Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-03-10
Batt|eship Fleet Rapidly
Nearing Destination.
Expected to Reach Magda|ena
Bay Two Days Ahead Of Time.
Several Wireless Messages Re.
oeived From the Fleet.

Washington, March 9.-It was cal
culated at the navy department TO-DAY
that Admiral Evans battleship nect
which made such splendid progress
from Cailao will reach Magdalena pay
by March IL.
1t was also said that the question OF
the fleet stopping at a japanese port
in the event that it came home by way
of the Suez canal, was not even under
consideration by the navy department
About the last place that the navy
department expected to hear from the
Atlantic battleship fleet for at least
six months was on the Atlantic coast,
We this Is what has happened. Inc
navy department today received
Geographic message from It's wireless
station at Pensacola which had been III
direct communication with the battle
ship fleet, a most remarkable perfor-
nance, considering that the wireless
impulses were Obliged to traverse the
Gulf of Mexico, then cross overland the
State of Texas, part of Mexico ana
again traverse several hundred miles OF
ocean. This particular message was
from Rear Admiral Thomas, in com
mand of the second divisions and was:
Have you any important news from
honle?"
An additional dispatch received by
Pensacola from Admiral Thomas dated
on board the Minnesota at O'Clock last
night is as follows:
THE position of the feet at this mo-
ment is latitude 14.37, north; longitude
1020l west
Admiral Pillsbury, chief of the navi-
cation bureau, states that the fleet is
less than 900 miles from Magdalena bay.
1t is moving at the rate of 10 IL knots
per hour, which is l Il knots more
per hour than was estimated when the
ships left Callao. This will place the
ships in Magdaena bay on the mOrnin g
of the l2th-next ThurSday-or two
days ahead of schedule time.
San Francisco, March 9.-The battle
ship fleet c;tme into direct comlnunica-
ton with Mare Island yesterday, the
message being the first this coast has
received from the warships. Commun!-
cation was had by wireless for a dis
tance of 2600 miles, the message being
from the battleship Maine of Admiral
Evans fleet. Yesterday morning the
operator at the wireless station at Mare
Island in responding to the call of his
instrument was surprised to discover
he was in direct communication with
the Maine. Though 1900 miles away the
message was clear. Mare Island ac-
knOwledged receipt but farther COM
munication was cut off on account of
other stations interruptng
The first words from the fleet an
nounced the death of Private Samuel
Wagner. Marine Corps, native Of
Alabama who died on Feb 90 of pleura
pneumonia. He was buried at sea
The direct communication with the
Maine followed closely on the receipt
of the relay message from the Connec-
ticut picked up by the st. Louis.
New York. March 9.-In its long
flight from the fleet in the Pacific tho
wireless message was relayed only
once. The message was picked up by-
the Southern Pacific steamship Creole.
bound from this port to New Orleans,
while off Pensacola. Fla. last night
and was repeated to this city The
message had travelled 1000 miles when
the Creole received it, according to the
officers of the wireless company, who
stated that while this was an unusual
distance for wireless messages to trav-
el. the season of the year was favor
able to lend it's assistance to lengthen
wireless transmission