The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-02-25

CaIlao, February 20.-The Ameri-
can battleships, under Rear Admiral
Evans, looking clean and trim and
powerful in the tropical sun, came
TO anchor in this port soon after s
o'clock this morning
The booming Of the salutes an
onuneed the arrival of the feet, but
there was no need to send out signals,
for every resident of Callao and great
crowds from Lima, that stands back
on the hills, had awaited with ex-
pectancy the first glimpse of the ad-
vancing column.
Callao was in holiday array, and many
thousands viewed from the wharves,
the hea6iands and the ships in the
harbor the imposing scene. Enthu-
siastic crowds went down the bay on
excursion steamers and cheered the
american men-of-war
w The Peruvian cruiser Coronel Bo-
1ogosi, firing the first official welcome
to the fleet, joined the American yes
sells yesterday morning $50 miles to
the southwark and acted as an es-
cort up the coast. She led the way
into the harbor this morning with
the flagship OF the fleet close be-
side.
1t was stated today that Admiral
Evans, who has been suffering almost
from the beginning Of the voyage from
rheumatism, was slightly better, but
as yet he does not feel that he should
risk the danger of coming ashore.
Rear Admiral Charles M. Thomas,
commander of the second squadron,
will represent him at the official cere-
monies but Rear Admiral Evans is
still the commander of the fleet.
The battleships will remain here
probably for ten days and will be
Joined by the torpedo boat flotilla
near the close of their stay at Callao.
Arrangements have been made for
festivities OF all kinds. including a
bull fight, which not less than five
thousand of the blue jackets will see,
and a regatta for which preparations
have been going on for several weeks.
Their party will give a public re-
ception to the officers tomorrow af-
ternoon and Washington's birthday
will be made gala occasion.
The fleet had a successful and un-
eventful passage up from Punta Are
mas. They left Punta Arenas at II
In column formation they made their
vStrait of Magellan. The torpedo boat
fotilla accompanied the warships
Saturday, the Sth, the sky. was over
cast The weather was cold and the
wind blew squally and fresh, forcing
the low flying clouds aside for occa-
sional flashes of brilliant sunshine
The sonw clad peaks on either side
of the strait made fitting setting to
the wild weather.
AS the vessels steamed steadily
through the narrow confiens of En-
glish reach, crooked beach and long
reach, and finally past the Evangel-
iStis islands out to TIE open sea the
scene was one of wild, rugged and
picturesque beauty. One after another.
the white battleships forged through
the deep gorge in the bleak mountains
that form the southernmost head
lands of South America. To the north
and to the south the mountain valleys
showed glinting glaciers with cascades
streaming down the narrow cuts and
defiles to the lower levels to find their
way in rushing rivulets to the sea-
AS the vessels finally cleared in SAT-
ETY. the last headlands and the dan
gerous islands that bar the entrance
to the open ocean every man in the
fleet was filled with a sense of pride
in the successful accomplishment of
the dangerous piece of navigation.
Once into the Pacific the fleet ran
into rain and fog and the headlands
and mountains marking the western
entrance to the strait were quickly
lost to view.
The warships then had fog for four
days. during which time they kept in
touch by the sound of their whistles.
On the fifth day the weather cleared
and remained fine until the fleet
steamed into Callao this morning un-
der a warm tropical sun.