The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-04-08
Sin9 HO! For Our Gallant
Fleet Now in Ma8daIena Bay
How 'Fighting Bob"a and the Men Behind the
Guns Brought the big Sixteen" Safely
to Anchor in That Beautiful HarbOr.
WHAT THE CREWS EAT ON TIE LONG PRACTICE VOYAGE

Magdalena Bay, Lower California,
via San Diego, Cal.-it is probable
that the fleet will leave here between
April 5 and April 10. Stops will be
made at San Diego, the ports of Los
Angeles, Santa Barbara and Santa
Cruz. At Los Angeles the fleet will
be divided into divisions of four ships
each, to be anchored off Long Beach,
San Pedro, Redondo, Venice and
Santa Monica. 1t is not unlikely that
the fleet first will steam in single line
formation up the coast along the line
of the various ports and then divide.
This would make a splendid naval pa
geant which might be witnessed by
the people of those cities. Again, on
departure, the fleet will probably
form in single column and sail north,
repeating the parade. A simultan-
eous salute, such as was given in
some Of the South American ports,
may be fired.
Target Practice.
Target practice will occupy prob
ably about three weeks. There will
be no battle practice, 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 their guns in practice.
All will engage in record target prac-
lice. There will be four ranges, four
ships firing at a time. The RATS forthe
targets were finished and towed out
to the grounds, to the southeast OF
where the squadron was anchored.
Three or four of the ships, including
the Georgia, Rhode Island, Kansas
and Vermont, were on the range lay
ing out the lines and anchoring buoys
for the attachment of the targets and
for the guidance of the ships. The
frames of the targets were towed out
by a tug.
Coal Problem Met.
Captain R. R. Ingersoll, chief of
staff to Rear-Admiral Evans. upon
whom much of the detail work in
connection with the voyage has fall
en-. said:
"The plans which were formu-
lated last August for the coaling on
the present cruise provided for the
use of eighty tons per steaming mile.
Then there was added eight tons
daily for various necessary allow
ances. W. have found that we were
able to keep we'll within this esti-
mate and maintain the ten-kuct
speed. The arrangements for coaling
at all our various stopping places
have been carried out, and the prear-
ranged plans have proved entirely
adequate.
"At Rio we took on $4,000 tons,
at Punta Arenas $1,000, at Callao
$1,000. and at Magdalena, when we
have finished with the colliers, we
shall have taken on $4,000 tons addi-
tional. This supply will be adequate
to last until we arrive at San Fran
cisco. This provides also for the coal
TO be used in u target practice.
All this amount Of coal was provided
with the exception of the amounts
taken on at Rio and Trinidad, from
chartered GOLFERS.
The Provisions.
"The supply ship loads and the
provisions for the fleet were COM
puted at the same time as the coal
estimate, and submitted to the de-
partment. These have worked out to
perfection. Our fresh meat lasted
until we reached Magdalena, where
we still had 100000 pounds left
over. We had 100000 pounds of
fresh meat when we started. The
bakeries on our ships have supplied
us with from 900 to 1000 loaves OF
bread daily. We started with half a
million pounds Of potatoes, which
supply was exhausted at Punta Are
nee. We issued the last 1000 pounds
there. From there to CallaO the