The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-03-12
enthusiasm of the People
Knows No Bounds and Stay
Of Vessels Will Be One OF
Events of Coast.
TARGET PRACTICE WILL
/ TAKE TIME OF CREWS.
They However Will Be Given a
Rest After Their Long
Cruise From CaIIao-No Re-
port Expected Today.

San Diego Cal, March 12.-The
American battle ship fleet, under
command of Rear Admiral Robley ID.
Evans. is less than 200 miles south OF
Magdalena Bay, Lower California,
and should put into that island-pro-
tected harbor late this afternoon NO
reports of the arrival will be available
however, even for the department at
Washington, until some time during
tonight or Friday morning.
The navy wireless station at Point
Loma which is equipped with the
strongest instruments, and is in
charge of the most capable OF the
navy's operators, has never been able
TO communicate with a vessel at Mag
daIena Bay until well after the setting
of the sun. The best work is done
after midnight.
1t is explained that the light waves
during the day overcome the other
impulses of the wireless, and COM
munication by day is seldom main
tanned over a space of more than 400
miles. Magdalena Bay is 620 miles in
an air line from San Diego.
A Season of Rest.
The crews probably will be given a
day or two of rest after the long run
from Callao. Peru, which was left Feb.
29, before the strenuous work of tar
get practice is taken up.
The ships will take their turns at
the targets in divisions, of which
there are four vessels each. 1t will
rest with Admiral Evans as to whe tn
er the divisions are sent to the range
in regular order or as circumstances
dictate.
Admiral Evans himself has COM
mand of the first division. which in
cludes the Connecticut, Kansas, Yer
mont and Louisiana Admiral Emory
is in command of the second division,
comprising the Georgia, New Jersey,
Rhode Island and Virginia. Admiral
c. NJ. Thomas, the second head SQUAD
ron commander, who acted at many of
the South American shore functions
as the representative of Admiral Ev-
ans. is also commander of the third
division of the fleet. His flagship is
the Minnesota and the remaining
members of the division are the sis
ter ships, Ohio, Maine and Missouri.
Plan Of Target Practice.
The fourth division is commanded
by Rear Admiral Sperry, whose flag
ship is the Alabama. The Illinois.
Kentucky and kearsarge comprise
che command.
The record target practice work
will be done with only four ships on
che range at one time, but after it is
completed will come the battle tactics
and fleet manuevers, with every ship
In line.
CalforniasS coast cities were graft
tied today by the announcement OF
The tentative partial itinerary of the
tleet from Magdalena Bay to San
Francisco. Various rumors had come
20 the coast saying that this or that
city might be cut off the visiting list.
The official declaration that stops
would be made at San Diego, San
Pedro, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara
and Santa Cruz came as a grateful
reinsurance from the Navy depart.
nent, and plans for the various recep.
Gons are going forward with renewed
vigor on the part of the city commit
tees that have them in charge.
The enthusiasm of the people
knows no bounds. and all are looking
forward TO the visit of the fleet as no
table events in the history of the
Pacific coast.