The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-03-13
WILL PROBABLY REACH MAopA.
LENA BAY SOMETIME THIS
MORNING.
PLANS ARE PUBLIC
Target shooting will Occupy Most Of
Time at M~agdaIena But Pleasurlns
Will Begin at San Diego and Navy
Will Be Royalty Entertained at
Other Ports.

Other Ports.
San Diego, March. 1.-THE Ameri-
can battleship fleet, under command
Of Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, is
tonight less than 200 miles south Of
Magdalena bay. Lower California, and
should put into that island protected
bay by late tomorrow afternoon.
No reports Of the fleets arrival will
be available, however. even for the
department at Washington, until some
time during tomorrow night or Friday
morning.
The navy wireless station at Point
Iona. which is equipped with the
strongest Of instruments and Is IN
charge Of the most capable Of the
navys' operators, has never teen able
to communicate with a vessel at
Magealena bay until well after the
setting Of the sun. The best work
is done after midnight. It Is explain
ed that the light waves during the
day overcome the other impulses Of
the wireless in long distance efforts
and that communication by day sell
dom is maintained over a space OF
more than 400 miles. MagdalGna bay
is $40 miles In an air line from Sau
Diego.
Moving Along.
The Point Iona wireless station,
which is just across an arm Of the bay
from this city. was in communication
with the fleet early this morning, and
again exchanged signals with the Nag
ship Connecticut late tonight. The
exact position Of the vessels Was not
indicated in the earlier dispatches,
which ere Of q strictly confidential
nature and in cipher, but the ships
are said to be maintaining a 10h knot
speed, and this, 1t is estimated here.
would bring them late tonight to with
in less than 200 miles Of the Magda-
lena shoal.
The men Of the ships crews pro-
badly will be given q day or two Of
rest after the long run from Callao
Peru. which place was left February
%. before the strenuous work of tar
get practice is takeD up. The ships
will take their turns at the targets
IN divisions. Of which there are four,
comprising four vessels each. It will
rest with Admiral Evans as to
whether the divisions are sent to the
range in regular order. or as circum-
stances dictate. Admiral Evans him
self has command Of the tlrst division,
which includes the Connecticut, Kan.
sas. Vermont and Louisiana.
Second Division.
Admiral Emery Is in command of
the second division. composed Of the
Georgia, New Jersey, Rhode Island.
and Virginia. Admiral G. II. Thomas,
the second squadron commander. who
acted at many Of the maneuvers. IL
also commender Of the third division
Of the fleet in which are the sister
ships Ohio, Maine and Missouri. The
fourth division Is commanded by Rear
Admiral sperry. whose flag floats
from the truck Of the Alabama. The
Illinois, Kentucky and Kearsarge com
plete the command.
The record target practice work
will be done with only four ships on
the range at one time, but after 4
is completed comes the tactics and
fleet maneuvers with every ship II
line.
eCalifornia's coast cities were graft.
fled today over the announcement Of
the tentative partial itinerary Of the
fleet from Magdalena bay to San
Francisco.
Itinerary.
Various ruynors had come to the
coast saying that this or that city
might be cut on the visiting list
The oftcial declaration that the stops
would be made at San Diego. Sar
Pedro. Clos Angeles.) Santa BalTbals
and Santa Cruz came 90 . grateful
reinsurance from the navy depart
ment, and plans for the various re
ceptions r going forward with re
newed vigor on the part Of the var
ious city committees that have then
In charge. The enthusiasm Of the PEG
pie knows no bounds and all are look
ing forward to the visits Of the flee
as notable events In the history o
the Pacific coast.
Statement Issued.
The following statement accompa
MED the announcement OF the itin
erary:
GAS soon as the COMMANDMENT
chief is able to determine delnitel.
the date upon which the target prac
ttce at Magdalena bay will be com
pleted, the department will be IN
formed as to the itinerary. The CON