The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-07-19
NEW PACIFIC FLEET
STEAMS OUT Of
OLDPOINT HARBOR
Great Armada'S Departure
Proves Majestic Sight and
Marks Epoch in Naval His
tory Of U. S. Nation.

OLD POINT COMFORT, Va, July
IS me vanguard Of the Pacific fleet
sailed from Its anchorage here at $50
O'clock this morning, bound fer the Pa
eitlc coast via the Panama canal, No
unusual ceremonies marked the depart
ture. OF the six superdreadnoughts and
80 destroyers and tenders which are
leading the way for the 200 naval craft
now assigned to Pacific waters.
The voyage marks an epoch In Amer
lean naval history. For the first time
the fleet has been divided. An exact
nan nan OF its power has been assigned TO
the western seaboard.
for the first time the strategic value
OF the canal is to be fully tested when
ADMIRAL Hugh Rodman moves his
armada through to Pacific waters
through tho night the great fleet lay
oIlhklng and winktng its countless mes
sages across the silent roadstead, Day
break brought a colorfu sunrise.
admiral Rodman had set $3.50 o'clock
Tor the sailing hour He would tolerate
no delay, wait for no astragglers, his
captains were told The first sunbeams
saw barges, gigs and motor boats hur-
rying on last minute errands. Below
decks stokers toiled and black smoke
clouds, rose over the fleet,
gradually. the stir died away about
the fleet Ashore little groups OF wet
eyed women, sailoR' wives or sweet
hearts, crowded doSk-he and veran-
gas to wave Godspeed At s o'clock the
nugles called from the fleet Hurrying
white figures on each deck were sud-
denly still 1t was "colors" and as the
strains of the distant bands rose, afloat
ana ashore, men in the navv white or
army Khaki stood at attention facing
the bright flags flung from every staff
in the fleet
In a moment all was hurry again.
Promptly at $50 o'clock destroyer
| stole slowly out from behind the battle
ships, A double string OF signal flags
on the New Mexico, where Admiral
Rodman's four-starred flag Tapped,
showed that the order had been given
to begin the voyage. The destroyer
swung toward the sea. Another fol-
lowed and then another. They formed
a lane toward the sea, drawn up In two
| columns.
First, to leave her anchorage. the flag
| snip New Mexico, 61rcled slowly and
swung in between the destroyers. on
her heels came the Mississippi. In or
der, 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 toward Farewell buoy, beyond the
capes.
| Once at sea the destroyers viii form
a triangle about battleship divisions
which will steam in double columns in
| SIDE this protection at 12-knot gait
| At sea, also, somewhere along the line
the great dreadnoughts Idaho and Art
zona will join, as will the scout cruiser
Biriningham, flagship OF the active Pa
ciIlc destroyer force.
Formidable as the fleet looked steam
ing out. II represented only part Of Ad.
| miral Rodman's fleet. The destroyers
he took out with him We're but quar-.
| ter of those he commanded. In reserve
| at Atlantic yards the others await crews
| to man them, or a call to arms TO send
them scurrying through the canal Ia
| join the flag
The main base OF the Pacific fleet will
be in Puget Sound Washington. That
is the destination of a majority OF the
craft that sailed today and also OF
ships of the supply and fuel train, OF
| the submarines. repair and mother
| ships, of the six dreadnoughts, -four
| big armored cruisers and seven light
cruisers, the mine planters and mine
| layers and all the rest of the 200 Ves-
| sells assigned TO Pacific waters. Other
elements Of the fleet are moving in.
dividually, day by day, toward then
new posts, Some will join the flag er
route. After the main fleet has passed
| through the canal there VIII be a steady
procession through the great waterway !
until all have assembled In the Pacific
To American eyes the sailing Of the
great fleet today marks complete
| change In naval policy a change grow.
ing out Of the defeat of Germany In
the great war.