Admiral Andrews is sailing on the aircraft carrier Enterprise, with eighty planes aboard, Also in the "security Patrol" squadron are eight eruisers—Yhe Northampton, Salt Lake "City, Pensacola, Houston, Minneapolis, Astoria, New Orleans and Indianapolis and a destroyer flotilla of 36 ships. ment of a powerful American naval "security patrol" in the Pacific this week.
Navy Department officials Hkewise brushed aside Japanese press complaints that America's action was an "armed demonstration against Japan, land vigorously defended the right of the United States Government to sent the fleet to Hawaii without consulting Tokyo.
Navy Department quarters said the security patrol "was. being established "for training purposes, although other' Washington quarters pointed out that the Navy's action would inevitably have its diplomatic complications.
Indefinite stay The Navy Department confirmed reports that the 45. warships which salled for Hawaii last night under the command of the veteran strategy expert, "Rear Admiral Adolphus Andrews, would remain "in. rid-Pacific indefinitely, instead of being withdrawn in several weeks as earlier announced, The Navy's announcement termed the security parrot an "indefinite assignment," although it was said it was planned to return the fleet unit to the west coast "eventually."
Navy quarters disclosed that Admiral Andrews. was being given broad powers in placing the secur-Hy' patrol into effect. They said could, at his own discretion, a ment the fleet if, necessity demand. ed. If the San Dicgo.or Sen Pedro Naval bases. become "overcrowded, Navy Department oMeials so there willie further incentive sending additional ships to Join the security patrol.
'The security patrol, comprising 45 warships, Includes eight cruisers, the aircraft' carrier Enterprise with eighty planes aboard, 34. destroyers: and two destroyer tenders.
Navy officials in San Pedro said yesterday that the security "patrol would be established to guard. the west coast of the United 'States patrolling from' Alaska to the Equator, Weal "Ilockade" Fleet Unofcial quarters here pointed out that the fleet unit en route await would be an ideal "blockade eet when augmented by submarines and aircraft' now. stationed in. Hawaii, This fact was viewed as being highly significant "in view of the rumoured plans of the Government to impose an arms and raw materials embargo. against Japan after" the abrogated Japanese-American Trade Treaty of 1911 expires in January.
The fleet unit now establishing! the security patrol, it was pointed out, might be in training to enforce such an embargo against Japan. This view was believed to be substantiated by the Navy's disclosure that Admiral Andrews had been empowered to call, for additional ships "It necessary." for routine training purposes, the current cruise were merely was pointed out, "the " manceuvres probably would be carried out with the original number of ships without thought of augmenting them.
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