The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-02
THREESCORE SHIPS
 OF ATLANTIC FLEET
 ANCHOR IN HUDSON
Eight Superdreadnaughts and a Swarm of Swift De- strOyers Fill the River
 Anchorage for Miles
By Associated Press


 threescore ships of the Atlantic fleet today, home from three months of drills and maneuvers in Cuban waters
 Eight great superdreadnaughts and swarm of swift destroyers rode sleepily at their moorings tonight, fairly filling the river anchorage for miles, but more than half of the off cers and of the burned youngsters of the crews were ashore, enjoying forty eight hours of well-earned liberty. Afloat, their comrades gazed longingly toward the great city, picked out with innumerable lights as dark ness fell, awaiting their turn to play the role of Jack ashore.
 When the fleet steamed in past Am ( brose light early in the morning the Y Pennsylvania carried the three high est officials of the naval service. Be- sides Secretary Daniels, who boarded the ship off the Virginia capes yes- terday morning for the last lap of the homeward cruise, Admiral Coontz, chief of naval operations, was a guest of Admiral Wilson, commanding the Atlantaic fleet and senior sea com mander of the navy.
 Mr. Daniels and Admiral Coontz stood with Admiral Wilson on the flag bridge the great sea force made it's stately progress through the crowded harbor and river to its an- chorage.
 FIVE MILES OF DESTROYERS
 As the Pennsylvania fell into her place in line, string of flags shot to her signal yards. The admiral had ordered a two-hour speed run north ward. The destroyers leaped in from their stations on the Hanks, rushing by the battleships at high speed to spread five-mile line across the sea in front of the main force. The battle ships forged into "line-a beam" posi- tion, as the navy knows it. eight great batleships abreast with all the ocean before them, and anothar color burst at the flagship's signal yard started the race.
 For two hours they surged north ward The North Dakota, leading the four coal burners, forged slowly ahead. She was to lea of the some lesser oil burners, and the great banks of black smoke that poured from the stacks painted mimic storm clouds for miles against the clear sky astern.
 The test was of personnel rather tran ships The ships went south with green crews that could not get them up to more than cruising speed. Three months later the same engine room forces brought them back on three fourths boiler power at nineteen knots. This is what the winter drills had done for the men.
 Through the night the fleet steamed northward in column with the de- stroyers screening it's movement on all sides. Admiral Wilson was watch ing the barometer dubiously, however.
 THIRTY KNOT PACE < The Secretary had other matters which called him to New York and yesterday was taken aboard the de- stroyer Goldsborough at the Norfolk base for swift dash outside the capes, where the Pennsylvania awaited him With her homeward pennant whipping straight aft in the breeze of her pas {! sage, the Goldborough tore down the I -bathed bay at thirty-knot pace, k heavy laden cargo craft lowing an in- voluntary salute as she passed when x the stern wave trailing behind the 1 speeding warship reached them. Hardly had Mr. Daniels feet touched [ the wide. white decks of the flagship [ than she was off southeast through the sun haze to rejoin the fleet, sixteen miles away. Above circled seaplanes | carrying navy photographers. Far al sea a, silver pencil of light marked the low flight of navy ''blimp' out to See | the sight
 | As the miles slipped behind the bat \ tleship, a row of bobbing gray knobs \ came into view, the submarines or the 1 fleet. The Pennsylvania passed the I first of these destroyer scouts and then on the hazy rim of the world the seven other great dreadnoughts, steaming in double column, came into view. II looked as though fog might bar the way into port in the morning. By mid night a slow, cold rain was falling with a biting wind sweeping over the ships. Officers and men just from the warm winds of Guantanamo felt Il keenly.
 COMMANDER TAKES BRIDGE By4 a. m. the fog came on. The flee' commander took the bridge in person He was loathe to delay his arrival and with position buoys astern and ships in close order, he sent his snips aheao through the murk. The deep roar o' the battleship's whistles paying In uni son at, minute intervals carried warn ing of their passage, ana naVlsaeins staffs on every bridge were blue Witl coId and the intensity of their water before daylight changed the log l' rain. Still under cold drizzle, tns ships rounded Ambros light ana WILL a final maneuvering to gain tneir DO sitions for coming to anchor, bore away up channel Ahead the air was clear ing. The ram dropped to q uii11AC oiA> then to mist as the channel buoy' flowed by.
 Past the outposts of the harbor thu fighting ships steamed under aiway Tightening skies. Just as flame burs and white puff ball of smoke from { distant shore battery marked the frs gun of the welcoming salute to thu Secretary's flag, the sun broke througt to reveal the jagged sky line of Man hattani Islands great buildings to tn eager eyes of officers and naen.
 Inside, the cruiser Columbia and tn fleet train, which cana on ahead joined in with guns pounding in salut' end bands playing. Farther ahead th last of the great destroyer screen wa coming to anchor up the river. Vir tually on schedule. the eight dread naughts threaded their way up tn traffic crowded waterway. widenini intervals at times to let the river ferr, craft through, to drop anchor unde tbs shadow of the buildings that mak the Manhattan shore a wall of ma sorry along Riverside drive.
 INSPECT TENNESSEE
 Secretary Daniels and the two ad n,irals went ashore later in the da, to inspect the new dreadnaught Ten ncssee at Brooklyn navy yard. Bu tbere was no waiting for the crew Crisp and clean in freshly pressed nav b.ues and with hats at jaunty angle .-. [.-