Evening star., 1920-01-09
MAIN PORTION Of
ATLANTIC FLEET
IS OFF FORCUBA
Annual Winter Maneuvers
and Exercises to Have
Unusual Handicaps.
cspyvish, n z y,ibsns LIS.

NORFOLK, Va, January 9.-The At
lantic fleet, which has been rendezvous
ing for the last three days on the south
nrn drill grounds off the Virginia canes
sailed yesterday afternoon for Guantan-
.tmo. Cuba, for winter maneuvers and
ar-et practice. Six superlreadnaught
headed by the flagship PENNSYLVANIA
hlazed the sea trail southward, with
four squadrons OF destroyers. several
submarines. supply ships. tenders and
tugs following in their wake The other
Superdreadnaughts with the fleet are the
Arizona, Nevada Oklahoma. Utah and
Delaware The North Dakota is eX-
pccted to JOIN the armada en- route
south. The South Carolina. undergoing
repairs at the local navy yard. viii fo.-
low later.
Rear Admiral Fl. 3 Wilson. feet com
inander. in announcing the departure Of
he fleet, gave out the information that
he prearrangcd schedule OF Steaming
trials and battle formation drills at sea
provided for the arrival of the fleet at
Il he Gutntanam" naval base next Tues
day y stay of three months in the
tropics is the schedule. during which
time a trip across the glIlf to the PAN
anna canal has been planned. one
thousand recruits from the naval base
training station accompanied the fleet
for their first sea experience.
The feet aS constituted. is rela-
lively smaller than previous years.
due 10 tn" fact that lack OF men kept
the number of pre-drcadnaughts
haItlCShipS. several cruisers and a
large number of dnStrulerS in port.
OF The los deStroNers attached To- the
Atlantic feet, ouly thirty-tivc have
large enough crews to Warrant send
iuG them 10 sea.
To Work Out War Problems.
Despite The handicaas nf depleted
ana unframed personnel tn" tie,.t tins
wear faces the most extensive and
comprehensive schedule OF winter
,narelyers in history. Particular at-
tention viii he given tC working out
lessons and prohicElS resulting from
the war and in "lvinE = careful test
to war time mechanical lu1oNht IONS
Co operatjon between naval aviation
forces ana The fleet. experiments IN
submarine. attack problems aud tao
tical maneuvrr, under high speed. in
addition TO the usual strenuous pro
gram of target practice. ~" "Nr"ct"i
,O' keep officers and men busy n'Ght
and dav during the stay at Gl2ntan&
mo Aviation Ships accompany The
Antt were to give the first opportunity
10 experiment with the praclicAhliltN
Of large tactical units carrying their
own flying forces.
Units to Separate.
After spending a. month At tuan-
tar,mo the crews VIII be given Il
hrief respite from the strenuous round
of drills when the seventh division
of draadnaughts goes 10 Barbados and
the fifth 70 Trinidad. performing tac-
tical maneuVerS Ell route. Various
smaller craft VIII accompany the two
divisions.
On February - the units viii be
ioined at Colon. where they will re
main until March 4. givins'au hands
an opportunity for shore leave at
the canal. Leaving Colon March A.
the fleet viii return to Cuba and con-
tinle exercises and maneuvers. in
cluding main battery target prac-
tice until April 26. when the home
ward bound pennants will be broken
out and the return voyage started
After arriving in home waters the
vessels will scatter to various navy
Yards of the Atlantic coast :cr the
annual overhaul period.
Many Unframed Men.
The greatest problem the fleet will
FACE, during, the winter drills is the pre-
ponderance of unframed men in the
crews This is particularly true of
the engineers and artificerS' branches.
Exnert gun pointers and turret trainers
developed during the war are now for
the most part civilians
Manv months of hard work will be
necessary 10 train men to take their
pIaces. Consequently il is not eX
pected that the Atlantic fleet. which
has led the world in tarse: practice,
will this year achieve SO splendid re-
suits.