Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-01
WITH The fleet.
Not All Pleasure For the
Jackies at Magda|ena.
Strict Attention to Target
Practice and Ship Duties.
Plenty Of Sport Planned For the
Men Before Sailing.

5000
| Diego, March 31.-The four enterprise
| ing business firms who set up their
| little stands along the shore in front
of the own are meeting with Gepress-
| ing lull in trade with the fleet. The
| sailors are not allowed on shore eX-
| cept now and then, squad in charge
| Of an officer for some particular pur-
pose, so that the much expected flow
of trade is languishing. The hot sands
| along the beach are denuded Of pros
pectivc customers and the impromptu
merchants are not sanguine of the fin
ancial success of their ventures. Their
| little Shacks, set along near the pier
We're constructed Of pieces of canvas
4 or rudely arranged boards. The wealth
err is warm day and night and little
shelter is required. Large stores of to-
bacco. fruits, stationery supplies and
liquor are stacked within
| Two men from San Francisco, Sui
Ivan and Whitney, landed here from
MaZatlan two weeks in advance with d
miscellaneous cargo, including GO cases
of beer and so of whisley. They had
paid the Mexican duties on it all. For
days the local officials refused to allow
them to land it. Then they We're per-
mitted to bring it ashore but the sale
of the beverages was strictly forbid
den.
| I'VE can't do anything with it, but
drink it up ourselves" said one Of the
proprietors. One of them has another
large supply coming soon from San
| Francisco on 4 sailing vessel which
| shipment had been ordered before they
knew of the embargo. They will store
! it away with the other contraband
when it arrives. Large shipments of
| Mexican oranges from somewhere on
| the southern end of the peninsula have
| been brought in by boats, four days
| from Magdalena, and are finding q
ready sale at good prices. Fresh fruit
| is q luxury greatly esteemed by the Of
| ficers and men. Most of the merchants
! came from Mexico City and their
stocks of goods came by rail to the
western coast. Many of them have
been with the fleet before in the capac-
ity or shore caterers, but their expert
ence at Magdalena is something of a
new one. The Mexican customs Of
ficers are keenly alert to their bust
ness.
Lues, the bunboat man from the At
lantic coast, narrowly escaped serious
difficulty with the authorities when he
attempted to barter his goods in the
bay without paying the required GUS
toms duties. Only a diplomatic letter
to the authorities from Adj Evans
saved the merchantmen from serious
consequences. Others who came here
in similar quest are not likely 10 fare
so lightly, according to the statement
| of the Mexican officers.
This is the first port touched by the
Atlantic fleet since leaving Hampton
Roads where social duties did not
weigh upon the officers. Everything
of the sort is eliminated here and the
next three weeks will be nothing but
unremitting attention to duty. On
shore there is nothing to tempt the Of
ficers or men and there are few land
ing parties. Occasionally Lieut.. d. A.
Weaver, fleet athletic officer, takes
parties ashore for practice in baseball
and field events. Lieut.. Weaver has de-
cided to put on at Los Angeles the
finals in the championship boxing
events of the fleet.
The announcement that the big pu-
gilistic events will be refereed by
| Champion James J. Jeffries has arous-
ed the koenest interest among the sail
ors. The heavyweight champion of the
fleet is now Altieri. Semi-finals will be
| finished between now and the time of
| the arrival at Los Angeles. 4 boxing
carnival was held aboard the flagship
a couple of nights ago, the first STIR
| ring athletic event since the ships ar
| rived here.
A big sailing regatta will take place
within q few days. Other sports are
encouraged among the men. However,
! the strenuous work now being engaged
in by all the crews has circumscribed
ali athletic practice to great extent.
Fishing parties are in fashion. The
waters of the bay are filled with vari-
Gus species of fish and the catches
have been very large.
Trolling for yellow tail has proved
the greatest attraction. Steam launches
are out from several of the ships every
day with officers and men trolling lines
overheard The fish average from five
t. IS pounds.
The launches going at the rate OF
| eight or 10 knots frequently hook three
or four of the large fish at the same
time and much excitement reigns on
board. Two or three men are required
| sometimes to haul in a fish. SEEMING
goes on every night, and many hauls
of tons of mackerel. founders and po-
nance and other similar varieties have
| Eeen taken The result has been the
admission Of plenty Of fresh fish to the
regular bill of fare. There is some
shooting ashore but 50 far even the
sVlall game has been found very
scarce.
The climate changes here slightly
from day to day.
The uniforms of the men and officers
of the fleet are designated daily from
the flagship and depend upon the
weather. One day it is white when the
weather is warm and balmy and the
next day service uniforms are found
to be comfortable. Aboard the ships on
the ranges the officers and men are al
lowed greater freedom in the matter Of
dress because Of the work they are do
ing.