The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-05-15
Atlantic Fleet Starts Today and for Almost
Half Year viii Cut Circles About
Self in Divisional
Maneuvers
DESTROYER DIVISION
JOINS in OPERATIONS
Tactical Exercises, Target Practice Of
FIotilla and Shaiegical Drills by Sea
Fighters Until Opening Days
Of Maneuvers
BY United Press.

BY United Press.
Washington, May 1.-THE Atlantic
fleet of Uncle Sans navy started out
today to cut circles around itself to-
show the American people what 1t real<
ly can do in the way of scrapping. The
exhibition. in one form or another, will
continue until November /.
The official program provides for
fleet and divisional exercises off the
North Atlantic coast in the vicinity OF
Newport, together with war game
in conjunction with the army from
July "a to 20.
Target practice will be held on the
southern drill grounds from September
to 30, after which the fleet will
be scattered to the home ports for
docking and minor repairs.
Beginning today the battleships OF
the fleet will operate singly for steam-
ing trials and similar individual oper<
ations, after which. on May 20, the di-
visions of the fleet will assemble as fol-
lows:
After divisional exercises lasting for
five days the divisions will return to
these bases, except that the flagship
and First division will go to Hampton
Roads instead of Tompkinsville.
Beginning on June divisional exer>
cises will again be held, the battle-
ships again returning to these bases
on June 10, on which date the flagship
and the First division will return to
Tompkinsville.
After five days spent in divisional
exercises, from June ~ to June II, the
entire fleet will reassemble at New
port on June II for squadron exercises
off Newport from June 10 to July 1.
The week from July / to 5 will be-
spent in the usual Fourth of July calls
at Atlantic coast ports for local ceie-
brations.
On July the battleships will again
mobilize at Narragansett Bay and ON
July 10 will spend five day period
in fleet exercises.
Returning to Narragansett Bay on
July Is, the next four weeks will be
spent at anchor for machinery over
haul, ship drills and inspections, with
the exception of five days from July
d to 30, when the divisions will oper-
ate in a war game in an assigned
area. Torpedo exercises will also be
held. and the mining division and de-
stroyers will engage in Joint exercises
One division OF destroyers will CO..
operate with the army in joint opera
tions in testing the defences OF East
ern New York.
Tactical exercises OF the fleet VIII
begin again about August Z and will
continue until August ~, when the bat.
tleships will return to Narragansetr
Bay for machinery oyerhauling. ship
drills. coaIing and provisions and con-
ferences at the Naval War college, pre-
paratory to strategical manoeuvres
from August 20 to September l. wher
the entire fleet will proceed to the
southern drill grounds for target prac'
tice until September 80, when the fleet
will disperse to the home ports.
The mining division of the fleet will
assemble in North River on May 10
and will cruise and engage in exer-
cises on May off New Haven, on June
off Provincetown and on June .
off Plymouth
After brief call at Boston this min
ing division will continue its exercises
off Salem, Cape Ann, Glouchester and
Rockport until July l. The Vestal anu
Solaee will base on Newport and will
move according to the needs OF the
fleet.
The vessels of the active destroyer-
flotilla upon the completion of repairs
will make reconnaissance Of the New
England coast. after which they will
assemble at Gardeners Bay and pre-
pare to participate in the fleet opera