The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-12-13
ON LONGEST VOYAGE EVER uN.
DERTAkEN Nv ANY NAVAL
CRAFT.
EVERYTHING IS RFADY
Great storer of Ammunition and Pro-
vision Fill Larders and Magazines
-President 10 Bid Fleet
@ Farewell.

4 4 ai ID
final word Of ready" was flashed fgoai
every vessel In the Dattlos.ip feet TO
day. In It's last analysis this stigma
meant sfxteelf OF the most- poeffui a..
mor-clads of the American navy we're
ready, net only to start next Monda,
morning on their projected cruise y
western seas, but are Just as ready to
60 answhcre-and do any Eurksthat the
officers and men are trained to; that
the bunkcrs are nverilowlng with thu
best coal. that the 1arslers are choke,l
with supplies and that the magazine
doors ara closed upon the grea. stores
CT amnunition ever placed on board
American vessels. If the ships were
destined for an immediate conflict lIs
tie more could be done TO fiesc thcbl
ready for the fray. The tour b to BE-
anything but a junkct. and II neani4
long hours and hard work foi. eeeis
body La fhe f3eet, sea duty. drills and
target practice arc tle o0tstand,ns
features of The trip through Magcllall
straits to the sand dunes and Iudia,l
huts Of MaJdairna Bay
Charta s,lppiied not oDis show The
way TO San Francisco qnd 10 Manila
hrt TO Gibraltar .as wen The Furn-
isbing OF those charts haAs givca rise
to gossip that the flcct IN deatine !
.~yrntuaily To circle the ylotc and thb'
: lore may be something more beyond
,s8agdeiena BAY than San Fraicisen.
Ordnance officers attached 10 the
'saxteep ships have stored more tina
y .epe 600 pounds of ann,nnition III the
,usgaaines and Installed aaaaeRs a.asl
alsret fir~ colltiof system Armour
piercing prnjectilcs fiiled with cxpio+
sive r. said to be tho most powerful
and cffectiye Of all secret formulas Ia
possession Of navy experts have been
placed aboard the ships and vast sup
plies OF sniokcIess powder charges
have been slowed away.
Extra gears for the big guns have
also been taken aboard several ships.
One Of the greatest problems which
confronted the ordnance experts had
to do with the storage OF heavy
charges Of gun cotton taken along to
load scores of harbor mines which
each battleship carrier. But this task
has been successfully accomplished.
Fire control, which is installed on
the ships. Is a visual and audible sys-
ten OF directing the fire of all guns In
the first and second batteries. From
the forward fighting top the ordnance
officer by squeezing a bulb gives a
buzzinE 10 each gun crew whose
piece he wishes brought into action.
The range from the enemy is also on
the Indicator. The system was re-
Gently tried by the Maine at target
practice and broadside was fired
with the roar or single gun. The
rapidity of American gun fire Is such
that the entire supply OF ammunition
carried by tho largest ships would br
exhausted in 20 to 25 minutes.
The president will arrive at Hamp.
ton Roads at O'Clock Monday morn.
ing and viii find the vessels of Ad.
mjral Evans fleet drawn mp In the
formation which will be observed
during the long cruise. The battleship
Connecticut and her sister ship, the
Louisiana, will have their noses point
ing toward the bay. and strung out
behind them will be the other four
teen ships.
The Maynower viii enter the road
stead and steam down between the
battieships. whose formation will be
double row. Each vessel viii FIRE
the presidential salute of 81 guns.
After the Mayfower has como TO an
chor. Admiral Evaus. the commanders
Of the various divisions and the cap
trims of the battieships will then
gather on board the presidents yacht
and pay their respects TO Mr.. Roose'
welt who will make them an address.
The presidents words to the Off
GERS ended. they will return to their
ships. the colors win be dipped and
presidential saiuc fired and the great
hulks of steel will weigh anchor and
tr.rn their noses toward the Atlantic
ON their long voyage TO San Fran
sf.-