New-York tribune., 1908-02-01
FLEET ENTERS STRAIT
FOR THE NIGHT.
Amer1can Battleshps UW Reach
PuRta -4rfRas TO-ddU.


| entered the Strait of Magellan at o'clock this
afternoon is anchored tonight in Possession
| Bay, twenty miles TO the westward of
Dungeness Point, where the strait proper begins.
| This information reached here about 6 o'clock
tonight by means of wireless telegraph. The
message said that the feet would arrive at
Punta Arenas at noon tomorrow
The feet was off Dungeness Point at noon
to-day. according TO telephone advices from
that place, but appeared TO be scattered on ac-
count OF heavy fog. which made the weather
thick at the entrance of the strait. The vessels
were assembled again. however. and entered the
strait passing Dungeness Point at o'clock,
proceeding in single file They were next sight
ed off Cape Possession. which is fifteen miles
west of Point Dungeness. This information was
communicated by telephone from Cape Posses
sion to Delgada Point lighthouse which in the
same way communicated with Punta Arenas
Possession Bay is Cny few miles west OF
Cape Possession and about five miles from the
entrance to the First Narrows. It affords good
anchorage. and it is thought here that Admiral
Evans decided to anchor the feet for tie nght
rather than 10 take any risk in navigating the
First and Second narrows between Possession
Bay and Punta Arenas
The Chilian government tender Canez, carry
ing the local government officials and others
who are here TO greet the Americans. will meet
the feet off Magdalena Island, Several private
steamers are also preparing 10 carry sightseers
out TO meet the battleships.
There is much excitement night among the
inhabitants of this little city the NEST southerly
on the globe. and many preparations have been
made to entertain/ the visitors during their five
days stay in port
The British cruiser Sappho has arrived here
and will remain during the stay of the American
ttar
into TIE harbor just before o'clock tonight,
the tug Reynolds having arrived early in the
afternoon.
While foggy weather is reported from Dun
geness Point and other places about the en-
trance. to the strait il is clear and pleasant
weather at Punta Arenas.
Dunseness Point Chill Jan 31-2 p. NJ
Seventeen vessels of the American feet doubled
the Point at 30 p. m. and entered the Strait OF
Magellan.
Cape Virgin. Argentina. Jan. II. lib a. M
The feet Of American battleships under Rear
Admiral Evans is at this moment passing cape
Virgin and advancing slowly toward the Strait
Of Magellan Six battleships can be seen from
herr They are all near the cape
The first of the American battlesfips vas
sighted al q O'Clock last evening. she was then
with the Chilian lighthouse at Point Dungenes.
She Displayed by flag the cipher letters &C b.
I : I7It il was impossible to learn the name
of the vessel. these particular letters not being
II, the code available here. This vessel COM
nllInicated by signal that at midday on Thurs
dav she had separated from the fleet which
was then proceeding slowly in the direction of
the strait The main pare of the fleet, the sig
nails said expected to enter the strait soon after
midnight.
- g.5o o'clock on Thursday night the second
l,attleShip was sighted from here. This vessel
etonved off cape Virgin and it could be seon
that she was making signals
r-xap,inatcr Of the code in use indicates tlat the
c,ber letters displayed by the battleship of POM
r,lncc9ess should have been "G r. l.. W indi-
carnq, that the ship the Vermont. OF the first
division of Admiral E1anss heet
The feet made fine run from rio de Janeiro TO
,.., >-ir-fr The distance is 2.230 nautical miles.
and :, vas covered in approximately eight days
and eight hours This is at the rate of 1ll3 knots
Tho eaat now enters on Of tie most difficult
o,t. of its trip to the Pacific. the navigation of
the eastern part Of the Strait OF Magellan The
FIRST hundred miles OF the strait are comparatively
,Ininrcrestng. The land CO either side is 10" ahd
o,,ercd with grass with scarcely tree TO be seen
frr tis entire distance to Cape Negro Throughout
ti,is stretch ,hc depth of tie water rarely exceeds
q hundred feet, there banks and shoals
nd the tIaal streams rapid. ne tide rising
fro,,, af to 1; feet An anchorage may he obtained
r a;rs,st any part the eastern end cf the strait
c-,e-,t in The narrous. ~ Cape Negro trees are
e..a,, aud tfe land gradually becomes higher.
+, arnroacfng the Strait of Magellan from The
eastward cane Virgin usually is the first land seen
J. s. . .,rire clfn 10 feet high. which there Is
-sI.,hotI,e and saveTal g.en-s. IN clear weather
;,. care is visible from staTce of twenty %
1-,cnt,- five miles. Five miles 20 the southwest IS
Paint Dun2eness q l3Ey spit. where the shore be
.its It's westward trend t.cross the mouth OF iAe
strait fr, "a Dungegcss he the steep white cliffs
of cane Espiriiu Santo l%l teet high The distance
Ietveen these tVo points is about sixteen miles
,fn.,nt D.nero =, ooaieal lin 27s feet high From
spi~ I.o5nt the land of tie northern shore. which
the feet viii hug. continues between two hundred
md folr hundred Ieet high, level on 1pp. and
.4n.ralIv covered Witn grass 80 Cape Possession.
fourteen miles further west ON Mount Dihefo a
beacon has been erected. painted Wits red ard
white hands and suImounted by ball. TO Indicate
the BOUNDARY between the Gillian and Argentine
renui,ice At the entrance 10 the first nafr""s on
rl,,. northern shore DeIgada Point The light
house t,-r. Is in telephorio communication with
Fuuta Arenas.
The channel Of tne first Earro"s Is ieA niles |
ionz and two n3iirs wide, wi;h steep. ci4hike |
shores. and an s.ycraec depth Of 20 feet, Philip |
I;.v comprises the whole Of the south shore he
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