The
voyage
After passing hhe Delaware hrcaki
water At 10 o'clock last night the Michi.
gan was forced to anchor until o'clock
this morning on account of the thick
weather. We are now steaming south
ward, thirteen knots an hour. direct for
Tampico. capt. Albert 2. Niblack ea
poets to reach Tampico Wednesday
Cant Mark of the Marine Corps. Who
missed the Louisiana, is aboard the
Michigan.
Heavy Fog Delays.
The heavy fog which forced the giant
warship to lie up for six hours cast
gloom over the entire ship. and the heavy
force of marines aboard. eager to avenge
an insult to the flag, cursed the III luck
that held them close to land.
Today bright sun has dispelled their
discomfort and ship drills are being par
ticipated in with vigor. Not one man
ticipate In the demonstration against the
Mexican government. As the wireless in
strument flashes and sputters they
crowd around, impatient to hear that
%bo ,Y-in ha lA1 frr
There has been considerable discussion
aboard as to whether the Michigan will
be stopped again before reaching Tam
pico but Capt Niblack said this morning
that nothing but absolute necessity will
cause the engines to slacken their speed
until they enter the harbor at Tampico
The Michigan is capable OF making 191a
knots an hour. Her guaranteed speed Is
1S.5 knots. She is gaining speed hourly.
and the engine room says that with her
boilers and turbines newly cleaned She
will soon be making better than 10 knots
an hour.
Crashes Into the Dock.
After feyerish all-night work loading
2 800 tons of coal and provisions for
three months at the Philadelphia navy
yard. the Michigan was delayed as she
backed out from her pier by her bow
swinging around and crashing into the
dock. Six of the concrete pilings were
injured and part of the deck rail on
the Michigan was torn away. She was
towed out by four tugs and started sea-
ward.
But the United States marines are
nothing if not superstitious. and the
slight mishap at the start started
story that the Michigan is a hoodoo ship.
and when we were tied up in the fog
off the Delaware breakwater many
wished they were on some other war
ship.
With the wireless bringing repeated
"no-stop orders. and the assurance that
the Michigan turbines are the equal of
any in the fleet, the marines and blue
jackets today are excitedly discussing
when they will pass the New Hampshire
or the Vermont, or whether they will
be first into Tampico.
Ships Preparing and Under Way.
NEW YORK, April 16.-The battle
ship Louisiana. under orders to go to
Tampico, Mexico, finished coaling early
today and was ready to go to sea. The
ships departure was delayed a few
hours. however. in order to pick up
more of the shore-leave men, many of
whom had left town to visit their
homes
BOSTON, April 16.-Work is being
hurried on the cleaning of the battle
ships Virginia. Nebraska, Rhode Island
and Georgia at the navy yard here in
view of the announcement from Wash
ington that these vessels of the third
division of the Atlantic fleet are to be
sent to Mexico. The Virginia. flagship
of Rear Admiral Frank f. Beatty,
commanding the division, left the dry
dock yesterday and the Georgia was
docked today.
DELAWARE BREAKWATER Del,
April 16.-The battleship Michigan, which
left the Philadelphia navy yard yester-
day to join the Atlantic fleet in its dem
onstration against Mexico passed to sea
at $50 am. today.
SEATTLE. Wash. April l6.-orders
were received today substituting the
cruiser South Dakota for the cruiser
Pittsburgh as the ship which will carry
300 marines to the Mare Island navy
yard. The cruiser Albany has been
ordered made ready for sea. but has not
been ordered to sail.
NEWPORT. r. l., April 16.-The cruis-
er Tacoma, which left Boston yesterday
for this port on her way to Mexico had
to fight her way against an easterly
storm off the Massachusetts coast last
night. during which the wireless room
was flooded and the steam whistle dis
abled