New-York tribune., 1908-03-12
PROGRESS OF FLEET.
NE4R M4GDALEN4 BAY.
Arriral Expected To-day-Rest Be-
fore TARGET Practice.

San Diego CAL March 1.-THE American
batteship- fleet under command of Rear Admiral
Robiey d. Evans is tonight about two hundred
miles south of Magdalena Bay. Lower California
and should put in 10 that harbor late to-morro"
No reports of the arrival will be available,
probably. until some time tomorrow night or
Friday morning The navy wireless station at
Point Iona, which is equipped with the strong
est Instruments and is in charge of the most
capable of the navys operators, has never been
able TO communicate with g vessel at Magda-
lena Bay until well after the setting of the SUM-
The best work is done after midnight. II Is
explained that light waves overcome the other
impulses of the wireless system in long distance
communication. Magdalena Bay is $50 miles N
air line from San Diego
The Point Iona wireless station, which is
just across an arm OF the bay from this city.
was in communication with the fleet early this
morning and had another exchange of signals
with the flagship Connecticut late last night
The exact position of the vessels was not In
dicated in the earlier dispatches. which were
confidential and in cipher but the ships are said
to be maintaining 1012 knot speed. and this. it
is estimated would bring them late Tonight
to within two hundred miles of Magdalena Bay
The men of the battleships crews probably
will have a day or of rest after the long
run from CalIao. Peru, from which departure
was made on February %. before target prac-
tce is begun. The ships will take their turns
at the targets in divisions of which there are
four Admiral Evans himself has command of
the first division. which includes the Connect
cut, Kansas. Vermont and Louisiana Admiral
Emory is in command of the second division,
comprising the Georgia. New Jersey Rhode
| Island and Virginia. Admiral c. NJ. Thomas is
| commander of the third division, His flagship
|
of the division are the Ohio. Maine and Mis-
souri,. The fourth division is commanded by
Rear Admiral Sperry. whose flag floats from the
Alabama. The illinois, Kentucky and Kearsarge
complete the command
California's coast cities were gratifed to-day
! by the announcement of the tentative partial
itinerary of the fleet from Magdalena 10 San
Francisco The official declaration that calls
would be made at San Diego. San Pedro Santa
Barbara and Santa Cruz came as a grateful
reinsurance. and plans for the various reCep-
tions are going forward with renewed vigor.
! The enthusiasm of the people knows bounds
and all are looking forward to the visit of the
fleet as a notable event in the history of the
Pacific Coast.
| A wireless message received here to-day
/ states that the armored cruiser South
| Dakota sailed north from MagdaIena Bay on
| Saturday night and expected TO remain week
! days at the targets
| The battleship Georgia also in communi-
cation with Point Iona early to-day and trans
mitted many brief cipher messages.
The last communication with the South Da-
keta was had six hours after she had left Mag
| daena, and this is taken now 20 indicate that
| she had left Magdaena Bay under orders TO
| go north The South Dakota has not been dry
docked for long time and her official trial
trip with a regular naval crew is yet to be
held. 1t may be in preparation for this that
she is returning north at this time. and will
return south 10 complete her target practice
later.
The vessels OF Rear Admiral Swinburn's sec
ond division of the Pacific fleet passed POO
miles west of San Diego at 10 to-day.
bound for San Francisco. The line was headed
by the Charleston and included the cruisers St
Louis and Milwaukee and the destroyers Preble
and Perry.