Evening star., 1905-05-09
Admiral Evans Reports Re-
garding His Cruise.
TARGET PRACTICE GOOD
OCEAN RACE WON BY THE MIS-
SOURI,. ,rrfs -
Gratifying Success of the Tests Made
of the Wireless Telegraph
at Sea-

Rear Admiral Evans, commanding the
North Atlantic feet, with Captain Pillsbury.
his chief of staff, came to Washington to-
day, leaving his flagship the Maine, in
Hampton Roads. and had long talk with
Secretary Morton and officials of the bu-
reau of navigation touching the West In
dian cruise of the big battleship SQUADRON.
just finished.
They reported that the results of the
cruise were highly gratifying In every re-
spect In the prime matter of target prac-
tice that was especially true. Modifica tions
OF the firing regulations inaugurated for
the first time on this cruise in the interest
of safety to the gunners and guns would IT
was feared, initiate against the main
tenance of the preceding splendid records
In the matter of rapidity of fire. But these
fears were not realized, for, owing to the
installation of improvised air blasts and
drenching apparatus the products of COM
bustion were speedily driven from the bore
of the guns and a quick practice was made
In safety The reported "fare-back' on
the Maine, on which the new apparatus
had not then been installed, was really a
trihing matter, and was not even officially
reported to the admiral at the time.
The Victory Of the Missouri.
The feature of the cruise of the greatest
popular interest was the ocean race with
which 1t ended, the fine battleship Missouri
wirning In great style. The failure OF the
swift Alabama to maintain her place was.
according to Admiral Evans accounted for
by some leaky tubes which prevented the
maintenance of a full pressure of steam in
the boilers, and there was no abnormal
condition about the craft beyond that
which sufficiently explains her poor show
Ing. The Names smokestacks which have
heretofore emitted SO much swoke as 20
make signaling difficult, behaved very we'll
on the cruise. and Capt. Pillsbury said that
the Maine did not smoke more than any
other of the battleships.
The big ships are to be reassembled in
the course of a week or two to take mart
in some maneuvers OF the Chesa peake
capes, and after that they will be docked
to remove the marine growth which ac-
cumulated during their stay in southern
waters.
Use Of Wireless Telegraphy.
Other officers of the battleship squadron
coming 70 Washington from Hamnton
Roads have brought some Interesting re-
ports of the use made of wireless teIer
raphy while the vessels were proceeding
north from the target grounds. When
the squadron was about seventy miles
southeast of Cape Hatteras a wireless
message was received from the battle
ship Illinois, which was outside the Vir-
ginia capes with the Marcellus testing
coaling device, and considerable con-
versatfon ensued The distance was about
160 miles. At the close of the race of the
big battleships the Missouri although
beyond ordinary signaling distance, was
readily communicated with by wireless
At another time the Iowa was distant
from the squadron at night, when it was
desired to give her some orders A mere
speck of light indicated her whereabouts,
but the wireless picked her up. when the
desired orders were promptly given, and
were acknowledged within two minutes
OF their receipt aboard the Iowa.