OCR Text |
Show ARRIVAL OF FLEET ANNOUNCED BY CABLE Washington, Jan. 3. The arrival of the American fleet at the entrance of the Suez canal was announced in a cablegram received by the navy department depart-ment today. Admiral Sperry also stated stat-ed that the Culgoa and the Yankton would go through tho canal tonight. Other vessels of the fleet will follow as rapidly as possible. It ig probable that two days will be required to take all of the battleships through the canal and two more days will bo necessary to complete co. "ng at Suez. All arrangements ar-rangements to facilitate these operations opera-tions have been made, but tho conditions con-ditions are uch that it will be dllFi-cult. dllFi-cult. If not Impossible, to make more rapid progress. Tho facilities for coaf-! coaf-! ing are limited. No change in the itinerarr has been ordered and unless It is deCfo(i to make such a chanfs In accordance w ith the offer of their sen ices to Italv before the fleet leaves tho Suez, tho battleships will proceed according to the plan long ai;o agreed upon. According to this plan, eight ships will proceed to Italian ports and four others will ro with them through the Rtralts of Messina en route to other placet.. It has been suggested that In view of tho extensive changes made In the straits of Messina. It might be dangerous for the battleships to fo-low fo-low that course. The fact that British. French and other men of war have been been In that vicinity ince the earthquake,' is looked upon as giving ample assurance that when tho American Ameri-can fleet arrives there, full information informa-tion will be available so that Admiral Sperry will he .rtopnded upon to use his discretion In the course ho pursues. pur-sues. f- |