Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-12
troops safely on the French coast !
the last conflict.
Shown How Navy Performs.

Shown How Navy Performs.
Flowing majestically through the
waters, churning up great wakes
which would have set smaller craft
unlucky enough to find itself astern
on end, this Navy guard OF honor
came onward, till the afternoon, when
35 miles due east Of Cape Henry they
met another challenge. another Of the
fleet but grim little craft, bearing the
representatives of the press of the
United States Though too young to
be in the great conflict and to have
been a part of it, the youth was given
a first.hand display of how the Navy
did it then. For when the mists,
under a leaden sky, had been wiped
away by the speed of the two ap-
preaching forces, there appeared on
the signal halyards a long row of
flags, which meant nothing to the
young civilian and air reServist. But
it was announcing her signal number,
which later was interpreted into her
name, the United States destroyer
Golf, another full-grown member of
the family that was already with her.
Signal flags then ran up and down
from and to the yardarm, and signal
boys stood perilously on bridge ends
Then for the first time in his water
borne crossing Lindy heard the swish
of roaring, foalning waters cease, and
the throb of the engines was stilled by
sharp command from the bridge, fol.
lowed by the tingle of bells on the
bridge as the throttlemen wound down
on the great wheels closing off the
great steam pressure which had been
churning the four great propellers for
days. The Golf sWished by as the
Memphis and her guardians hove to-
and then made a great sweep astern
to come up in the center Of the escort.
The great and little ships, all so small
in this great expanse of water, with
land here hours away, stood side by
side close it seemed, but all wanted to
see Indy. Then the inevitable cheer
went up from the press, boat was
sent over with passengers and ma
terial and then the squadron was off
again.
Specks Appear I'm Sky.
But this was not ceasing of
honors. For out of the sky, some
where, little specks appeared, hardly
larger in the perspective than Mother
Carey's chickens, but soon they took
size, and the Whirring, droning motors
showed them to be the Nations new
and rapidly developing fighting arm,
of which Indy knows so much. 1t
was the great torpedo-dropping planes
Of the Navy, discharged of their death
dealing cargo and carrying only a
peaceful welcome. They headed
straight for the little fleet, flew peril
ously near the fighting tops. jumped
over, disappeared and then came back
and took another look, as a horse
being drawn up before taking the
jumps. Then off again they went and
dropped down until they seemed al
most to be ready to touch the water
AT this height they flew, seemingly
heading to ram the ship. But no.
They passed directly in front of her
bows, when the great motors got an
other shot of gas that seemed to lift
them vertically into the air. 1t was
the aViator's salute to one of their
number. Indy saw and waved.
And then, it appeared. was a signal,
for out of the mists they came in
all directions, like hawks being
called to their prey. They came and
came, until they appeared as another
cloud in the sky, flying in every and
all directions and crashes seemed
inevitable TO those safely on the
water. Maybe 1t was a chance, and
maybe it wasn't but weren't these
birdmen, half hour out, with less
of chance of coming down than
Indy 33 hours out?
Planes Follow to Capes.
They stayed, stayed all the while,
for they could not leave him in the
ocean. They followed him in the
Capes, as the small craft came feel
ing their way out, flying their signal
flags of welcome. They followed him
up the bay, to be joined by the
great lighter than-air dirigibles, one