Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-03-18

o.,
March IL, via San Diego, Calf. March
1.-THE trip from Hampton Roads
to Magdalena bay has demonstrated
that the Atlantic fleet can go to any
part of the world if coal is provided"
declared Captain r. r. Ingersoll, chief
of staff to Rear Admiral Evans TODAY.
when asked for q statement by The
Associated Press. Upon Capt Inger-
soil devolved large portion of the
work Of executing the cruise.
The plans which We're formulated
last August" he continued, "for the
coaling on the present cruise provided
tor the use of eighty tons per steaming
mile. Then there was added eight ad-
Gitional tons daily for various allow
anCes. We have found that we We're
able to keep well within this estimate
and maintain the 10-knot speed The
arrangements for coaling at all Of our
various stopping places have been car
ried out and the pre- arranged plans
have proved entirely adequate.
At Rio we took on $4,000: at Punta
Arenas, 1000; at Callao, 2l,000, ana at
Nagdalcna, when We have finished
with the golfers we shall have taken on
$50 tons additional. This supply will
be adequate to last until we arrive at
san Francisco. This provides also for
the coal to be used in our target prac-
tice
'All this amount of coal was provided
with the exception Of the amounts TAX
en- on at Rio and Trinidad from charter
ed Golfers.
'The supply ship loads and the pro-
visions for the fleet were computed at
the same time as was the coal estimate
and submitted TO the department. These
have worked out to perfection. Our fresh
meat lasted until we reached Magda-
lena where We still had 100000 pounds
left over. We had 100000 pounds of
fresh meat WI en- we started. The ba-
keries on our ships nave supplied us
with from 900 to 1000 loaves of bread
daily.
We started with half million
pounds of potatoes which supply was
exhausted at Punta Arenas. We is
sued the last 1000 pounds there. From
there to Callao the crews We're rationed
with dehydrated or dried vegetables
which We're found to be most satis-
factory. At Callao we took on 23S, 900
pounds Of potatoes which lasted until
we reached Magdalena. Here the Buf-
falo met us with POO tons more This
will last 10 days until the CulgOa can
get here from San Diego where she
was sent from Callao with orders to
take on stores and return here. She
will give us enough fresh provisions
to last until We arrive at our destina-
ton at San Francisco
ho fri, hac nctr toI hot he
Atlantic fleet can go to any part of the
world if coal is provided. The rest will
be easy. I may say that. all taken to-
gether, the men and officers of the fleet
have not regarded the present cruise
in the same remarkable sense that the
public has. With them is has merely
been days woodworking more.
However they are all gratified at the
successful conclusion of the cruise TO
date. 1t merely confirms our eXpec-
tations.
Much disappointment is expressed
throughout the fleet over the failure
of the expedition to rescue the Ameri-
can sailor Jeffs, from interchangeable Is
land The fleet passed within about 10
miles of the island and the tender
Yankton was sent i'm to make the search.
The landing party from the tender
searched all hlbitable portions of the
island for two days. Remains of camp
fires were found in several parts but no
trace Of the sailor was discovered. In
one place n razor was found with Jeff's
initials on it. The men on the Yank-
ton believed that the marooned sailor
has been picked up by some passing
vessel The Yankton proceeded to
Acapulco and is expected to reac. Mag
dalena the first part Of next week
Target practice will occupy probably
about three weeks. There Will be no
battle pratice. that being held in the
fall of the year. Preliminary practice
is limited to two ships. the Kansas and
the Vermont which have not yet fired
all of their guns in practice. All will
engage in record target practice. There
will be four ranges, four ships firing at
a time The RATS for the targets were
finished yesterday afternoon and are
being lowed out to the grounds to the
southeast of where the squadron is an
chored. Yesterday and today three or