The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-13
With a Record Breaking Trip of 13,OOO Niles Evans
 Stops for a Rest
HARD, SERIOUS WORK
 BEFORE WARSHIP CREWS
After Fleet Drills and Target Practice BattIeship Fleet Will Visit Call fornia Ports and Partake of
 American Hospitality.

San Diego, Cal, March 12.-When the American battleship fleet, under command of Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans steamed today into Magdalena bay, pas sage through the rocky gateway marked Point on the south and dropped anchors behind the high peninsula promontory which stretched a protecting arm down from the mainland and makes Man O'War Cove the most sheltered harbor of the lower Pacific coast the history making naval cruise of more than 13000 miles begun at Hampton roads less than three months ago, practically came to an end.
 Magdalena is the present naval base of the Pacific for American target work and battle practice drills and by right Of temporary ownership through govern ment 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 trip from Magdalena bay to San Francisco, the destination originally announced. d mat ter of some 1l00 miles, but it will not be begun until after target practice Is con cluded and fleet drills are done. This last stage of the journey will be d tour of holiday making, with stops at San Diego Los Angeles Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz where reception committees are planning all manner of entertainment for officers and men, The sailors will ! find themselves heroes, every one. in the eyes of their western admirers and are promised a series Of fetes which in- ciude features ranging from gala balls under the patronage of exclusive social sets to prize fights refereed by Champion J. J. Jeffries.
 The California committees announce that the uniforms of the enlisted men will be mark of hospitality and welcome all along the Pacific coast,
 There is serious work 10 be done at Magdalena, however, before the sailors thoughts can turn to the happy days Of homecoming.
 Target ranges are to be established off the coast of Lower California at once, according to the wireless dispatches from Admiral Evans and the divisions of the fleet will be sent out with big guns boom- ing as soon as they are ready.
 Two target practices are held each year in the navy, the spring practice which has been completed by all the vessels of the Pacific fleet and which is about to be undertaken by the fleet from the Atlantic. known the record practice,' as the results of which four trophies annually are awarded. Prizes in large sums also are distributed among the gun crews that make the best scores at tue targets
 At the fall practice the prize money is the only reward held out. There are fleet awards of money, class awards for the best work of ships in a given class and individual ship awards so that some money is available for all good worh even it it be not the best in fleet or class.
 The four trophies are bronze placques, which are carried by the winning ship in four different classes until other ships wrest the same away al the spring prac- tce The trophies were provided by or der of President Roosevelt and are rich ly prized by the winning crews.