The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-07-19
j. s. FLEET
LEAVES ON
LONG TRIP
Mighty Dreadnaughts Are
Sent to Guard Pacific
+: Coast.

fleet which henceforth will guard
our Pacific shores sailed out of
Hampton Roads today, bound on
the long journey to home waters.
SIX Of the most powerful super
dreadnaughts in the world. % destroy
ers and three supply ships formed the
naval cavalcade which left at full
tide today under command OF Admiral
Hugh Rodman But before the fleet
passes through the Panama canal and
begins moving northward in the Pa
ciic. probably fifty ships viii be in
line.
A MIGHTY FLoTILLA.
From every port on the Atlantic sea-
board fighting craft Of the Anne rican
navy will meet UP with the main feet
4hers viii travel along and within
SIX weeks or two months there Will
be fnassed along the California. Wash
ington and Oregon coast line nearly
200 war craft OF every description; a
feet which Will remain permanently in
these waters and provide absolute
protection for every exposed spot on
the Pacific coast.
No salvo OF cannon from the shore
batteries at Fortress Mo.lroe marked
the departure Of the fleet today; no
tunultous farewell was blasted by
harbor craft There was. strangely
enough in the sailing away OF the
fleet a certain solemnity and grim
ness unusual for peace times.
NEW MEXICO LEADS.
Shortly before $50 a. m. the order
for departure was flashed from ship
10 ship and at once there was feverish
activity Anchors were weighed; the
crafts made ship shape for the long
voyage.
Four destroyers. moving abreast,
started out OF the Road to the sea
Then the New Mexico. flagship or the
fleet. the greatest ship in the navy,
perhaps the most powerful in the
world moved majestically around and
pointed her nose toward the broad
Atlantic and the voyage officially be-
gan
The Mississippi sister ship of the
New Mexico. followed and then in or
der moved the wyoming. Arkansas.
New York and Texas. They were
fanked on both sides by - boats with
the supply ships Prairie. Melville and
Nestal bringing up the rear.
An average speed OF about II knots
is expected to be maintained during
the sailing time of the fleet to san
Francisco.
There will be numerous stops along
the way and unless the unexpected
happens the feet Will not reach the
California metropolis until August 90.
1t is expected that the fleet will
r-fe al he ~ 81 Of
the Panama canal on July % Locking
through together with stops means the
fleet will not emerge into the Pacific
until July 80. perhaps later It all de
ponds upon how speedy a passage can
be made through the artificial water
way and the time that will be spent
in the harbors at both ends Of the
canal
san Diego will be reached August
9 a day will be spent there on Aug
10 and then the feet will SmaS~e the
one-day trip to san Pedro where Il
will remain probably a week. Depar-
ture from that point depends largely
upon the movements OF Secretary o
the Navy Daniels as 1t is expected
that the flagship viii pick him III
either at san Diego or San Pedro ant
take him on TO San Francisco which
port the feet is expected to MAKE OF
August 90.
After reaching San Francisco. som'
Of ne ships will be assigned at onc'
to patrol duties. but the flagship an
certain others will sail on August ,
for Honolulu. arriving there Angus
81. six days IN Honolulu and thel
the ships will go TO Hilo. arriving Sept
and leaving Sept. g
The last lap Of the journey will b.
reached Sept. Z and leaving Sept. g.
The last lap Of the journey will b
from Hilo to Bremerton to Washing