Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-03-10
STATION AT PENSACOLA, FLoRl.
DA, RECEIVES MESSAGE FROM
EVANS FLEET THOUSANDS OF
MILES TO THE WEST.
REACH MAGDALENA
BAY ON MARCH Il
BOATS ARE AHEAD OF THE
SCHEDULE AND WILL SOON
GIVE UP PLAY TO BEGIN THREE
WEEKS GUN PRACTICE.

washington, March 9.-Tho
navy department today received
a telegraphic message from its
wireless station at Pensacola, Fla.
stating that they had been in di-
rect communication with the At
lantic battleship fleet. The feat
is a remarkable performance con.
stdering that the wireless i'm
pulses were Obliged to traverse
the gulf OF Mexico, the state Of
Texas and part of Mexico and
again traverse several hundred
miles Of ocean. The message was
from Rear Admiral Thomas in
command of the second division
and was as follows: Have you
any important news from home?"
On Board U. s. s. Georgia, 8 o. M.
(via United Wireless Telegraph COY
The fleets position at this hour is lat.
1tude 14.37 north, longitude 1O2.O1
west. The weather is fine and the
SHIPS are moving at speed Of ten
and one-half knots an hour. The fleet
viii probably reach Madgalena Iasi,
"A MaTJJltat IL, two days ahead OF tne'
schedule. The cruise has been sue,
cessful in every way and the ships
are In perfect condition to be ready
Tor record target practice immediate.
ly upon their arrival at MagdaIena
bay.
Play for Men Ended.
The play days Of the men on shore
practically ended with the hoisting Of
anchors at Callao. Magdalena, is the
place for work, and spotless hulls and
polished decks will be grimy with the
grease and the gaseous refuse of bat
tie target practice soon after the big
ships have reported their arrival at
this crack harbor Of the Mexican
coast, which has been leased by the
United States as home ground for its
navy in the western seas.
Target practice is the most import.
ant work the fleet now has before 1t,
ana target practice means real work
Tor every man aboard. 1t is no longer
case Of lying at anchor and blazing
away In desultory fashion at a fixed
mark, but, instead each ship must be
moving at speed Of ten or twelve
knots an hour and must fire at the
enemy white canvas speck 12x2D
feet-attached to the long tow line
OF tug or tender and being hauled
away by varying angles and at n
speed equal to that Of the ships them.
selves. The target comes within the
given range unexpectedly sometimes
and It's stay is brief.
The gun crews of each ship must
be alert and trained to the minute. for
1t is the ship that fires the greatest
number of shots with the greatest per.
centage of hits that carries away the
trophy and rolls in the wealth of tho
liberal prize money which Is distrib.
uted after every record practice.
Ships Must be Overhauied.
In battle target practice the feet
commander in chief, as well as the
admirals of the four divisions, bear
the responsibility Of the maneuyers,
and the efficiency Of the work is sub.
iect to the closest scrutiny. Ship cap.
tains, from the forward bridge, con.
troll the movements of the vessels in
consonance with the signals which
varicolored flags cry out from flying
trucks, and far up in the fighting tops
the ordnance officers direct the fire Of
the many calibered guns by pressure
of electric buttons.
Close by their sides sharp eyed en-.
| ranges of fire, and thus from stocke-
hold to masthead the giant ships hum
the din of mimic war.
When target work and battle drills
are over the task of cleaning ship and
sprucing up for the return to home
ports awaits the sailors, and 1t is ex-
pected that no matter what tropical
sea growths may cling to hulls below
the red of the water line, the white
freeboard above and the buff super.
structure of the vessels-veterans ,,f
a memorable cruise-will glisten and
sparkle in the warmth of the Califor.
MIA sun as they did when they pointed
their eventful way to the Pacific
coast.
Cruiser Chicago on Long Trip.
Rio Janeiro. March 9.-The Ameri.
can cruiser Chicago arrived here this
morning. She is on her way from the
Pacific coast to the Aaltntic station.
4 q