The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-21
PERUV|ANS GIVE
 EVANS WELCOME Arrival of American Fleet Is
 Signal for 0utburst BRILLIANT SCENE IN RAY Admiral Evans Is Still Suffering With Rheumatism, But Officers and Men of the Fleet Will Enjoy the
 Stay at caIIao.
BRILLIANT SCENE IN RAY

Callao, F February 20.-The American bat tleships under the command of Rear Ad- miral Evans, looking clean and trim and powerful in the tropical sun, came to an ohor in this port soon after s o'clock this morning.
 The booming of the salutes announced the arrival of the fleet, but there was no reed to send out signals, for every resi- dent of Callao, and great crowds from Lima, that stands back on the hiIls, had awaited with expectancy the first glimpse of the advancing column.
 Callao was in holiday array and many thousands viewed from the wharves, the headlands and the ships in the harbor, the imposing scene Enthusiastic crowds went down the bay on excursion steamers and cheered the American men-of-war.
 The Peruvian cruiser Coronel Bolognesi, bearing the first official welcome to the feet joined the American vessels yester day morning 250 miles to the southward and acted as an escort up the coast. She led the way into the harbor this morning with the flagship of the fleet close besiue
 It was stated today that Admiral Evans, who has been suffering almost from the beginning of the voyage from rheuma- tism. was slightly better, but as yet does not feel that he should risk the danger of coming ashore. Rear Admiral Charles M Thomas, commander of the second squadron, will represent him at the off, cial ceremonies, but Rear Admiral Evans Is still the commander of the fleet.
 The batteships will remain here prob II n the torpedo boat fiotilla near the close of their stay at Callao. Arrangements have been made for festivities of all kinds, in- cluding bull fight. which not less than 5000 bluejackets will see, and a regatta for which preparations have been going on for several weeks. President Pardo will give a public reception to the officers tomorrow afternoon and Washington's birthday will be made gala occasion.
 Voyage From Straits.
 The American warships had success full and uneventful passage'up from Pun ta Arenas. They left Punta Arenas at II o'clock at night February T. and in col umn formation they made their way through the western half of the Straits of Magellan The torpedo fiotilla accom- panied the warships. For the first part of the passage through the strait they kept close to the larger vessels, but then dropped behind and turned north to Smyth channel. minor accident to the engine of the destroyer Lawrence made 1t necessary for her to fall back, but she picked up the fiotila later in the after noon of February s. The destroyers en- tered Smyth channel at about the same time the battleships got clear of the strait and steamed out into the Pacific.
 Saturday, the Sth, the sky was overcast The weather was cold and the wind blew squally and freshly, forcing the low flying clouds aside for occasional flashes of bril- liant sunshine. The snow-clad peaks on either side of the strait made fitting setting to the wild weather As the ves- sels steamed steadily through the nar- row confines of English beach, Crooked beach and Long beach, and finally past the Evangelist islands, out to the open sea the scene was one of wild rugged and picturesque beauty.
 Pride In Accomplishments.
 As the vessels finally cleared in safety the last headlands and the dangerous islands that bar the entrance to the open ocean, every man in the fleet was filled with sense of pride in the successful ac- complishment of difficult and dangerous piece of navigation.
 Once in the Pacific, the fleet had fog for four days. during which time they kept in touch by the sound of their wllis-