Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-12-19
FLEET HAVING FINE
WEATHER THESE DAYS
Wireless Messages State That All
Is Going Well with The
BallIeshIps.
OFFICIAL MESSAGES SENT oul
Washington Has Not Received a
Single Word as Yet, But Newspaper
rcspondents Get Messages to
Wireless Stations on Land-Forma-
ticn of Fleet Changed.
(py Associated Pressl

(By Associated Press)
SAVANNAH. GA, Dec. 1S.-Thc
Savannah wireless station this after
noon was in communication with the
flagship Connecticut ~ Georgia and
the Minnesota. of the battleship fleet
Many official and private messages
being sent To Norfolk, Washington
and New York from officers and cor
respondents with the fleet, were
caught.
The messages showed that the wre-
less telephones are being used on the
trip and are proving successful.
The ships in the squadrons carry
on conversations and receive orders
Tor formation by wireless telephone
AT 500 p. M. the fleet was reported
as in communication with the wireless
station ut San Juan p. r..
Tho following massage was caught
at the Savannah station: "wednesday
noon, 240 miles. -. course remains
southeasterly; fleet $50 miles south
cast of jacksonville. At noon Admiral
Evans signaled double column inter
val LOGO yards; well executed spe-
oial flagship's signal well done Loui-
siana.'
,S'oiiu 1uil stream, moderate
sswells; day perfect; magnificent pic
lure, blue water, two lines, white
ships, crew white dress, suuadrons
nearly shaken down: keeping nerfect
distances"
No Official Messages.
WASHINGTON. d. c.. Dec. 49,
Not a single word in the rsshapc of an
Official message was received at the
Navy Department today from Admit
raj Evans flagship nor from any Of
the vessels of the fleet.
Both the White House and the Ma
way Department discredit what pur
ports to be a wireless mes sage from
The battleship Connecticut to the er
feet that President Roosevelt had in
formed Admiral Evans that the fleet
would return by way of the Suez ca
nal
Secretary Loeb tonight said that no
plan for the return of the fleet had
been formulated
None of the Navy Department
heads. Secretary Metcalf, Assistant
Secretary Newberry and Admiral
Brownson. through whose hands
must pass all orders for the fleet.
know the itinery for the homeward
voyage. They decline to give cred :
once TO what they term ward room
GOSSIP"
FROM the position of the ships when
last recorded, ii would not SUNRISE
me department officials If the wire
less shore stations at San Juan. n
Guantanamo, Cuba. should be able 10
pick up the fleet within a day or two
Associated Press Receives MESSAGE
NEW YORK. Dec. 1S.-Thc follow
lng message from its correspondent
on board Admiral Evans laeship wa;
received by the Associated Press by
wiFcless telegraph tonight: ION board
~, . ). Connecticut. Dec. 1S (noon)
Ihe battleship fleet at this hour is
lao miles north by northwest of
saint Thomas. The weather is fine .
a later message from the fleet re-
ceivcd through the wireless station
mere this evening reads: "U. s. -.
1onnecticnt. at sea. Dec 49, During
.he 'Wenty-four hours since noon yes-
To-day the fleet made 24O miles, the
course continuing due southeast.
rms afternoon Admiral Evans sig
nailed the SQUADRON commanders Ia
alsn their ships, which had been NOV
ing IN four perfect columns in don
ne formation at intervals of 1.6OO
yards The movement was splcndiJ-
" executed and invoked from tho
Communicating chief the signal We'll
done
we are now beyond the Gull
Siream and only n moderate swell
dls'nrhs the surface of the sea. The
weather is magnificent and between
me blue OF the sky and the blue OF the
waters the Two white lines of battle
shins moving with stately precision
make a magnificent picture.
me squadrons scarcely can be
SAID TO IN shaken down ms yet and
sun hey Keep at perfect distances