Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-17
ADMIRAL,S
HEALTH is
IMPROVING
EVANS TO PARTICIPATE IN
FESTIVITIES
HOPES TO ATTEND FUNCTIONS IN
HONOR OF FLEET
Early Visit from Warships Is Exc
pected-Many Days to Be
Passed in Ports of
California
1oontinnsd from rnee onel

side the harbor the ConuectiCul 1uliiSu
sharply TO port and pointed her courss
eight miles from Point Entrada TO
Man-o'-War cove, where anchors were
let go. -.
The town of Magdalena, with its
two score of whitewashed, low-lying
huts. nestles in the hills off the cove,
and it was here the natives were gain
cred in greatest numbers to welcome
the fleet,
Governor Welcomes Fleet
Governor Sanginez, surrounded by
gaily uniformed members of his STAN,
gayly uniformed members OF MS slaIL,
watched the approach of the vessels
from the most pretentious dwelling of
the village.
1t was not until the very anchorage
grounds had been reached that the
speed cones gradually descending
showed a slackening of headWay. Theh
signal flags were broken out from the
Connecticut and with the precision OF
a company of soldiers at drill the YES
sells of each of the four divisions be-
gan a quick maneuVer which brought
them four abreast
Anchor in present formation!" came
the command from the flagship. Inc
beat of propelers, which could be
plainly heard across the still, smooth
waters, ceased and the clank and Whir
of the dropping anchor chains awoke
the echoes of the hills with raucous
noises, Passing through the three
miles of deep water at the gateway at
a. m., the fleet came to anchor at l;o5
o'clock Five minutes later the salut-
ing cannon of the converted cruiser
Buffalo, which was waiting with sup
plies and mail. doomed with the first
of thirteen guns.
Saluting is not allowed until S
o'clock under navy regulations, and
that accounted for the seeming delay
in speaking honor to Admiral Evans
flag. Besides the Buffalo the only 9TH
er ships to greet the fleet were the big
tug Fortune sent down from the Mare
Island navy yard to assist in target
practice, to tow the target range ana
three grimy colliers which had brought
their heavy burden of coal all the way
from Norfolk, Va.
Scarcely had the fleet come to an
chor when the little steam launches or
running boats had been dropped into
the water from giant cranes and were
rushing about with shrill whistles
screaming, carrying messages and re-
ports to the 1agships. Half an hour
later all of the busy little craft were
gathered about gangways and side lad
ders of the Buffalo asking for mall
from home. In a way, 1t was IKE
mail time at a village postof1ice with
n crowd outside waiting for the deliV-
cry window to open. The details OF the
anchoring of the fleet had all been
worked out two days before Magdalena
was sighted, and there was not the
suggestion of a hitch anywhere.
Occupies Small Section
The space occupied by the great
feet. though comparatively large. is
hut a small section of this great bay.
Altogether there are ten by twelve
miles of anchorage room in this Won
Gerful natural harbor, where dredging
is unknown. The bay itself is vastly
larger than that.
Officers who viewed ii for the first
time today declared it to be the great
est of naval bases. and expressed the
wish that it belonged to the United
States instead of being merely under
n short term lease from the republic
oe Mexico. 1t devolved upon Rear
Admiral Thomas, commanding the Sec
ond squadron of the fleet, to come
ashore and pay the respects OF the
cOmm9nder in chief to the Mexican
authorities and this he did within
the first hour after anchorlng HIS
barge put out from the flagship Min
ncsota and in it beside himself were
the members of his personal staff.
Governor Sanginez received the
Americans most graciously. lie told
them he came to Magdalena as the per-
sonal representative of President DiaZ
to bid the American fleet welcome.
Admiral Thomas thanked his excel
lency cordially and told him how much
the American people appreciated the
courtesy ofS the Mexican government
in allowing the navy the use of one
OF its most magnificent harbors
Visits Battleships
The conversation was carried on
through an Interpreter. During the
afternoon Governor Sanginez returned
Admiral Thomas call and was enter
tanned on board the Minnesota. Toasts
We're drunk to Presidents Roosevelt
and Diaz and the wish was expressed
that the cordial relations existing be-
tween the two great republics of North
America might always remain as cor
dial as now.
Governor Sanginez was shown all
over the flagship and had the working
Of the great turet rifles explained to
bin in detail. He was much inter
ester in all that he saw and expressed
great admiration for the ship. AS he
went over the side on his return to
the shore the saluting cannon of the
Minnesota fired seventeen shots in his
honor.
The personnel of the fleet according
to the reports Of all of The officers, is
i'm The highest state Of efficiency
Training Of the gun crews and the
men assigned 70 the various other
divisions of the different ships has been
persistent from the very start of the
cruise.
Thirteen thousand miles Of steaming
and three months of continuous work
have brought the fleet TO a point of
efficiency which the arrival here fully
two days ahead of scheduled time only
ir part illustrates.
II don't care to express my personal
opinion of the progress of the fleet"
said Admiral Evans today in an inter-
view with the Associated Press. you
may say anything you want to- but
have no opinion about the cruise. It
is unnecessary. The facts speak for
themselves. | was ordered to bring
the Atlantic fleet to Magdalena bav
for target practice We are here, IF
anybody doubts it, let him come and
see"
Thomas Never in Command
The admiral was sitting on the after
bridge of his flagship surveying the
other vessels of the fleet at anchor
with evident pride. little lighter i'm
weight, perhaps but no other indica-
tion of his recent illness was appar-
Only One "BRoMo oUNINE, that I
[ L,axative promo Quinn,
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