Evening star., 1921-04-26
BY JOSEPHUS DANIELS,
Former Secretary Of the Navy.

ARTICLE H.
the Atlantic fleet. under Admiral
Henry T. Mayo, was engaged in tar
get practice and maneuvers in Guam
tanamo bay. The hattleships could
be seen easily enough from the hills
and the sound of their guns could be
heard in the city.
That is to say. everybody knew tho
fleet was there February 3. 1917. Feb
ruary :, few knew where il was. The
Atlantic fleet had vanished.
From that time on, until the war
ended. the Atlantic fleet and all other
ships of the United States Navy moved
with mystery and scCrrtivcnesa
which was designed to keep the en-
emy guessing.
All the world knows now that the
British fleet had two main rendcZ-
vous-one at Scapa Flow. in the Ork-
ney islands. and the other in the Firth
of Forth. on the east coast of Scot
land. These our squadron on service
in the North Sea war zone shared
with the British.
Few Know the Secret.
But the secret rendezvous of the
Atlantic fleet are known to few per-
sons outside the Navy. We never
spoke of them by name at Washing
ton while the war lasted. Base T.
and base - were the official and
sufficient designations Possibly the
Germans learned where they were
if so. the knowledge did them little
good. These picked rendezvous were
chosen because they combined the two
features of abundant space and depth
for the dreadnaught and lesser ships
and an adaptability for defensive pur-
hirf hnT fiNn I1x,
impregnable to U-boats.
Nor was it from any exaggerated
sense of alarm that these precautions
were taken as soon as diplomatic re-
lations We're severed. Germany's dec
laration of U-boat warfare had been
aimed at US as well as at other ma
tions. and she might. as she had. be-
fore, strike without warning.
In the fall of 1916 the C-53 had
crossed the Atlantic and sunk num-
Der of British vessels just off our
coast. We had an idea this was done
as a sort of demonstration of it's pos
sibilities, in which Germany thought
we might be interested.
Raiders Busy Along Coast.
At no great distance from Cuba
German raiders were sinking allied
vessels in the Atlantic. Only two
weeks before we sent Bernstorff home
the Hudson Maru, a Japanese steam
er. had put into Pernambuco. Brazil,
in possession of German prize crew
and carrying 273 survivors of some
half dozen ships which had been sunk.
Although at the time we did not
know the identity of this daring and
raider, we learned later
that ii was no less ship than the
famous Moewe. which had captured
twenty-six prizes on that voyage.
sinking all but the Hudson Maru and
10 10 On he In
carried 1876 prisoners. including about
sixty American sailors, back to Ger
many.
Rumors were rife of C-boat bases
and C-boat activities in West Indian
1t was no time for taking
chances We had not forgotten how in
the first weeks of the war the British
cruisers Cressy. Aboukir and Hogue
had been sunk in the North sea
/ have told elsewhere in these ar.
ticles how the feet went on a war
basis the day Bernstorr was dismiss
ed.
Defense Plan in Operation.
At the very moment when the Presi-
dent was delivering his message to
Congress and the German ambassa.
dor was receiving his passports. Ad-
miral Mayo was putting, into effect
the plan for defense of the fleet in
bay.
At 3:45' that afternoon Admiral
Mayo received my order to mobilize
place all communications on war
basis.
At 1915 that night he received the
"alav availability" order. and the
various force commanders began
work at once on their reports. show
ing the condition Of every vessel and
it's readiness for war. These reports
q IN ri
next day. and transmitted Immediate
ly to the Navy Department.
Naturally enough, knowing what
had happened in Washington. and re-
ceiving the mobilization and avail
ability orders Admiral Mayo's mind
turned to what should be the next
step.
Guantanamo bay was exposed and
easily accessible. Everybody knew
that the Atlantic feet was there.
Germany knew it.
No Place to Linser,
Guantanamo bay was no place to
linger.
In Washington we reached the same
at the same time.
The old adage about a parallelism
of thought between great intellects
may apply. Or perhaps you believe
IN telepathy and prefer the theory
that Mayo's mind or Bensop's beat
the wireless. and sent it's suggestion
to the mind Of the other without US
ing any mechanical medium.
Whatever the explanation, the fact
is that Admiral Mayo sent a dispatch
to Washington at 3:59 the afternoon
or February 4. 1917. which was
crossed by a dispatch from Admiral
william 5. Benson. in the Navy De-
partnent, to Admiral Mayo
fIun
the shifting of the fleet to a new and
secret rendezvous-and named tho
same rendezvous.
Here is the message sent bv Admi-
raj Mayo from the flagship Pennsyl-
Vanla at Guantanamo:
Unless instructions ara rac.;,,oa
TO the contrary. propose to shift fleet
base to Gulf OF Guacanayaho .rt.r
spotting practice February <. then
exercises" GIL suhhefy
The message from Admiral BENSON ~
from Washington a few minmtns iaten
man that from the fagshIp. bnt he.
lore ITS arrival, read as fojinw.
position OF fleet well known IN
everybody. If considered advisable on
6rGount CO., or submarines. shift base to
IulI ,! OF fuacanayabo or elsewhere az
alscretion. Inform department con-
Where II Guacanay.ho,
ASK the average man where or what
him guessing. u VIII nave
rake large scale map of cuba and
look at the southern coast ~ tha is-
iand. BETWEEN Santa Cruz del Sur and
haPe hade Sruz you will find a sizeable
oody or water. extending in a sort ~
semlclrcie for some seventy miles n
Is about hfteen miles across al its
canayabo. Vi "o"