Evening star., 1921-03-09

(Notc The combined Atlantic and Pa
cine fleets Of the United States Navy haNe
been engaged in maneuvers OF the west
coast Of south America and have Visiteh
number Of important ports on that co"st.
The subjoined stories Of incidents we're
written by Il correspondent VINO accom-
panied the combined beetSJ
CALLAO. Peru, February 5.-Amer-
ica's new Navy entered upon It's nrst
period of postwar shakedo"h
when the Atlantic and Paclflc meets
undertook their cruise TO Panama
this winter and united for combined
maneuvers off the west coast OF South
America.
With an almost entirely green 1.r-
sonnel. the high command was f"ced
with something like Il Crisis On
other occasions. eA-,lenced men ha We
outnumbered the sSeen hands, put
since the armistice oldtimers nave
been in a very small minority
The difficult problem, however, ac-
cording TO staff officers, was met in
highly satisfactory manner. The men
fulfilled the American tradition OF an
efficient young" Navy, ana, after
few days of uncertainty, the united
fleet unanswered with much of its
old-time precision.
Virtually every ship in the feet Of
sixty staged a Neptune party" when
the fleet crossed the equator. DaVy
Jones and his assistant, Peg Leg,
boarded them the evening before lati-
tude 90 was reached, and warned all
those who were crossing the line for
the first time to appear at am. the
following morning before old King
Neptune.
While the feet wallowed at a stand
still. exactly on the line" Neptune
and his encourage appeared, all in cos
tune. There was the old sea KING
himself with hemp whiskers and "A
gilded trident: Uncle Sam. Miss Co
lum bia. Davy Jones. DR.. Pills, Aphro-
dite, and court testers, BARRIERS, po-
lice and sea dogs.
There were speeches and then the
acts Of homage were rendered. 4
dose OF salts from "A squirt gun. a
mouthful of soft soap, a slash from
the shears or hair clippers, an cleo
trio shock. back flip from a hinged
chair into the waiting pool was the
course of action.
Then the initiates were given q
diploma decorated with mermaids. fish
and sea horses and full of strange
nautical phrases.
The American athletic contests are
one of the means employed to instill
~
recruits who are having their first
taste Of sea life.
Tugs of war between different
groups on each ship and elimination
contests for the interfeet athletic
carnival at Panama have been daily
features Of ship routine since the
cruise began.
To-elininate customary hooting and
cat calls. which might cause iN-feei-
l.. L. IF
the fleet. the athletic directors have
been teaching organized cheering.
something on the order OF collegiat te
foot ball roofing.
4 y x K
The feet kept in touch with Wash
ington hy wireless as far south as
tho equator. The drcadnaughts
nightly picked up the radio news re-
port sent broadcast from the Ar
lington station. The wireless men
were able 10 check up this report be-
cause i WAS repeated by the naval
station At Caycy. Porto Rico, for YES
sells in the Caribbean sea whose wire
less plants were too limited TO re-
ceiye the Arlington message. Another
relay was employed in the Cana!
Zone. where the Balboa station re-
cefyed the Washington message and
the Dar;en station repeated II
Z X
Ten minutes only are required to
serve a meal 10 the l,400-odd mem
hers OF a dreaduaught's crew. Handy
cooks. capsrious steam chests and
hungry. eager sailors turn the trick.
Rancics and tables, which can be
folded and slowed away above their
heads. give each man his regular
seat for meals, although each must
serve himself. Scald,nE machin IS
eliminate diShwashjng dr7Idgcry. The
crews healthy appearance and the