Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-21
HOOVER REVIEWS
u. S. BATTLE FLEET
Chief Executive Watches Ma
neuvers From Nays New
est 10000 Ton Cruiser.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
President Hoover was back in the
Capital today after witnessing the first
maneuvers of the United States ever
staged in battle formation for a Chief
Executive.
For more than three hours yesterday
the chief Of the Nations
armed forces stood on the communica-
tions deck of the Nays newest 10000
ton cruiser, the Salt Lake City, and
watched q mighty sea parade Of sub
marines, destroyers, cruisers and bat
tleshipS move past him. He saw air.
planes rise from the decks Of their
mother ships to lay a protective smoke
screen around the fleet below, while
above the haze lowered the giant nom
combatant Los Angeles.
Hooks Plane to Los Angeles.
The climax Of the all-day program
came when Lieut. Comdr. c. A. Nichol-
son few q plane of the deck of the
airplane carrier Saratoga and, after
being driven down four times by the
stiff breeze, finally hooked his craft to
the trapeze-like frame beneath the Los
Angeles.
Nicholson rode suspended from the
dirigible for about 10 minutes and then
cast OF to return to the carrier.
It was the first time plane had been
hooked to the Los Angeles at sea, al
though the feat had been performed
over land.
From the deck Of the cruiser Salt
Lake City. President Hoover watched a
mock battle on the water and attacks
by dozens of planes from aircraft car
riers. The maneuvers took place about
IS miles of shore, which was out of
sight In the haze.
After it was over President Hoover
sent his congratulations to Admiral
William v. Pratt, commander Of the
United States fleet, in the following
message:
THE President wishes to congratu-
late the commander in chief Of the
fleet on the smart and efficient man
r1er In which the individual units per-
formed their tasks"
Hoover Inspects Cruiser.
Before leaving the Salt Lake City,
Mr.. Hoover climbed down the narrow
ladders into the hold of the vessel to
examine the huge oil-burning engines.
On deck, he inspected the 8-inch guns
OF the craft, whose merits over 6-inch-
gun cruisers now are being debated by
a Senate committee.
During the review the President stood
at attention, hat over heart, while he
watched through binoculars the ma
neuvers OF the ships. The aircraft car
rier Lexington moved close alongside
the Salt Lake City at one time, while
plane after plane Zoomed upward from
Its decks.
The cruiser returned him to the piers
at Old Point Comfort late in the after
- hnn rI III d. g..
trip to Washington. He reached here
at 10 o'clock last night.
Ship on Time at Rendezvous.
The Salt Lake City was still vague
In the haze and far of to starboard
when the faint, distant drumming of
the first salute guns of the advance
guard came throbbing back to the ears
OF those aboard the Saratoga, as the
review got under way yesterday morn
ing. Puffs Of white powder smoke
mingled in the gray haze and drifted
on, and just as the guns rumbled into
the 2l-gun national salute that the
President and the nag alone receive.
six bells-11 am. in land -lubber time
sounded on the ships. They were on
time to the dot at their sea-set rem
devious.
From the top of the carrier Saratoga
the swirling wakes Of the cruisers and
destroyers, leaping from cruising speed
to swift 25-knot gait as they went
by, was all that could be seen. Behind
them, separated by q mile or two of
blue sea, wrinkled by soft and cool
ing onshore breeze, trudged the three
columns Of battleships, Admiral Pratt
on the Texas leading the center column
with the California, showing the flag
OF Admiral Mutton, commander Of the
battle fleet. just astern. From the truck
Of each battleship waved monster ma
tional nag, her battle colors three times
the size of her normal flag.
Flag at Every Masthead.
From each cruiser, destroyer and
plane carrier half dozen flags showed.
That Is still battle orders for the Navy:
A nag at every masthead as in the old
days Of wooden sea fighters.
The Texas blossomed to starboard
then port with burst of white smoke
as the first guns of her salute shouted
their formal greeting to the watching
Chief Of the Nation. From the sides Of
| each of the 10 heavy fighting ships
| that followed leaped answering flares
| and the following bursts of smoke to
| swell like monster cotton blossoms
against the gray background of the
ships.
Far ahead the light craft were Slip
ping into the haze that chung to the
horizon, while the Los Angeles swung
idling ahead to the wind far above, her
silver sides radiant in the sunlight.
AS the battleShips trudged by and
swung eastward into battle line to meet
the coming assault, Of the cruisers and
destroyers, the two airplane carriers,
with their nearly 200 fighting aircraft
clustered on deck with motors already
roaring in warm-up, sounded their
salute to the President.
Aboard the Saratoga her men, more
than 1000 strong, were drawn up in
line along that wide empty foredeck,
ut salute to the President. The Lexing-
honor.
Roar of Motors Deafening.
The carriers swung inshore to head
into the light breeze to help their brood
get into the air. The mighty ships,
capable of 81 knots under tull drive,
were stepped up to IS knots and their
decks and all the air about were deaf
ened in the roar OF motors.
The first little pursuit ship from the
leading Saratoga went sweeping ahead
down the deck in a frenzied clamor of
sound. From the very forward tip 1t
leaped into the air and went soaring
up to await the ships that followed.
with amazing speed the whole great
brood were OF into the air, one by one
like seagulls frightened from q rocky
roost It was only a matter of minutes
before they were gone and soon after
them the Lexingtons warrior flying
crews took to the air. Over the wide
sweep of sea the endless thunder of
the motors swept as the squadrons dove
and twisted and turned in evolutions,
some far up like specks against the
clouds, others close down.
! Below them the Salt Lake City and
the two carriers swung to race away