Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-01-26
Winter Practice. Of The First Squad.
ron Of Atlantic Fleet Means
Constant Activity.
It IS NO PLACE FOR lAGGARDs
But There Is Time Found for Health
full Sports Both on Shore and Ship.
board-sls Gun Target Firing for
Records viii Follow About the
Middle Of Next Month.
(By Associated Pressl

GUANTANAMO, CUBA, January
25.-The first squadron of the At
Iantic fleet, under the command of
Read Admiral r. d. Evans, who ar
rived here and the week end works
the beginning of a period of the
greatest activity that Guantanamo
Bay has known since it prominence
in the summer of 1898, when it be-
came famous as a base for the Amer
lean fleet to operate from.
The second day after arrival of the
squadron marked the beginning of
small army target practice on shore
over the splendidly equipped ranges.
The brigade of marines, consisting of
the two battalions of the First squad
ron, went into camp the next day on
Deer Point. and 1t is expected they
VIII remain there for at least
month, and perhaps six weeks. Eight
hundred bluejackets from the First
squadron pitched their tents on Deer
Point to eastward of the marines on
January ID. They began landing at
eight o'clock in the morning and had
Il camp cooked dinner at noon.
There are thus about thirteen hun
dred men from the eight battleships
sleeping under canvas on Deer Point,
and obtaining. healthful and valua-
BILE experience and enjoying it. The
eight hundred blue jackets are made
UP of detachments of one hundred
men from each of the eight battle
ships of the First squadron. They
will remain week in camp, when
they will reembark and be succeeded
by eight more detachments of one
hundred men each. SO that In four
weeks practically all of the seaman
class of the crews of these battleshiIs
will have had weeks experience in
an up to date camp
While in camp they and the ma
rines of the fleet will cary out their
small arm target firing and boat and
field gun practice and will be able to
do 1t all in careful and painstaking
way, from which will derive t. most
beneficial instruction.
Battleships at Drill.
In the meantime, beginning at day
light the battleships under the direct
command of Rear Admiral Evans. go
outside the bay daily for important
tactical maneuvres. They will leave
their mornings at daylight and re-
turn at dark. Thus two important
parts of the work of the winter cruise
are being carried on simultaneously.
neither conflicting with the other and
both developing the efficiency of the
fleet as a whole.
When this part of the work is
completed. which it is expected will
be about February 10, the work of
training and preparing for the spring
record, target practice with large
guns-thc "gun layers test" as It is
called in the British Navy-will be
begun. BY that time the seven other
battleships of the fleet will begin to
arrive, as will also the armored
cruisers, Washington and Tennessee,
and the protected cruiser ST. Louis.
1t is expected that all these fifteen
battleships and three cruisers will
hold record target practice in March,
and first part of April, on the target
grounds to the westward of Cape
Cruz. Cuba. This locality was tried
last year, and was found most suit
able iii every particular.
The new ships, as they join the
fleet, will probably go to Cape Cruz
for preliminary practice, to which
they are entitled, to settle their
nerves, as it were, before they enter
into the great competition which
marks the record practice and the
struggle for the battleship gunnery
trophy.
The suuadrons and divisions Of the
fleet will be reorsanized soon after
the new ones report to the comman.
der-in.chief, and it Is expected a mag
niiIcent fleet, with a fine record of
winters work behind. will sail from
here for HAMPTON Roads about the
middle OF April, and arrive there In
time to present fine appearance at
the opening of the jamestown EXPO
sition
Arrival Of the Destroyers.
The destroyers Whipple. Worden..
Truxtun, Marlborough and Hull, OF
the second torpedo flotilla, command
ed by Lieutenant Commander q. A.
Anderson. arrived here from Key
West a few hours after the arrival
of the hattleships from Hampton
Roads. While the camps on shore
we're being prepared and other Pre-
liminaries engaged in the comman-
der in chief gave each OF these de.
stroyers a rigid inspection and found
all to be In excellent condition ana
i'm a high state of efficiency. Much
favorable comment relating to their
condition, both in material and per-
sonnet, is heard. AS soon as their in.
spect!ons were completed they laid
out torpedo range at the mouth OF
the bay and are now starting upon
their record torpedo practice.
Can't Locate inkuIa Fire.