The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-19
NEW FLEET WAITS FOR SIGNAL THAT
 WILL START T ON
 TRIP ID PACIFIC
Whole Armada Will Sail From Old Point Comfort Today Not to Stop Till the Panama Canal
 Is Reached
By Associated Prnss

Old Point Comfort, Va, July 18.-Riding at anchor in barely visible lines off here tonight more than twoscore ships of the new Pacific fleet, Admiral Hugh Rodman, commanding, awaited the signal that will set them moving tomorrow on the road to home waters in the Pa cific. Short of new orders from Washington, the whole ar mada will be in motion at 8:45 a. m. tomorrow not to stop until they reach the Panama canal.
 The fleet assembled here is an im- posing spectacle today. The eight super r-dreadnaughts, including the three most modern and powerful craft of the navy, now in full commission, were anchored in two lines. The Wy oming. flagship of the second division of battleships, headed the second col umn. In the third line, stretching away for miles across the roadstead, lay the destroyers, 25 of which will given tomorrow.
 Three armored cruisers, the battle- ship Minnesota, colliers, supply ships, destroyer mother ships and other auxiliary craft were anchored with the fleet. They also are part of the Pa cific fleet, as are other pre-dread- naughts and 79 other destroyers now at various Atlantic yards. By the end of September Captain Twining, Ai- miral Rodman's chief of staff said to- day, all but the reserve destroyers to be held in the Atlantic pending de- velopment of facilities for their care in the Pacific will have joined the main force in the Pacific.
 LITTLE EXCITEMENT
 There was little stir or excitem ent today marking the great undertaking about to be comm enced, that of trans- ferring more than half a million tens of fighting ships and their auxiliares and 30,0oo officers and men to the Pa Cific ocean. At the "beach.' where barges, gigs aud motor sailors were coming and going all day and far in the night, the shifting groups of of ficers bluejackets and marines ap- peared 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 duty in the Pacific. and nearly all of the ships that will take them, are vet erans of the struggle against German submarines in the North sea. Nearly all of the fleet personnel have made At %-.- ttA fJpf to irz destroyers or transports during the last few months It was an old story for them, lacking the thrill that went with the sending of the battleship flee. around the world in. 1908.
 The fleet itself apparently was com : pletely ready. There was no last min ute coaling Battleship or destroyer all those going out tomorrow, rode deep in the water with filled bunkc-s and brimming fuel tanks. For some hours navy barge lay alongside the New Mexico, and red flag at the ships foremast told of ammunition for her great guns being slowed away That was all the preparation that could be seen.
 During the day Admiral Rodman called his division commanders and captains aboard the flagship for con- ference. There was much handshak- ing on the broad, white quaterdeck where the group gathered as officer after officer came oversize to the shrill of the boatswains whistle and the snap of the marine guard to pre- sent arms" It was only a short talk however, for all the work of making ready had been done long before. Each commander had his orders.
 As dark fell tonight and the watch lamps of the fleet showed at mast head. the blinking of strings of red and white globes told that the ships were talking among themselves. There was no pressure of final work for the departure however. and the armada rode peacefully in the night but With steam slowly making in their boilers in preparation for the morning and