Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-09
"ARM0R IS TOO LOW" FLEET IS IN TOUCH
Admiral Goodrcs Opion on Coast Wireless Stations Pick
Naval Construction. Up the Batteshps.
SUGGESTIONS ARE IGNORED DUE AT MAGDAL ENA MAR. IL
Secretary M Praises In Perfect sondon and Seven Days
War Vessels Of Schedule.
REEY GIVES HIS TESTIMONY READY FOR INSTANT sEhVcE
Goodrich Message
should Placed the
Maine sunday
Coast Wireless Stations Pick
Up the BattIeships.
DUE AT MAGDALENA MAR. IL
In Perfect Sondition and Seven Days
Ahead of Schedule.
READY FOR INSTANT SERVICE
Mare Island Got the First Message
at 1900 Miles-Sent by the
Maine on Sunday.

Maine on Sunday.
ON BOARD u s. S. GEORGIA, pm.
March.S (via United Wireless Telegraph
Company).-The fleets position at this
hour is latitude l437 north. longitude
102O1 west. The weather Is fine and the
ships are moving along at speed of
ten and one-half knots an hour. The
fleet probably will reach Magdalena bay
March IL. seven days ahead Of their sched-
ule The cruise has been successful in
every way. The ships are in perfect
target practice Immediately upon their
arrival at Magdalena bay.
Marine Reported Dead.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 9.-The bat
tleship fleet came into direct communica-
ton with Mare Island yesterday, the
message being the first this coast has
received from the warships. Communica-
ton was had by wireless for distance
of 1900 miles, the message being from
the battleship Maine of Evans fleet. Yes
terday morning the operator at the wire
less station at Mare Island in responding
to the call of his instrument was sur
prised to discover he was in direct com
munication with the Maine. Though 1900
miles away. the me ssage was clear.
Mare Island acknowledged receipt. but
further communication was cut off on
account of other stations interrupting.
The first words from the fleet announced
the death of Private Samuel Wagner,
Marine Corps. native of Alabama, who
died on February % of pleural pneu-
monia He was buried at sea.
The direct communication with the
Maine followed closely on the receipt of
the relay message from the Connecticut
picked up by the St Louis.
All Stations Eager.
VALLEJO. Cal. March 9.-The first
communication which the Pacific coast
has had with Admiral Evans fleet was
established through the cruiser ST. Louis
early yesterday.
The ST. Louis. Commander N. r. Usher,
is at Magdalena bay for target practice.
A message was taken by the St. Louis
from the Connecticut, showing that the
fleet was steaming at regular rate,
!. 300 miles south of Magdalena. The
message was repeated from the ST. Louis
to stations on this coast. and was picked
up at Mare Island at 2:3O o'clock this
morning. All stations along the coast are
endeavoring to make the best record for
News at Point Iona.
SAN DIEGO, Cal. March 9.-Point
Iona wireless station at 1890 o'clock
yesterday received a dispatch for the
Navy Department from Admiral Evans
on board his flagship. the Connecticut,
which, with the remainder of the battle
ships. comprising the Atlantic squadron.
left Callao. Peru. for Magdalena bay on
February 20. The Point Iona operator
was unable to determine the position of
which doubtless would have indicated the
whereabouts of the fleet were indistin-
guishable. Nothing could be learned as
to the contents of the message.
Wireless messages received at the Navy
Department this morning show that the
Atlantic fleet is making splendid progress
on it's run from Callao. Peru. and that
it will probably reach its destination in
Magdalena bay the morning Of the 18th
instant. two days in advance of Its
schedule. The messages received were
from Rear Admiral Thomas, the second
In command, and were dated from his
flagship. the Minnesota. at o'clock last
night They showed that at that hour
the fleet was in latitude 14.37 north and
longitude 1O2.Ol west and was proceeding
at the rate Of ten and one-half knots an
hour.
Rear Admiral Pillsbury. chief of the
bureau Of navigation, said this morning
that the advices received from Admiral
Thomas indicate that the fleet at o clock
last night was less than 300 miles away
from Magdalena bay. and that at the rate
of progress which seemed to have been
maintained since its departure from Cal
lao 1t would arrive at the target grounds in
Magdalena bay Thursday morning. He
explained that 1t was supposed that the
fleet would maintain an average speed OF
about nine knots an hour on the run from
Callao to Magdalena bay and would arrive
on the target grounds next Saturday. The
fact that the vessels Of the fleet are pro-
ceeding at a higher rate of speed than was
expected is taken at the Navy Department
as clear evidence that they are all in first
class condition.
In another wireless message Rear Adj
miral Thomas propounded the inquiry:
Have you any important news from
homer"
All the messages referred to above were
received at the wireless station at Pensa-
cola. That station Is north and slightly
west of the point where the fleet was
located last night and nearer the fleet
than the stations on the lower coast OF
California.
A wireless message was also received
last night at the station at San Diego
from the u s. s. Connecticut and for
warded to the Navy Department 1t re-
ports the death of Samuel Wagner a ma
rine on board the Alabama who died Feb
ruary 20 Of pneumonia and was buried at
sea.