The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-01-24

no Janeiro. January 22.-ro the
booming Of guns and the cheers of
onouSandS on the acCOmnanvinr
pleasure craft, the American war
ships sailed from Rio Janeiro this 81
ternoon bound for Punta Arenas, On
tne Magellan Strait. Ten days will
Dr1ng the fleet almost midway on its
$4,000 mile cruise to San Francisco
ana the ships and the men carried
"itn them today 2od-speed and good
wishes of the whole Brazilian nation.
Not an untoward incident had
marked the visit of the Americans
mere. They were feasted and feted.
poth officers and men. during their
sojourn in Rio and half the popula-
ton turned out from early in the
morning to give them a fitting fare
well. The Quays, the public build
ings and the hills were crowded with
thousands watching the warships un-
til they had disappeared through the
mouth of the bay into the open sea.
President Penna came to Rio
Janeiro from Petropolis about II
o'clock and proceeded on the yacht
Silva down to where the warshios
were lying. He went aboard the
cruiser Benjamin Constant, which
was in readiness to accompany the
American fleet and made a tour of
all the American ships. Accompan-
led by Admiral Alencar, the minister
OF marine DR.. l.. Muller, the minis
ter of public works, and other high
officials he visited the divisional flag
ship Minnesota, remaining there
about an hour. Admiral Thomas,
commander of the flagship Captain
Hubbard, and the American Ambas-
sador, Irving 3. Dudley, received him
with all honOrs, and the band played
the Brazilian national anthem. In
the salon Of the Minnesota there was
a mutual exchange of greetings.
Admiral Thomas made a little speech
in which he expressed his best wishes
for the splendid fleets prosperity for
preadenc, concluding with Brazil.
God bless you fOrevermOre."
The president responded with a
thousand wishes for a good voyage
for the splendid fleet prosperity for
the United States and the health Of
President Roosevelt. While, the
president was aboard the Minnesota
and during his trip among the vessels
salutes were exchanged and on his
departure from the flagship twenty
one guns were fired. DR.. Penna then
returned to his yacht, which pro-
ceeded to a point off Fort Villegag-
non to watch the departure of the
ships. About three o'clock the Amer
lean feet began to move, passing out
in single and inverse order according
to divisions, the Alabama leading.
Three divisions of the Brazilian
navy followed, composed of three
battleships, seven cruisers land six
destroyers. Ir the vicinity of Fort
Villegagnon many steamers circle1
about, having on board thousands OF
spectators from ashore. Hundreds
of launches and snaJ. rraf1 from the
sporting clubs all gaily decorated,
were there also, forming a stirring
spectac.es.
AS the warshirs disappeared from
view they were steamirg at a 10 Knot
pace. One by one as they passed the
presidents yacht thev saluted with
twenty-one guns and the forts re-
piled in kind. There was muchc way-
ing of small! flags and handkerchiefs
and tie cheering seemed incessant.
Captain r. r. 1ngerso1l, chief of
staff to Rear Admiral Evans, on be-
ing interviewed before the departure
of the fleet said that he had no spe
cial plans for the passage Of the ships
through Magellan strait. They will
go there, however, as a solid fleet.
With their departure from Rio
JanierO today. the sixteen batt!eShiDs
under the command OF Rear Admiral
Evans enter upon the thIrd stage OF
their voyage to the Pacific. IN this
run OF $3.50 knots, which will termi-
nate February 1st, according to the
schedu1e at Punta Arenas. the moss
southern port in the world, the ships
will traverse the hazardous narrows
at the eastern entrance to the strait
of Magellan. Since Ferdinand Magel-
Ian. the great Portuguese navigator
with Il squadron of discovery fitted
out by Charles v. King of Spain, DIS
covered in 1890 and passed through
tl1e strait named after him no greater
attentio has been directed towards
this famous interoceanic way by any
event than by the corcing passage %
it bv the fleet of American battle
ships. Magellan straits consists or
two nearly ecual branches running
from northeast to southwest and
from northwest to southeast, with
a total length of $40 miles and a
width varying from 90 miles to hard
ly two and a half miles.
In going through the strait Ad-
mirai Evans fleet will have the best
time OF the year for the purpose. the
midsummer OF the southern henis-
phere.
There are few distractions in Ma
gallan straits from rocks and islands