Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-06-21
UNCLE SANS NAVY
At HANDY POINTS
ON MEXICAN COAST
Every Ship In Commission In
Pacific Either There Or
On the Way
MEXICO WILL BE CUT OFF
FROM BALANCE OF WORLD
Seventeen War Vessels In
Fleet and Four DestrOyers
to Join Them July |

San Diego, Cal, June 21.-That
Uncle Sam means business was indi-
Gated today by the distribution of the
Pacific reserve fleet up and down tne
Mexican coast in such a way that an
immediate blockade may be called on
every Mexican port from Guaymas to
Salinas Cruz, Not even in the days
following the landing of American
bluejaekets at Vera Cruz were there so
many United States ships on duty at
the same time south of San Diego as
today.
AT sunrise the "mosquito" fleet OF
torpedo destrOyers, consisting of the
destrOyers Hull, Hopkins and TruxtOn,
with Lieutenant w, w. Bradley in
command, steamed out Of San Diego
haTbOr for the south.
The boats were preceded late yester-
day by the armored cruiser Pittsburg,
flagship of Rear Admiral Fnllam, and
by the armored cruiser Colorado. The
Iarmored cruiser South Dakota is under
orders to sail from Bremerton for the
south tomorrow She will pick up ma
rines at Puget Sound and stop at San
Francisco to pick up an added quota
of biuejackets,
With the sailing of the South DakO-
ia, every ship in commission in the Pa
cific reserve fleet will be either in
Mexican waters or headed south. The
naval collier Mars was to sail from
San Diego late today. This will empty
the harbor of the United States fleet
that has been anchored here for some
time.
The outgoing vessels have been coal
ed in record time. All hands pitched
into the Job of filling the bunkers and
the ships were still black with coal
dust as they raced for the south.
According to the present plans, the
Pacific fleet will be distributed as
follows.
At Mazatan, cruisers, San Diego,
Milwaukee and South Dakota; Trans
port Buffalo, gunbOat Annapolis. At
Guavmas, cruiser Cleveland, armOred
cruiser Maryland and supply ship Gla-
cier. At Manzanillo, cruisers Pitts
burg, Albany and Colorado. At Sail
mas Cruz, cruisers Denver and Raleigh.
At Acapulco, cruiser Chattanooga. At
Topolobampo gunboat Yorktown and
destroyer Truston. At San jose De
Cabo, destroyer Hopkins. At La Paz,
destroyer Hull.
The destroyers Whipple, Paul Jones,
Preble and Stewart now undergoing re-
pairs at Mare Island, will be available
! T.. .,v,.;ao bty IttV /
War and navy officials today said
it would be a small matter compare
lively to blockade all Of Mexico. But,
they asked, "whom would we block
lade}"
The population already is near star
yation in many sections, the declared,
and to put into effect real blockade
simply would mean further suffering
for those this government wishes to re-
IIieye. There would be no goVcrnmentt,
with which to treat as to lifting sueh
blockade 49,.
For these reasons administration OF
ficioIs ore even more determined to go
slowly. 1t was frankly admitted ana
emphasized that the administration
will strain its powers to keep out Oh
Mexico ,..,
Although many officials believed
real action, if it comes at all, will NOT
come for several weeks, it was eX-
plained that all haste viii be made to
get the militia to the border as soon
ms practicable. Except the men from
those states in the far south, the mlli-
tiamen must be acclimated. II was eT-
pected that after the militiamen reaeh
the border period of waiting WI,
follow while Carranza is given q final
chance