Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-13
GREAT FLEET
ANCHORED IN
MAGDALENA
ARMADA AT REST IN THE BIG
SOUTHERN FAY
History and Description of Rich Naval
Trophies to Be contended
for--Winners of the
Past

SAN DIEGO, March 12.-IBy Wire
less]: When the American battleship
fleet under command of Rear Admiral
Robley d. Evans steamed today into
Magdalena bay, passing through the
rocky gate way marked by Sail rock
OIL the north and Redondo point on the
south, and dropped anchors behind the
high peninsular promontory which
stretches a protecting arm down from
the mainland and makes Man o War
ccyc the most sheltered harbor of the
lower Pacific coast, the history making
naval cruise of more than $4,000 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 gov
ernment lease the vessels, II not the
men of the fleet may feel they are
again in home waters.
There yet remains to be made the
trip from Magdalena bay to San Fran
CISCO the destination originally an
nounced, and a matter of some HOO
miles, but it will not be begun until
after a target practice is concluded and
fleet drills are done.
This last stage of the journey will be
a tour of holiday making, with stops
al San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Bar
lara and Santa Cruz, where reception
committees are planning entertain
ments for officers and men. the latter
especially coming in for the greatest
amount of attention.
Sailors Are Heroes
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
exclusive social sets to prize fights
refereed by Champion James j. Jeffries
himself
The California committees announced
that the uniforms of the enlisted men
Is far from being a bar to any place of
amusement as has sometimes been the
case in other places, will be mark of
hospitable welcome all along the Pa
cific coast.
There is serious work to be done at
Magdalena. however, before the sailors
thoughts. can turn to the happy days of
home coming.
The target ranges are to be estab-
lished off the coast of Lower California
at once, according to the wireless dis
patches from Admiral Evans and the
various divisions of the fleet will be
sent out with big guns booming as they
are ready.
Long before the fleet passed through
the Straits of Magellan the ordnance
officers of the sixteen ships, the turret
captains and the heads of the various
gun crews were busy with details of the
coming practice. and in the run from
Callao to Magdalena completed the final
arrangements.
Practice Every Year
The target practices are held each
wear in the navy. The spring practice,
which has been completed by practically
all of the vessels of the Pacific fleet
and which is about to be undertaken
by the fleet from the Atlantic. is known
as the record practice," as the result
of which four trophies are annually
awarded.
Prize money in large sums also is dis
tributed among the gun crews that
made the best scores at the targets,
AT the final practice the prize money
is the one 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
(Continned on Page Two)