The citizen., 1919-07-24
BIG j. s. FLEET
OFF TO PACIFIC
Dreadnaughts, Cruisers and De.
stroyers Leave Virginia Har-
Dor for West Coast.
WILL GO THROUGH CANAL
War Vessels to Visit San Diego, sar
Pedro, San Francisco and Hawaii
and Then Reasser,ble In
Puget Sound.

Fortress Monroe. Va. July 21.--
When the new Pacific fleet started out
of Newport News at s 80 a. m. new
epoch opened In American history.
Few amid the hustle Of departure. the
hurried good-bys, the waving Of hand
kerchlefs, may have realized that an
other leaf in the nations development
was unfolding.
From the time that America was
born. fleet has been in the Atlantic
10 protect her from danger In the east.
Now she will have one equally strong,
$3.50 between the two. to protect her
from storm clouds waited eastward.
Just 20 years ago the hardy forty
miners. lured by the yellow metal which
makes and breaks nations, crossed the
continent and California was added to
the republic. Now through the 18th
mus of Panama. the new feet more
battleships than our nation dreamed
Of owning only few years ago. IL
going to string floating rampant Of
steel to protect the Pacific.
Destroyers start First.
A flock of torpedo boat destroyers,
birdlike in comparison with the pom
derous dreadnaughts. were the first
TO get under way. At almost the same
time the dreadnaught New Mexico,
with the feet commanders flag flying
from one of its spider masts, started
into sluggish motion.
Other dreadnaughts. predread-
naughts and cruisers fell In behind
the big oil burners, carrying Admiral
Rodman and his staff In addition to
It's regular ship complement Of 915.
Though the fleet will eventually num-
her 175 ships. not all are on the cruise.
OF its seven dreadnaughts. the first
under American colors to reach the
Pacific, the Tennessee. is being over
hauled. Several other fine dread
naughts. cruisers. destroyers. subma-
rines and miscellaneous tenders. which
will eventually he part of the fleet,
also will join later.
Due at Colon July rs.
Colon on the Atlantic side of the
Panama canal will be reached July %.
Balboa on the Pacific side will be left
behind. and the feet will start north
ward July 80. No stops to edify the
Central American republics or Mexico
are scheduled. nor will there be any
maneuverlng saving coal and breaking
ir the comparatively new crews.
San Diego is to be reached August Q,
Secretary of the Navy Daniels taken
aboard and anchor weighed the follow
Ing day.
From August IL TO IS the fleet will
be In San Pedro harbor, Off Los An
geles. The ships will he open for in
spection by the public there and while
II lies of San Francisco from August
90 to "a. After that II will be divided,
the portion carrying Secretary Daniels
going TO the Hawaiian islands, lying In
Honolulu harbor from August 81 to
September 6 and Off Hilo. September 7
to o.
The visit to the latter island Is to
permit trip to our nations best per-
forming active volcano.
ReassembIes In Puget Sound.
The entire fleet will reassemble in
Puget Sound September IT, the official
visitors will leave. and 1t will get down
10 business. Nobody aboard sees any
immediate fighting in sight, but II is
ready.
The Asiatic fleet will not be merged
with the new and larger fleet. II will
still have the Philippines in its area,
though Hawaii will be under the eye
OF the new feet.
One purpose of the stupendous
cruise Is to show the utility of the
canal. our nations engineering monu-
ment. Another is TO prove the ade-
quacy. of our western shipyards for
maintaining and supplying n fleet Of
such size, an object lesson for certain
of our congressman.