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April 2, 1925
HARTINGTON — An invitation from Hon. Curtiss D. Wilbur, secretary of the navy, to accompany the U. S. naval fleet to the Hawaiian Islands for the spring maneuvers as a guest of the Navy department was received last Monday by J. P. O’Furey, editor and publisher of The Cedar County News.
Last winter the annual maneuvers were held in the Carribean, after which a trip was made up the Panama canal as far as the Culebra cut. At that time 85 editors representing the important publications of the country were guests of the navy department on the trip, which resulted in the publication of many informative articles, written from personal knowledge.
“The Navy is inviting you and a number of others to make this trip because the Navy wishes the people of the country to be as thoroughly informed as possible in regard to what it is doing and attempting to do,” writes Secretary Wilbur in his letter of invitation to Mr. O’Furey. “In short the United States Navy wishes to report to its owners through the press of the country.” “These maneuvers increase operating efficiency, improve morale and foster sea habits. They uncover defects and teach valuable lessons, besides furnishing an opportunity for the fleet to prepare, solve and carry out problems under simulated war conditions. If you make the trip you will have an opportunity to inspect cruisers, destroyers, battleships, aircraft, auxiliary vessels and the aircraft carrier, Langley.
Arrangements will be made for you to submerge in a submarine and to go up in a seaplane, if you wish. You will have a view of certain maneuvers and tactical exercises from the deck of the ship in which you make the passage to Hawaii.”
The commander of the United States Fleet, Admiral R. E. Coontz, on the USS Seattle, will be in command of the fleet which will arrive in San Francisco on April 3. Those included in the editorial party are to report on April 12, when the individual members will be assigned to the various ships of the fleet, which will include 15 battleships, almost numberless light cruisers, which are next in size to the battleships, torpedo boats and torpedo boat destroyers, air craft squads, mine squadrons, submarines and tenders and fleet base force.
The fleet will sail from San Francisco on April 15 and will arrive in Hawaii on April 27. The maneuvers will last until June 7.
Mr. O’Furey has not yet decided if he can spare the time to make the trip.
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