Evening star., 1920-03-30
ATLANTIC FLEET
At BEST AS WAR
CAME, SAYS MAYO
Admiral Tells Senators In
adequate Personnel Was
Only Deficiency.

The Atlantic feet never was better
prepared for war than when it came
/ from Cuban waters late in March,
1917. after it's winter battle practice.
Rear Admiral Henry T. Mayo. former
chief Of the fleet. today
told the Senate committee investigat-
ing the Navy's conduct of the war.
The personnel was on peace basis
and was somewhat inadequate. the
admiral said. but officers and men
were confident and well trained. and
target practice in southern waters had
shown gratifying results.
Had No written Policy.
l. No sxrittens. plan or policy for the
participation OF the feet in the war
was given him when the United States
Joined the allies. Rear Admiral Mayo
! testified, but in conversations with
Admiral Benson. chief of naval opera
tions,, and other department officials
he was informed that the missions of
his command were to prepare for in
slant service: to protect the coasts OF
the United States and to train naval
personnel.
Dispersal of the ships of the At
lantic fleet along the coast Of Central
America in 1913 and 1914 to protect
American interests had very detri-
mental effect" on the efficiency of the
feet, Rear Admiral Mayo said. The
outbreak Of war in Europe IN the
summer of 1914 forced attention on
the Unsatisfactory condition" of the
fleet, the officer asserted. and resulted
in the immediate formulation Of
! plans to assemble the Atlantic naval
forces and whip them into the best
policy was reflected in the splendid
condition of the fleet in the spring Of
1917, the officer said.
Began Preparations in 1914.
Instructions were given by the
Navy Department in December. 1914.
to place as many of the battleships
| az possible in full commission and to
prepare the fleet for extensive ma
neuvers in southern waters that
| ing of additional ships in commission
made the personnel shortage acute.
the officer said. and resulted in dis
cussion by the department and Con-
gress of means of obtaining more
| officers and men for the Navy. Such
| did not result in the addition of any
where near an adequate number of
men prior to the entry of the United
| States into the war.
On February 3. 1917. he received
| instructions to take every precaution
l
| view of strained relations with Ger
many, Rear Admiral Mayo said, and
| a few hours later he received unoffi-
cial word that relations with Ger.
many had been severed.
Upon the return of the fleet to north
ern waters a patrol force was organized.
to consist of cruisers and smaller ves-
sells, and he was informed that this force
would be directed by the department.
Called Start Of IFalse Policy"
This was the start of what the COM
mander-in-chief believed to be a false
policy" said Rear Admiral Mayo,
| namely. control of active operations of
| subordinate forces by the department.
In view of my presence in the area OF
operations to be covered by the patrol
force the mission. in my opinion, should
have been assigned to me"
At conference between British.
French and American naval officials
April 10, 1917, in Washington, Ad-
miral Benson declared the policy of
the United States should be to keep
| the American fleet intact and to as,
sist in the patrol of the Atlantic and
gulf coasts of the United States and
waters adjacent. Rear Admiral Mayo
! testified. Mr.. Daniels was present at
similar conference the next day. he
said. at which it was decided to send
! a division of destroyers Immediately
| to European waters. Vice Admiral
! Browning represented the British ad-
miralty and Rear Admiral Grasset the
French government at these confer
ences and agreed to the decisions
reached. according to the witness:
! Seven days later the division OF de-
stroyers referred to sailed for Queens
town, Ireland, Rear Admiral Mayo
| said. ~ >,
| During the last few days~of April
he received orders to prepare twelve
more destroyers for oversas service
and was Informed that the depart
ment's policy would be to offer great
/ er assistance to the allies in hghting
submarines by sending an increasing
rumber of destroyers abroad. Rear
Admiral Mayo testified. About this
time he recommended that he be
transferred to European waters to
supervise active operations. but the
depa rtment did not approve the plan.
the witness said.
| General Plan Made Known.
| BY June 13 practically all of the de-
stroyers of the Atlantic feet except one
division. had been ordered to prepare
for distant service. Rear Admiral Mayo
testified, but the forces of both Rear
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