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Show Double Earthquake Shocks Shake Six Dreadnoughts as Vessels Pass Colima Coast Unusual Experience Encountered by Pacific Fleet in Voyage to San Diego; Thought Uncharted Un-charted Reef Had Been Struck. ON BOARD U. S. S. NEW MEXICO, , Saturday, Aug. 2. (By Wireless 1 to the. Associated Press.) Six dreadnoughts of the Pacific fleet were shaken severely by a double earthquake shock at 4:18 o'clock this afternoon twenty miles off the coast of the state of Colima. Mexico. None of the warships reported any damage. The New Mexico trembled from bow to stern as though she had struck an uncharted un-charted reef, and the navigating officer sounded "Collision quarters" on the flagship's flag-ship's siren. Sailors In the foretop said the basket-masts of the warships swayed like poplar trees in a gale. Officers on the quarterdeck hurried to their posts and the crew and marines took their places. Meanwhile, all watertight water-tight compartments on the New Mexico were closed and inspection parties were sent Into the holds to see if there had been any damage to the hull. Admiral Hugh Rodman, commanding the fleet, quickly recognized the cause of the disturbance. "It's an earthquake," he said. "We are right off the coast of Colima, where there are many earthquakes." Then he ordered, "Signal all ships in the fleet and see if they felt any excessive vibration." Wireless telephone messages were received, re-ceived, soon from the live other dread noughts, reporting they felt the shocks. The Mississippi, which was farther off shore, reported heavy vibrations. When the first tremor of the ship was felt, those below hurried on deck. The faces of some of the recruits showed alarm while the flagship rolled and pitched in the heavy swells that followed the shock. Admiral Rodman kept the crew at quarters for fifteen minutes and then ordered or-dered the "secure signal" to be sounded. He took the whole incident as though it were a matter of routine, giving his orders quietly on the quarterdeck. One of the officers reported that he believed be-lieved the earthquake came from an old crater in the Sierra mountains which fringe the coastline near here. WASHINGTON, Aug. 3. The double earthquake shock, which, a dispatch today from the battleship New Mexico said severely shook the six dreadnoughts of the Pacific fleet late Saturday oft the Mexican coast, was not recorded by the seismograph at Georgetown university. The shock, it was said, undoubtedly was due to a tidal wave which may have had Its origin in volcanic action of some kind on the bed of the Pacific ocean, a heavy wind or a minor earth tremor in the vicinity vi-cinity of the battleships. |