Las Vegas Age

FLEET OFF TO ISLANDS FOR "GAME"

SAN PEDRO, Calif., Feb. 1. (JP)

Plunging through heavy seas somewhere off the Pacific coast, the United States battle fleet of more than 70 vessels was believed to be moving toward the Hawaiian islands tonight.

Dreadnaught and supply divisions moved out of Los Angeles harbor early today and were to be joined at sea by 65 destroyers, submarines, cruisers and transports from San Diego. The immense fleet, its progress kept secret, will be divided into two squadrons upon arrival in Hawaiian waters, and a "war game" will be started Feb 10, with one squadron attacking and the other defending Oahu island.

Start of the fleet movement was delayed by high winds which swept the harbor last night and prevented small boats from taking officers and men to the battleships. Some 3,000 sailors waited in the rain for the storm to abate.

All ships were fully provisioned and equipped for many months at sea.

Although the fleet movement was an annual routine affair of the navy and had nothing to do with current developments in China, officers reported that the warships were "ready for any contingency."

Meanwhile, some 40 cruisers and destroyers of the Atlantic fleet are preparing to move toward the Pacific and will "defend" the United States against an "attack" of the Pacific fleet upon its return from Hawaiian waters next month.