Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-26
.,smSo 4ESHIPS
s's NEADY FOR
WORLD TOUR
ADMIRAL THOMAS SEES NO
GREAT DIFFICULTIES
EASIER THAN LONG TRIP AROUND
SOUTH AMERICA
News That Naval Department Had
Decided to ProIong Cruise Re.
ceived with Interest at
Magdalena
By Associated Press.

| MAGDALENA BAY, via San Pedro,
March 25.-The news that the fleet was
to continue its cruise after reaching
San Francisco and complete the cir
cumnavigation of the glooe by way of
Honolulu, Sydney, Manila and Suez
canal, excited the greatest interest and
was the most absorbing topic of con-
versation since the feet started from
Hampton Roads.
Rear Admiral Thomas, who will be
! the senior rear admiral after Admiral
Evans retires, commented briefly upon
the great trip abroad.
1T can be easily accomplished by this
fleet" he said. I'm fact, 1t will be cas-
Ter than the present cruise has been.
While there are many long trips be-
tween stops, every one of our modern
battleships is capable of carrying suffi
cient coal to make them, with some to
spare. We shall have better coaling
facilities at Honolulu, Samoa, Sydney
and Cavite than we have had at the
various places we have coaled on this
trip.
LAS / glance over 1t no difficulties of
moment present themselves. 1t is, of
course, cruise of tremendous length,
making the one we are completing seem
small by comparison. 1t would likely
be the last of December before we
would reach New York, although it Is
merely a guess. 1t would depend upon
the number and length of stops we
would make"
At Target Practice
The battleships are still at work on
the target range. From the big guns
the hugs projectiles are riddling the
targets.
The shell at first goes on an upward
incline, then strikes sharply downward
khn xxrI,t 10 ol ~ faV nd
target of canvas. moored on mats, hits
the water beyond. The flight of the
shell is wonderful to follow.
The first collision of the shell with the
water causes a column of water to be
thrown up hundred feet or more, like
a geyser. The sound Is heard upon the
ship an instant later In a sort of dull
roar. Then the heavy missile ricochets
out of the water, sometimes to a height
of three or four hundred feet and for a
distance of thousands of yards, and
strikes again. Another geyser of water
and spray is thrown up, perhaps great
er and higher than the first The same
sound is heard again, but less distinct
ly. The shell again glances upward and
onward in another flight This is re-
peated-a string of geysers marking the
fight of the projectile-until finally the
force of 1t Is spent and it skips ana
bounds along the surface, finally sink
ing out of sight and to the bottom OF
the bay
The method of range finding, the
detection from the speed and roll of
the ship, the velocity of the wind, the
ocean currents and other variations
occupy the intensely applied attention
OF scores of officers and men on each
ship during the firing. 1t is most In
tricate and interesting. The method is
perfect. Not q fraction of a second
of time is lost.
Prizes for Winners
Percentage of hits and rapidity of
fire are what is desired. The men re-
ceive cash consideration from the de-
rartment for superiority in work, In
addition to the much priced honor that
attaches to the winner. Numerous UNI
pires from ships not then engaged
-udge the shots and mark the scores.
After a ship has fired round she sails
by the target when the result of the
skots may be observed. The range or
the fire and the dimensions of the tar
gets differ according to the size of the
guns. The course is an equilateral
triangle.
At one, corner the targets, four in
number, are placed. They are white
canvas marked in squares with a bulls
eve. The lines of the triangle are
nearly mile long. The ships steam
ing at about regulation speed pass
along the horizontal line, firing at the
arex where the targets are. But one
gun is fired at time, the shots ringing
cut with short intervals Each ship
ras a range tc itself. 1t must cross
the range within a given time and
deliver the shots within that time.
Four baftieships may be seen at one
time on the range a few miles south
to the fleet anchorage at Man-o-War
cove, booming away simultaneously at
the targets. The black smoke is
streaming out from their smokestacks.
Steam whistles and bugle calls give the
signals to begin and cease firing. Dur
ing the shooting at the targets the
sailors not at quarters crowd the fore
castle and railing to watch the result
The interest is intense, the enthusiasm
infectious. Nerves are strung to q
high tension. At the breech block the
men are working with shells. powder
and the gun mechanism, their bodies
partially stripped of clothing and
streaming with perspiration. There is
the greatest exultation when a good |
SC ore is made and a woeful depression |
of spirit when a poor one is recorded.
So proud of their achievements are
thew and so anxious to excel that they
can scarcely bear the disappointment |
CT a poorer showing than they had