Evening star., 1925-08-30
NEW RUM ROW WAR
OF COAST GUARD ON
Four Destroyer Divisions AS
signed to New York and
New London.

The United States Coast Guard has
renewed its former vigilance against
the rum smugglers operating off New
York. according TO an official an
nouncement from headquarters here
last night stating that four divisions
of the Coast Guard destroyer force
had been organized to operate out of
New York and New London. Conn.,,
thus refuting recent rumors that this
arm of the prohibition forces had let
up somewhat in its fight to stave off
inroads of the rum runners.
How much of a change this repre-
sents from the fleets which have been
patrolling the coasts for months was
not revealed by officials, but the an
nouncement showed that the four
units comprise a total of 81 former
Navy destroyers, some with famous
war records under the command of
Comdr. H. G. Hamlet. The flagship of
the force is the Mojave, with Lieut..
Comdr. II. r. Searles, second in COM
mand.
Base Is Transferred.
In conne6tion with the statement
revealing The existence of the de.
stroyer force, it was also disclosed
that a section base, known as No. 3,
under the New London patrol area
has been transferred from Greenport,
n. Y, to Nantucket, Nantucket Island
Mass, for strategic reasons No
further explanation was made for the
transfer.
The four divisions of the former
Navy destroyers, now under Coast
Guard colors fighting smugglers,
were given as follows:
Division /, home port base, New
London-Downes (fagship) Lieut..
Comdr. G. E. Wilcox; Ericsson, Lieut..
Comdr. L. T. Chalker; Beale, Lieut..
Comdr. R. r. Waesche; Cassin, Lieut..
Comdr. P. f. Roach; Jouett, Lieut..
Comdr. r. L. Jack; Redwing, Ensign
S. V. Marion.
Division 2, home port base, New
York, n. Y.-Porter (f1agship), Lieut..
Comdr. L. Reinburg; Roe, Lieut..
Comdr. ]. J. Hutson; Ammen,
Lieut.. Comdr F. w. Towle; Patterson,
Lieut.. Comdr. NJ J. Ryan; Paulding,
Lieut.. Comdr. J. S. Baylis.
Division 3, home port base, New
York, N. Y.-Conyngham (flagship),
Lieut.. Comdr. E. d. Jones: McDougal,
Lieut.. Comdr. S. V. Parker: Mona
CHAN, Lieut.. Comdr. w. A. Bonham,
Terry, Lieut. Comdr. E. A Coffin;
Henley, Lieut.. Comdr. L. V. Kielhorn.
Division 4, home port base, New
London-Cummings C1agship), Lieut..
Comdr. r. w. Dempwolf: Mccall,
Lieut.. Comdr. F. A. Nichols; Fan
ming, Lieut. Comdr. James Pine;
Trippe, Lieut.. Comdr j. H. Cornell:
Burrows, Lieut.. Comdr. L. l.. Bennett.
Bolstering Pacific Fleet.
A recent announcement concernine
the withdrawal of several cutters from
the rum patrol to do other vigilance
work along the coast in connection
with approaching Winter for the pro.
lection of life and property did not
mention what was to happen to the
large destroyer force. There are MANY
other smaller boats in the Coast Guard
forces which are capable of maintain.
ing patrols against smugglers, aside
from the cutters which have left
Another source of renewed strength
to the Coast Guard is beginning to
bolster up the Pacific dry fleet. The
first vessel to be transferred to the
Coast Guard after being forfeited for
violation of the new recent law of
Congress was the gas boat Florence
SO feet long. The boat was transferred
by order of the United States District
Court at San Francisco, to the Goa st
Guard.