Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-28
Easily Gets Through Canal,
Making History for Big
Waterway.

ABOARD THE FLAGSHIP U. S. s.
NEW MEXICO. Saturday. July Is (by
Wireless to the Associated Press).-
The Pacific fleet, under the command
Of Admiral Rodman, tonight is floating
in Pacific waters.
Six drednaughts, led by the flag
ship New Mexico, today successfully
negotiated the Panama canal-the
| largest ships that ever have passed
through this waterway. The average
| time of passage for each warship from
Colon to Balboa was ten hours, elimi-
mating anchorage time in Gatun lake.
This is the biggest event in the
history Of the canal" said Gov. Ches-
ter Harding of the Canal Zone. after
| the feat had been accomplished.
These dreadnaughts are the largest
ships and this is the largest feet ever
| to pass through the canal"
| Gov. Harding boarded the flagship
at the Pedro Miguel locks and made
the rest of the passage to Balboa.
Visits President Porras.
This afternoon Admiral Benson
| visited President Porras Of Panama,
| who congratulated the naval officer
| on his success in negotiating the canal.
Approximately $500 sailors were
given shore leave at Panama, and the
city tonight is celebrating the arrival
| Of the feet. which departs tomorrow
for San Diego.
The fleet left its anchorage in
Gatun lake at dawn this morning,
proceeding in pairs two hours apart.
The New Mexico and Wyoming led
the way, followed by the New York
and Texas and the Mississippi and
Arkansas.
To Admiral Rodman, who planned the
operative organization of the canal,
was given the honor Of directing the
course of the first dreadnaught to
make the trip. Through the reaches
of Gatun lake the dreadnaughts
steamed at thirteen knots an hour.
Bias Obispo reach, however, John
Constantine, canal pilot. who es-
chews navigating charts, to the won
der OF naval officers, reduced the
speed to five knots an hour.
The flagship accepted the guidance
the high banks Of the Culebra cut.
The giant craft threaded her way
slowly through this section, for II
she had proceeded at any great speed
she would have sucked in the banks
h sse ho sa le daan s sss the
flagship passed under the ominous
shadow Of Gold ELL. the backbone Of
the continent, where many slides have
occurred. In passing Gold Hill, the
warship. from whose rails the pro-
verbal biscuit could have been tossed
ashore. entered the locks at Pedro
Miguel. where 900 sailors. given
liberty. took q special train for
Panama
Gov. Harding Comes Aboard.
Gov. Harding and Rear ADMIRAL
Marbury Johnston. Of the Panama
naval division came aboard as the
flagship was being locked down thirty
The operation of locking down the
dreadnaughts proceeded with the
same speed and precision as the lock-
ing up at Gatun.
As the New Mexico eased her way
into Miradores lake, a great crowd
collected on the concrete locks cheered
and salute of seventeen guns was
fred on the flagship in honor of Gov.
Harding.
Mirafiores is q lake In name more
than In fact, and the flagship was
lowered down the two locks depth of
hfty-five feet in as many minutes.
Meanwhile the Wyoming entered the
parallel set Of Miraflores locks as the
New Mexico was leaving, so that each
dreadnaught was the first" warship
Of this class to complete passage Of
the canal.
1T was no more trouble than putting
through the canal feet of great
lakes tugboats," said Admiral Rod
man. who was visited by Rear
Admiral William r. Shoemaker of
the battleship Rhode Island and other
naval officers when the dreadnaughts
anchored in Panama bay.