Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-07-19
PACIFIC FLEET
Is ON HISTORY
MAKING VOYAGE
Armada Will Test For First
Time Strategic Value of
the Panama Canal
BIZ Associated Press.


Old Point Comfort, Va. July 10
The vanguard of the Pacific fleet
sailed from its anchorage here at
$3.50 o'clock this morning bound for
the western coast via the Panama
Canal. No unusual ceremonies
marked the departure of the six
superdreadnaughts and 80 destroy
ers and tenders which are leading
the way for the naval craft now
assigned to Pacific waters.
Marks an Epoch
The beginning of the voyage
marks an epoch in American naval
history. For the first time the fleet
has been divided with exactly half
OF Its power assigned to guard the
western seaboard. For the first time
also the strategic value of the canal
is to be fully tested when Admiral
Hugh Rodman moves his armada
through to Pacific waters. And for
the first time Americans of the Far
West are to see with their own
eyes the full pomp and power of
the Navy that has been their pride
for years.
Daybreak brought colorful sun
rise poking long crimson fingers of
light past the capes to wake the
ships for the eventful hour.
Ashore little groups of wet-eyed
women. sailors wives or sweet
hearts, crowded the dockhead and
verandas to wave Godspeed.
At eight o'clock the bugles called
softly from the fleet. The hurrying
white figures on each wide deck
were suddenly still. 1t was "colors''
and as the strains of the distant
bands rose and fell on the breeze,
af1oat and ashore men in the white
of the Navy or in Army khaki stood
rigidly at attention facing the bright
flags flung from every staff in the
gray fleet.
Destroyer Leads or
Promptly at $3.50 a destroyer stole
slowly out from its place in line
behind the battleships. A double
string of signal flags on the New
Mexico, where Admiral Rodman's
four starred emblem tapped lazily
above the hooded top of the tall
cage mast, showing that the order
had been given to begin the voyage.
The destroyer swung toward the sea
tripping smoothly down the channel.
Another followed and then another,
spaced at perfect intervals. They
formed a lane toward the sea,
drawn up in two columns.
First to leave her anchorage, the
flagship New Mexico circled slowly
and swung into the water lane be-
tween the destroyers.
on her heels came the Mississippi,
looking like sister ship with long
overhanging prov. In order, the
Wyoming, Arkansas, New York and
Texas steamed down the moving
lane, the tenders closed in behind
and the whole fleet moved off across
the bay to the open.
Once at sea the destroyers will
form a triangle about battleship
divisions which will steam in double
columns inside this protection at a
12-knot gait. At sea, also, some
where along the line the great dread
naughts Idaho and Arizona will Join
the scout cruiser Birmingham, flag
ship of the active Pacific DESTROYER
force.
Change in Policy
The sailing of the great fleet to-
day marks a complete change in
naval policy, a change growing out
of the defeat of Germany in the
great war. Not while the German
fleet existed nor while German eyes
were leveled covtously at the rich,
undveloped resources of South and
Central America could American ma
val strength have been divided.
The composition of the Pacific
feet tells its own story. The three
most modern ships of the line IN the
navy. the New Mexico, Idaho ard
Mississippi. are headed west. The
people of the western coast re to
see for the first time ships of his
type and size.
Not since President Roosevelt sent
the Atlantic fleet to gordle the globe,
have the people of California, Ore
gon and Washington seen in their
harbors a more powerful and mod
erns fighting craft than the old hero
ship Oregon, long out of date and
holding her place on the navy list
only because of her valiant record.
Beside the 10000 ton flagship IF the
Pacific fleet the Oregon will be all
most a pigmy, and against even the
speed of more than II knots which
made the old ship queen of the '.avy
for years, Rodman's main fleet. his
eight big ships, can maintain about
81 knots for hours at time. while
his destroyers can turn up 35.