The Mena weekly star., 1908-03-19
Battleships Under Command of Ad- miral Evans Safely Arrive at
 Thetr Destination.
WAS A L0NG AND REMARKABLE VOYAGE
Vessels in Better Condition Than When They Left Hampton Roads, and Ready for Any Emergency on One Days Notice, Says Evans Officers and Men Congratulated.

Thursday into Magdalena bay, passing through the rocky gateway marked by Sail Rock on the north and Redondo Point on the south and dropped an- chors behind the high peninsula pro- montory which stretches a protecting arm down from the main land and makes Man Q War Cove the most sheltered harbor of the lower Pacific coast the history making naval cruise of more than thirteen thousand miles begun at Hampton Roads less than three months ago, practically came to an end. Admiral Evans in reporting the arrival of the fleet to Washington by wireless stated that the vessels were in better condition than when they left Hampton Roads and were ready for any emergency on one days notice.
 The importance of the message from Admiral Evans is overwhelming. The eyes of the entire list of naval officials, practically every citizen of the United states and even the entire world were expectantly awaiting the reports at the terminus of the long voyage as to the effects it would have on the ships. Now that word has been received that the entire fleet is in even better con dition than at the time it started on it's long cruise the mammoth naval un- dertaking is crowned with boundless success.
 M9Od n1nna fc the of the Pacific for American target work and battle practice drills, and by right of temporary ownership through government lease the vessels if not the men of the fleet may feel that they are again in home waters.
 There remains to be made the trin from Magdalena bay to San Francisco, the destination originally announced, and matter of some eleven hundred miles. but 1t will not be begun until after target practice is concluded and fleet drills are done. This last stage of the journey will be a tour of holi- day making, with stops at San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz, where reception committees are planning all manner of entertainments for officers and men, the latter espe- cially coming in for the greatest amount of attention. The sailors will find themselves heroes, every one, in the eyes of their western admirers and are promised a series of fetes which include features ranging from gala balls under the patronage of ex- elusive social sets to prizefights refer reed by Champion James J. Jeffries himself
 The California committees an- nounce that the uniform of the enlist ed man. far from being bar to any place of amusement. as has sometimes been the case in other places, will be mark of hospitable welcome all along the Pacific coast.
 There is serious work to be done at Magdalena, however before the sail ors thoughts can turn to the happy days of homecoming.
 Target ranges are to be established of the coast of Lower California at once, according to the wireless dis patches from Admiral Evans and the fleets divisions will be sent out with big guns booming as soon as they are ready Long before the fleet passed through the straits of Magdalena, the ordnance officers of the 16 ships, the turret captains and heads of the vari- ous gun crews were busy with the details of the coming practice, and in the run from Callao to Magdalena they the final arrangements
 Washington, Mar. 1.-The following congratulatory telegram signed by Secretary Metcalf was Friday sent to Rear Admiral Evans;
 "The department congratulates you and the men and officers of the Atlan- tic fleet on the termination of the voyage to the Pacific in exact accord ance with the itinerary ard also upon the efficiency of the ships and the time of the arrival at Magdalena Bay"
 Secretary Metcalf announced the future movements of the fleet after the cabinet meeting Friday. 1t will leave San Francisco on July for our Pacific possessions, as Mir. Met calf styled 1t. The vessels will first touch at Hawaii, where they will coal After that they will go to Samoa, fol lowing this up by visit to Australia, where they will stop at the cities Of and Sydney the invita-. lion of the Australian government to visit that country having been supple mented by a more cordial one from the British ambassador, Mir. Bryce. Leaving Australia the vessels are to 20 to Manila and while in the Philip pines the annual fall target practice will be held Thence the return will be made to the United States by way of the Suez canal, stopping only at such ports as are necessary for coal ing purposes. The date of their re- turn to the states is dependent entirely upon the amount of time required for the target practice in the Philippines. The visit of the battleships to Puget sound will be made sometime between the conclusion of the grand review fin san Francisco Bay on May and the date of the sailing over the Pacific.
 
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