San Jedro, Mar. 13, One hundred and fifty American warships manned by 50,000 enlisted men and 3,600 officers prepared at dawn to-day to depart for the most exhaustive naval manœuvres ever held by the United States Navy in the Pacific. The manceuvres will continue for six weeks and be devoted to solution of the Navy's secret Problem 19.
For the first time in history journalists will be barred from the manœuvres. After putting out to sea, the fleet will be completely enveloped in secrecy unless there should mishaps such as the hi crashing of an aeroplane.
Only the high command was informed of the hour of departure. The points of embarkation included San Pedro, Long Beach and San Diego in southern California.
Admiral Claude Charles Bloch, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet, said the exercises had been designed to test the capacity of the Navy jin repulsing sudden attacks and to give warning {o possible aggressors, Three Mock Engagements Three mock engagements will feature the manceuvres. The whole force will be divided into two divisions, the Whites and the Blacks.
The Whites, commanded by Vice-Admiral W, T. Tarrant, will defend the California coast against the onslaughts of the Blacks under the tion facilities, electric power, mining and salt producing projects, and sales organs.
The company is authorized to is ne debentui ihe amount of five times the paid up capital. The Government will guarantee the repayment of princi interest on debentures, it was announced. command of. Admiral Edward C.
Kalbfus.
The defenders will be supported by a number of submarine units while the attackers will be equipped with 500 aeroplanes.
Following the war games off the California coast, the two divisions will make a combined attack on Honolulu with Pearl Harbour as the main objective, The defenders of Hawaiian island will be commanded by Rear-Admiral Erin G. Murfin, a former Asiatic Fleet C.-in-C., who will have warships, submarines, aeroplanes and cruisers at his disposal, The Honolulu phase of the manœuvre will include an attempt io land Marine units on the island.
These units will be under the command of Major-General I. M. Little.
After a brief rest in Hawaii, the manceuvres will be continued in the Pacific between the Aleutian Islands and Southern California. It was learned that fleets of patrol bombers will remain at their bases until receipt. of sudden signal which will send them out over the sea on their given mission provided in Problem 19.—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.