South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-04-27

ARTICLE -.
Everybody in Santiago knew thai
the Atlantic fleet. under Admiral
Henry T. Mayo. was engaged in tar
get practice and maneuvers II
Guantanamo bay. The battleships
could be seen easily enough from
the hills. and the sound Of their
guns could be heard in the city.
That is 20 say everybody knew
the fleet was there on Feb. 9. 1917.
on Feb. few knew where IL was.
The Atlantic feet had vanished.
From that time on. until the war
ended, the Atlantic fleet and all
other ships Of the United States
navy. moved with a mystery and
secretiveness which was designed 10
keeL' the enemy guessing.
All the world knows now that the
British feet had TWO main rendez-
vous-one at Scapa Flow. in the
Orkney islands, and the other in the
Firth Of Forth. on the east coast Of
Scotland. 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 10 few per
sons outside the navy We never
spoke OF them by name at Washing
<ton. while the war lasted. Base /"
and 'Base 2" were the official and
sufficient designations. Possibly the
Germans learned where they were:
II 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 purposes which made
them practically impregnable to
U--boats
Nor was IL from any exaggerated
sense of alarm that these precautions
were taken as soon as diplomatic re-
lations were severed. Germany's de
claration OF U-bOat warfare had been
aimed at us as well as at other ma
lions. and she might. as she had be-
fore. strike without warning.
In the fall of 1916 the U-53 had
crossed the Atlantic and sunk
number OF British vessels just off
our coast. We had an idea this was
done as sort Of demonstration of
thought we might be interested.
Raiders Busy Along Coast
~ 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
steamer. had put into Pernambuco.
Brazil. in possession of a German
prize crew. and carrying 273 sor-
vivors of some half dozen ships
which had been sunk.
Although at the time we did not
know the identity OF this daring and
successful raider. we learned later
that it was no less a ship than the
famous Moewe. which had captured
twenty-six prizes on that voyage
sinking all but the Hudson Maru and
the Yarrowdale. on the latter they
carried 496 prisoners including
about sixty American sailors, back 10
Germany.
Rumors were rife OF U-boat bases
and U-boat activities in the West
Indian waters. II was no time for
taking chances. We had not forgot
ten how IN the first weeks OF the war
the British cruisers Greasy, Aboukir
/ and Hogue had been sunk in the
North Sea
have told elsewhere in these
articles how the feet went on a war
basis the day Bernstorn was dis
missed
Defense Plan I'm Operation
At the very moment when the
president was delivering his message
70 congress and the German am
bassador was receiving his passports.
Admiral Mayo was putting into ef-
feet the plan for defense of the fleet
in Guantanamo bay.
At s:45 that afternoon Admiral
Nfavo received my order 20 mobilize
naval communications on war ba-
sis
At 1915 that night he received
the "alnav availability" order. and
: the various force commanders began
Ork at once on their reports snow
3inS the condition Of every vessel and
its readiness for war. These reports
we're submitted 10 Admiral Mayo the
I next day. and transmitted immedi-
Pately 10 the navy department
Naturally enough. knowing what
I had happened in Washington. and
y receiving the Mobilization ana avail
ability orders Admiral MGyo's mind
turned 10 what should be the next
step.
Guantanamo bay was exposed and
|. easily accessible. Everybody knew
Athat the Atlantic fleet was there. Ger
4 many knew ~.
u Guantanamo bay was no place 10
Inge-.
In washington we reached the
same conclusion at the same time
\ The Old adage about parallelism
~ thought between great intellects
may apply or perhaps you believe /
in telepathy and prefer the theory
that Mayos mind or Benson's beat
the wireless and sent its suggestion