Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-11
ALASKA STOPS AU7OS REDDY" CONE IS IN
American Racing Crew Turn Young Commander OF De.
Back From Valdez. stroyer Makes Record.
THAW MADE ROAD TOO BAD FINISHED BUNKERS EMPTY
Will Ship From Seattle to Port Little Fola Averaged Fifteen
Vladivostok Knots for the Run.
LOST MUCH TIME THE TRIP ANCHORED MAGDALENA
the to
CarsP to Fight.
Young Commander of De-
stroyer Makes a Record.
FINISHED BUNKERS EMPTY
Little Flotilla Averaged Fifteen
Knots for the Run.
ANCHORED IN MAGDALENA BAY
Trip Through the Patagonian Pas
sages Was the Experience Of q
Lifetime-Fit to Fight.

MAGDALENA BAY. Mexico. April 9.
via San Diego, Cal. April 1.-The torpedo
boat dotilla of six destroyers. command
ed by Lieut.. Commander Hutch I. Cone.
followed the example of the battlesllip
fleet and arrived at Magdaiena bay from
Acapulco one day ahead OF schedule time.
1t required three days to make the run
from Acapulco at an average speed of ID
knots Commander Cone went aboard the
agship Minnesota at once to make his
report to Admiral Thomas. Tall and thin
and bronzed with the heat of the tropical
suns. he looked fully the part Of the dar-
ing destroyer fighter. Admiral Thomas
greeted him in his cabin.
Young man, why are you not in prop
er uniform?" was one Of the first ques-
tions the admiral propounded as he sur
veyed good-naturedly the tall officer as
the latter stood, cap in hand. Cone was
dressed in the service uniform OF q lieu
tenant He had been promoted to the
rank of lieutenant commander since leav-
ing Hampton roads.
Work Before Rank.
Il have not had chance to put on
the other stripes, admiral" he said in
reply.
II congratulate you upon your promo
tion," concluded the admiral as he
grasped the officers hand and shook 1t
warmly.
Commander Cone then began the re-
counting of some of the features Of his
voyage Until arrival here the destroyers
had had no glimpse of the battleships since
shortly after leaving Punta Arenas, when
they separated near the southermost
point of South America. the destroyers
taking the inner course through the mar
row island channels. the battIeships
sweeping far out to sea. The trip OF the
small craft through the Pata9onian pas
sages was allied with adventure. we
| steamed fof days through the narrow
channels a thousand miles long" SAID
Commander Cone. 1.-The PASSAGES being
barely wide enough to let us through
The waters were cold from the tutting
glaciers and filled with broken cakes OF
ice. The boats took on all the Ice We
| needed for days from over the side.
In Picture Country.
THE precipitous cliffs Of the snow-cov-
cred mountains rose beside us to a height
Of thousands Of feet, seeming sometimes
to almost close over us. We threaded our
way through these islands, the other de-
stroyers following the lead of the Whippie
as we came along in single column.
I'VE had As a pilot Lieut.. Commander
Rogas of the Chilean navy. He steered
us through the narrow defiles and over
perilous places without the slightest mis-
| hap. Frequently. at night, We would
! come to anchorage on a narrow shelf OF
| rock where there would be barely room
enough for all the boats to crowd to-
eether on It, These shelves would be
but a slender ledge outside Of which the
| bottom dropped sheer hundreds Of feet,
| beyond all possible anchorage.
I'VE went ashore in various places and
mingled with the natives. Although the
| weather seemed cool to us. the costumes
Of the natives were scant enough. Some.
times they wore nothing at all. Now and
| then we had good hunting on shore. where
hundreds of wild ducks collected. We
| finally shot away all OF our ammunition.
but until that happened we had all of the
/ fresh meat we required"
| Not an untoward incident marred the
| long trip of the destroyers from Hampton
roads. Their supply ship. the Arethusa.
or Mother of the Destroyers," as she
| was called. was not able to keep the fast
pace set by the black craft, and this held
| them back.
Bunkers Almost Swept -
Il want some COAL" was one Of the first
things Commander Cone said to Admiral
| Thomas. I'VE just did get In with what
we took from the Arethusa at Acapulco.
Three of 'em. including the Whipple. have
| less than four tons in their bunkers to-
night
Arrangements were Immediately con-
| cluded by the flagship for providing coal
and the destroyers are preparing to 90 on
| the ranges and commence target firing
| today.
Young Easton Buried.
| MAGDALENA BAY, Mexico. April 4.
via San Diego. Cal. April 1.-THE funeral
Of Raymond Easton Of Easton. Md. hos
pital apprentice on the Kentucky. who
| died yesterday as a result Of an acct
dental shot wound received a few days
before. occurred this morning Religious
services were conducted aboard the ship
under direction of Chaplain 8. X. Evans
Of the Minnesota. AS the body was laid
over the side into a waiting cutter the
colSts. OF the Kentucky were lowered to
| hs.s ssrfsst. every ship in the fleet follow
tirs, - exaalTle, the colors remaining at
- - Ast until the body reached the