New-York tribune., 1908-03-13
FLEET In MAGDALENA
TITO DAYS BEFORE TIME.
Target Practice for Many Prizes to
Begin at Once.

san Diego. Cal. March 1o--When the Amer
ioan battleship feet, under command of Rear
Admiral Robley d. Evans. steamed into Mag
dalena Bay to-day passing through the rocky
gateway marked by Sail Rock on the north and
Redondo Point on the south, and dropped
anchors behind the high peninsula's promon-
to~, which stretches a protecting arm down
from the mainland and makes Man-o'-Nar cove
the most sheltered harbor Of the lower Paclnc
Coast the history making naval cruise OF more
than thirteen thousand miles, begun at Hamp-
ton Roads less than three months ago, prac-
ticaily came 10 an end. two days before the
scheduled time
Magdalena Bay is she present naval base OF
the Pacific for American target work and bat
tie practice drills, and by right Of temporary
ownership through government lease the YES
sels If not the men the feet may feel that
.hev are again in home waters
There remains 70 be made the trip from Mag
6alena Bay TO San Francisco, the destination
originally announced and a matter OF some
eleven hundred miles, but il Will not pe oesuh
uutu after target practice and heet drlils are
finished This last stage of the journey VIII De
= tour If holiday making, with stops at san
Diego Los Angeles. Santa Barbara and santa
60 ,-f,ere reception committees are planning
-, manner of entertainments for officers ana
men. the latter especially coming IN Tor d idI Is
ar,o1.nt of attention. The sailors VIII hho
themselves heroes in the eyes OF their western u
admirers and viii attend series OF ietes "hIOH
include features ranging from gala balls unoer
the patronage Of exclusive social sets 10 p
fights refereed by James J. Jeffries'
UNIFORMS TO BE WELCOME
The California committees announce mat Ule
Uniforms of the enlisted men. far from being
,., n any place of amusement, as has solile-
.ir,es been known in other places. viii be
aud
Pacific Coast
--tera is serious work TO be done at Magda-
Iona however. before the sailors thoughts can
turn TO the happy days of homecoming. target
ranges are 70 be established off the coast OF
Lower California at once. according 10 'he wiz
less DISPATCHES from Admiral Evans, ana 'tie
divisions Of the feet will be sent out with guns
toou1ing as soon as they are ready Long oe-
fore the feet passed through the Straits oI
MAGELLAN the ordnance officers of the sixteen
sFips the turret captains and heads Of the Varl-
ous gun crews were busy with details OF the
coming practice and in the run from Callao to
1raedaJena they completed the final arrange
r1ents
TWO target practices held each year in the
navy The spring practice, which has been I'm
isbed by all the vessels Of the Pacific fleet and
which is about be undertaken by the meek
from the Atlantic. known the record prac-
-ice~ as the results of which four trophies an
nually are awarded Prize money in large sums
also is distributed among the gun crews that
make the best scores at the targets. At the
fail practice the prize money is the one reward
held out. There are feet awards Of money,
class awards for the best work Of ships in
given class and individual ship awards. so that
soma money is available for all good work, even
r il be not the best in feet or class
The four trophies are bronze plaques, which
are carried by the winning ships in four differ
4rt classes until other ships wrest the same
away ~ the spring practice. The trophies were
rrovided by oEder OF President Roosevelt and
are richly priced by the winning crews.
THE FOUR CLASSES,
TIE four classes are: Battleships. cruisers
e-snboats and torpedo boat destroyers- In the
tattIeship class are included the state-naned
a--nored cruisers Of the West Virginia and
MARYLAND type Of which there now in com
mission eight in the Pacific feet The battle
ship trophy is at present il possession OF the
Illinois II the Atlantic fleet one Of the four OF
Admiral Evans's feet which still carry l5-lnch
guns IN their main batteries. against the high
calzbred I2-inch rifles Of the modern ship. The
Maryland has just made q record OF 1883 per
cen; Of hits al the targets and the naval en-
ffysiaets along the coast already are proclaim
ing her the winner Of the trophy in advance OF
the work Of any of the ships or the big feet-
The cruiser trophy is now IL: possession o1 the
crew Of the protected cruiser Albany, which Is
in san Diego harbor. and has just returned
from Nagdalerla with wha- is believed TO be a
worlds record for rapid and accurate fire The
trophy was won last year by the Albanys crew
while they were on the Boston, which is now
out Il commission. There seems little doubt
that the Albany will retain the trophy, and the
crew already is celebrating.
The gunboat trophy is possessed by the
Princeton. and the destroyer trophy by the
Preble On each Of the trophy plaques. which
bear designs Of naval vessels in heavy seas or
gun crews in action. is the inscription. Trophy
for excellence in naval gunnery. Presented by
direction Of the President Of the United States
70 the vessel having the highest score in record
target practice"
Each year the name Of the winning ship is
engraved on the trophy.