Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-22
FLEET IN PRACTICE
Off PACIFIC COAST
Use of Hospital Ship in Navy
Maneuvers Starts Rumor
of Sea Tragedy.

H. IN. Associated Press
SAN PEDRO. Calf. January II Con-
centration exercises of the United States
battle feet of the California coast
ended today with the return of the
Aramada To the San Diego naval base,
The maneuvers. which were the first
.. 1923 and the las; Of the eunncrt'
wear. we're oesc~'hed as most successful.
Favorable wcau'Sr conditions enabled
oil phases of the strains" attack Oh
the 6rea dnaushtS To be carried out by
air craft souadrons and tho United
States forces completely vancuisheo a
hv,,o;hetiCal enemy Sect of - battle
ships, t.v >acs,-Nvet SquadronS. auNi-
hAr sao aircraft, simulated by Trans
port 'anHer and two tugs
Last n.>..t. with clear weather ana
smooth sea permitting employment OF
all arms. the DESTROYER SQuadrols, which
during the DAY had detached them
selves. sought out the batt.es!iins with
q command 10 launch a torpedo atack
The oestroyers proceeded southwark on
Santa Cruz Island with all methods OF
communication siienced ano lights aim
med. but they were unsuccessful IN
slipping through a protective GORDON OF
submarines thrown about the capital
ships.
N0-or0lUattOu ENttCtSV%
The feet moved toward San Glenn
erte where Admiral DeStetguer directed
q CO ordination exercise involving the
battleship divisions under Vice Admiral
William V Pratt; the destrove, squad
rons under Rear Admiral Luke Nc
Nance. the submarine divisions under
Fear Admiral Ridley Mclean. the air
craft squadron under Rear Admiral
Joseph NJ. Reeves and the train squad
ron under Rear Admiral William H.
Phelps
The destroyer souadrons. submarine
divisions and aircraft Sauadrons re-
turned to their base AT San Diego.
Summons OF the hospital ship relief
b pinch-hit for an absent auxiliary
craft in war msneuvers of the battle
feet OF this port today caused sew
eraI anxious hours for relatives Of off,
GERS and men aboard rne big fighting
boats
The war problem called for q ship
o. take up position as an enemy
era.; at some point on the drill
grounds" of San Juan Capistrano To
the south. The Procyon. base flagship.
had been chosen The craft was Gu
route here from San Diego however.
and 1t was decided TO cal. or the hos
pi;al ship,
Relatives Warned.
The Relief. With only enough men
aboard - man the snip. started out
hurrie6ly ror the south Wives and
relatives Of those aboard the fighting
craft. remembering the part played By
the Relief In the explosion aboard the
L. S. S. Mississippi in 1924. which
cost the lives o! nearly half a hundred
officers and men. besieged naval au-
thorities for information
The actual mission of the Relief did
not become known ashore until some
hours later when wireless messages ex-
planned her hurried departure Soon
after the Relief herself steamed into
port.
The battleship division and train
squadron returned to San Pedro harbor
and the destroyer squadrons. submarine
divisions and aircraft scuadrons to
their base At San Diego.
An official statement from the q.
z. S California. flagship OF the battle
6eet. said: Absolutely no basis for dis
aster rumors Relief ordered TO act as
target ship for battleship division force
practice"