Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1904-08-24
THE TRAINING SQUADRON.
1t Arrives In The Potomac River :
Midshipmen View Gun
Factory.

Inc ACIdnl1C training SQuduTOH as
sembled in the Potomac river yester-
day, and will give Washingtonians such
naval display as they nave not had
before. The first of the big vessel to
reach there was the double turreted
commanding, which anchored off the
Seventh street wharf yesterday after
noon.
The Arkansas, with many midship-
mem aboard, arrived off the FERNS
wharf yesterday at about 1. 80 O'Clock.
The monitors helm became jammed
and she was unable to effect land
ing, and for the present she is lying
in the middle of the channel. The
disarrangement of the steering gear is
not serious, it is said, and it is expect
ed the war vessel will be berthed this
evening Two boats loads of middies
left the monitor and went ashore, and
spent the evening in the city.
1t was learned from officers on the
Arkansas that the only other vessels
expected to reach Washington are the
monitors Florida and Nevada. The
rest of the squadron will probably lie
off Solomon Island in the Chesapeake
near the mouth of the river. All of
the first-class 'tmiddies'' from the Ma
val Academy were transferred to the
three monitors, which received orders
to 90 as far as Washington. There are
about 120 of these upper classmen, as
of whom arrived yesterday afternoon
on board the Arkansas. No sooner had
TIE big monitor anchored in the
ship channel at the Seventh street
wharves than scores of rowboats put
out from shore and went alongside to
look at her with wondering eyes.
The wharves were also lined with Gu
rious spectators.
The warship, with her upper decks
clean and bright, her big guns frown-
ing over the water and her decks
crowded with sailor lads in white
duck, presented fine spectacle, and
one rarely seen in these parts. All
three of the monitors will probably
stop off the Seventh street wharves,
Washington. The squadron includes
the battle ships Massachusetts, and
Texas, the monitors Arkansas, Florida
and Nevada, the torpedOboat destroy
ers Lawrence, Macdonough. Truxton,
Whipple, Worden, Hopkins and Hull
and the training ship Hartford, Ad-
miral Farraguts old flagship. Rear
Admiral Sands is in command. Never
before have so many modern sea fight
ers assembled near the national capital.
Consequently the greatest interest is
being manifested. The Arkansas ar
rived from New London in the Poto-
mac on Sunday and went up to Indian
Head, where she spent the day Mon
day, affording the midshipmen aboard
opportunity to look at the proving
ground and watch the process of MAX
ing smokeless powder at the biggest
factory in the United States.
The youngsters were taken TO the
navy yard today to see how the big
guns are manufactured. The Arkansas
hoisted her anchor at 10 O'Clock
Yesterday morning at Indian Head,
but owing to her great beam and
weight was obliged to proceed eau
tiously through the reaches of the
upper river, hence she spent four hours
in covering the distance that she
would ordinarily make in two. Ac-
cording to advices received from Nor
folk, Va, the training ship Hartford
passed in the Virginia capes from
Boston yesterday morning and pro-
ceeded to join Rear Admiral Sands
squadron in the Potomac. The tor
pedo boat destroyers Whipple, Wor-
den, TTutxon, Hull and Hopkins pre-
ceded the Hartford in the capes, and
went up the hay Monday evening.
The Lawrence and Macdonough, from
the Norfolk navy yard, joined the
squadron in the lower Potomac yes
terday morning. Six hundred mid
shipmen from the Naval Academy are
being taken up the river on the differ
ent warships. All are going to be
given chance to inspect the govern
ment proving grounds at Indian Head
and the big gun factory at the navy
ward in Washington. The summer
cruise of the midshipmen will be ter
minated at the Naval Academy the
latter part OF this week. Target prac-
tice in the Chesapeake bay in the vi
cinity of Tangier Island is now being
mapped out for the monitors and tor
pedo boats attached TO the coast squad
ron, in which they will indulge after
the middies diSembark.
The arrangements are that the mid
dies shall stay in Washington two
days. At the close of the second day
they will re-enbark and proceed down
the river to Indian Head, where they
will view the government worRs again.
The battleship Massachusetts, passed
in the Virginia capes yesterday after
noon and proceeded up Chesapeake
bay to Join Rear Admiral Sands
squadron in the Potomac river.