The San Francisco call., 1908-04-27

ia last night. but ntfully now and then
over the channel, the city and the
aills.
.-Oh, why don't they turn the lights
On each other? II would be so pretty
fair watcher at our side murmurs
the query. and flushed with the supe-
riority Of knowledge after our ae-
quaintance Of single day with this
syet we are guilty of a contemptuous
smile. For we have learned that it is
the grossest breach Of naval etiquette
for one ship TO pry with its great
white eye into the secrets Of another.
we have learned a good many other
.hings, too.
.BLUEJACKET" GLADDENs SAILORS
For instance. we have discovered that
sbIueJacket' by any other name does
+. not sound sweet TO the sailors ear can
slim bluejacket and he's your friend,
but refer to him as tar or jackie
and ten TO one he has an engagement
: fist across the street and must hurry
:*over.
To-day has witnessed a reversal of
the ordinary. The ships have been
manned since earliest morning with
eager volunteer crews of curious lands
= men and landswomen, while the city
has been turned over to the sailors
Fifteen hundred Of the bluejackets
came ashore before the city was fairly
awake and have captured it outright.
They are everywhere about, and IN
their places on the ships are the visit
ors. Thousands have gone out from
the lcng' pier in the ships barges and
'5he launches that are plying In the
% channel and have found a hearty well
3. come awaiting them on the men o war.
=, A sirens song broke the slumbers OF
. q good many people in Santa Barbara
.-sg- Tho pOfGe making
chine Of one Of the ships of to the east
of the anchorage line started il, and in
a moment there came answers from the
other ships. To appreciate what the
: sirens of I6 battleships can do when
= they are all going at once one must
!. hear the concert.
LIKE MENAGERIE FEEDING
Il is not like anything in the world
so much as the feeding hour in a
-menagerie. The Connecticut played the
lion with a deep throated roar that
rumbled and reverberated above all the
other sounds, while her sisters of the
aeet Joined in piercing shrieks, whim-
pers. whines and tremolos that an
swered we'll for the calls Of all the
other beasts of the plain and jungle.
An hour after the sailors had swarmed
ashore this morning the garages and
stables Of the city were empty In
autos. in rigs and on horseback the
sailors were off to see the sights. Santa
Barbara mission and the drive along
the shore were the most popular places
in the vicinity, and as many as could
crowd the cars followed the fortunate
ones who had secured the more prefer
able means of conveyance.
Perfect order has marked the pres
ence OF the sailors ashore, and Santa
Barbara is playing its part as host
we'll Thus far there has not been the
slightest tinge OF formality to mar the
freedom that has been extended TO Of
hcers and men, and every man ashore
has been free to follow out his own de-
sires. A marine guard has patrolled
the streets during the day. but its pres
ence has been superfiuous. for the blue
jackets are looking for a good time of
the sort that does not end with trouble.
Two Of the ships of the feet left their
anchorage this morning and steamed
some distance out to sea for the pur-
pose of swinging around to correct de-
Viations of their compasses.
AS the vessels draw nearer the mag
netic pole there is a constant devia-
tion Of the compasses due to the attrac-
ton OF the vast amount Of metal car
ried and ii is necessary from time TO
: time to take new bearings and cor
rect the error. Corrections have been
made by one or more of the ships in
nearly every South American port vis-
tied in both the Atlantic and the Pa
cific. and tabulation of the data Sc
!. cured in the process is expected to be
':of great Importance. to the naval au-
. thorities for future reference.
Admiral Thomas is preparing to
leave the flagship Connecticut Friday,
when Admiral Evans will rejoin the
feet at Monterey. and will return to
his own flagship. the Minnesota. and
assume command Of the second squad
ron. He is anxious to give over to
: the commander in chief. and not a
man in the fleet is happier than he over
the expected return Of Admiral Evans.
Forced into active command as senior
officer present by the illness of his
chief. Admiral Thomas has won the
admiration of the entire fleet by his
: loyalty and unselfsh devotion to Ad-
T: niral Evans.
Thomas has deferred to the latter
whenever it has been possible to do
so. in any matter pertaining to the
feet, and in every response to well
come at any port his first thought has
been for the man who lies i'll at Paso
Robles.~ The news that Admiral Evans
is TO be again in active command on
the bridge Of the flagship when the
feet steams into San Francisco bay
Icc dCltu IKE a tonic 10 OInCerS and
. men and caused general rejoicing.
TO MAKE DIRECT VOYAGE
1t has been definitely decided that
the feet viii not stop at Port Hartford
on the journey to Monterey, but will
steam direct to the latter port. No
change has yet been announced in the
time of leaving. but IT is understood
that the ships will lift anchors late
Thursday afternoon or evening.
The board appointed to Investigate
the damage to the Missouri resulting
from the blowing out of a high
pressure cylinder head on the trip from
Port Los Angeles TO Santa Barbara has
made no formal report, and IT is not
known whether il will be necessary for
the Missouri to drop out for repairs
In San Francisco bay. However. the
accident viii not interfere with the
complexion OF the trip to San Fran
cisco. One OF the ships barges wa 3
caught for several hours TODAY in the
kelp IN the channel. but was f1oated
on late in the afternoon without
5anage.
In regard to the recent discussion
concerning the armor belt on the war-
ships, II was pointed out TODAY bv /.
lumber Of the naval officers that the
water line armor belt of the shins ~
the s 900 ton class xpl,fo,,