Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-19
ARMADA WILL SAIL.
FOR PACIFIC TODAY
.Rodman's Fighting Ships Include
Eight of Superdreadnought
Type.
FIRST STOP PANAMA CANAL
Fleet Presents Imposing Spec
tacle Lying at Anchor in
Hampton Roads.

OLD POINT COMFORT. VA. July is.
Riding at anchor in barely visible
lines in Hampton Roads tonight. more
than two-scorc ships of the new Pa
cific feet Admiral Hugh Rodman com
manding. awaited the signal that will
set them moving tomorrow on the
way toward home waters in the Pacific
Admiral Rodman had set $50 A. NJ.
ders from Washington the whole ar
mada VIII be i, motion at that time
not to stop until the eastern approach
10 the Panama Canal is reached
The fleet assembled here was an i'm
posing spectacle today. The eight su-
most modern and powerful craft Of the
navy now in full commission, were
anenored memo in two lines Admiral Rod
close in TO the landing stage, heading
one column.
Destroyers to Lead Way.
The Wyoming. flagship of the second
ing away for miles across the road
stead, lay the dcstroyers, twenty Ave
OF which will lead the way to sea
"nsn the signal is given tomorrow.
Ihrce armored cruisers, the battle
ship Minnesota. colliers. supply ships,
destroyer mother ships and other aux
aaaatS graft we're anchored with the
meet. They also are part of the Pacific
meet. as are other predreadnoughts
and seventy-nine other destroyers now
at at various Atlantic yards: BY the end
OF September. Captain Twining Ad-
miral Rodman's chief of staff. said to-
DAY all but the reserve destroyers to
be held in the Atlantic. pending de-
yeiopment Of facilities for their care
in the Pacific. will have joined the
main force in the. Pacific.
There was little stir or excitement
To-Day. marking the great undertaking
about TO be commenced: that OF trans
ferring more than half million tons
OF hShtinE ships and their auxiliaries
and 10000 officers and men to the Pa
clfic Ocean.
No hustle Is Apparent.
At the beach" were barges, gigs.
and motor sailers were coming and
going AZ day and far into the night
Iacke,s and marines appeared no more
excited than If their sailing orders
were for New York or Guantanamo.
The navy has grown accustomed TO
long voyages during the war Many
OF the men now bound for peaceful
aNuty In the Pacific and nearly al! of
submarines in the North Sea.
Nearly all OF the feet personnel have
made trip after trip across the Atlantic
in destroyers or transports during the
last Few months. 1t was an old story
i..:, for them lacking the thrill that went
around the world in 1905.
SCIhEIARS OF NAVY BIDS
GODSPESD TO NEW FLEET
WASHINGTON, July 1S.-Oficers and
nemhe OF the crew of the newly
organized Pacific Fleet were wished
godspeed and safe and pleasant voy-
age by Secretary Daniels in a message
sent 10 Admiral Hugh Rodman. fleet
commander on the eve of the departure
or the armada from Hampton Roads for
the west coast The secretary. in his
message drew vivid comparison be-
the fleet which the United States sent
around the world eleven years ago
Attention was called by the secretary
10 the fact that the force sent on the
world the mightiest fleet the United
states had ever gotten together previ-
Gus to that time. was almost insight
meant IN comparison with the new Pac-
Fleets are Compared.
he commented upon the fact that
tne new coast fleet will have tonnage
more than twice as great as that of the
ships assembled in 1907 under command
OF Admiral Robley D. Evans and said
tnat while the most powerful vessel
IN the fleet that went around the world
mounted four twelve-inch guns with n
yards. the New Mexico, Admiral Rod Rod
mans flagship and several other yes
sels or the Pacific Fleet had batteries
penetrating armor al 10000 yards
Mr Daniels In commenting on the
advances In naval science achieved
since SINCE the fleet went around the world.
was greatly restricted in its cruising
radius by reason of using coal for fuel
Adniral Rodman's vessels for the most
part were on-burners. while the New
novation almost undreamed of in ad-
mlrai Evans time.