Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-20

reached the vessels everything was in
readiness to handle them with system,
and as each boat landed it's quota OF
eager sightseers, Others whose eyes had
been filed to satisfaction with the
mysteries of the iron monsters were
taken aboard and carried back to the
harbor.
Early in the day Commander Grant,
acting on instructions from Admiral
Thomas, issued the following:
1.-THE first division, consisting of the
ships Connecticut, Kansas, Vermont
and Louisiana, now stationed at san
Pedro, is open to visitors from I'm ~ d.
m. to 4 d. m each day, except Wednes-
day, the 22d, which, in the forenoon
from 8 o'clock to noon, has been re-
served to any child under years, ac-
companied by parent or guardian; ana
the afternoon of that day has been re-
served to the several veterans posts
of Southern California, and OF the
Women's Relief corps and Sons and
Daughters of Veterans of the civil
war.
"The same program has been ar
ranged for the ships lying off Long
Beach, Santa Monica and Redondo."
Visitors are allowed in all parts of
the ships, except the engine room and
turrets. A large number of blueJack-
cts stand at the head OF the gangWay
and take charge of the arrivals. con-
ducting them in groups or individually
about the ships. explaining everything
in detail Visitors, however, are not
compelled to call upon the services OF
a bluejacket, but may wander at VIII
about the vessels.
Admiral Thomas had a long con-
versation yesterday with Admiral Ev-
ans, who is at Paso Robes, over the
long distance wire of the Sunset tele-
phone.
r. A. Phillips and the Venice well
coming committee. which had head-
quarters at the snip hotei, scat.eleu tr
themselves at all beach points yester-
day in order to assist the information
bureau work for visitors.
Organist w. ]. r. Gibbs of Los An
geles will play at the opening OF the
new dining hall in the Auditorium OH
the Venice pier today
Three Pomona boys started to swim
from shore towards the battleship New
Jersey Yesterday. Two of them gave
ND and climbed into skiff, while the
third continued to swim towards the
warships. The result was that ne was
taken i'll and was picked up by boats
crew of the New jersey who took MN
on board and put him in the sick
bay." where he was kept all day. AS
his shore clothes are back in the bath
house they will send him back to land
Monday wearing the navy blue.
1--WE are bound to get you in the
navy yet" remarked one fthe sailors
as he patted him on the back, leading
him to the sick bay.
1--WE never hear the ships band" de-
clared one of the officers of the New
Jersey yesterday; eve grow so accus-
toned to il. We have three pianos on
board with automatic attachment Tor
playing, and these .have managed TO
keep in pretty good tune despite tne
three changes of climate through Wnlcn
they have gone on this cruise. We
don't know what we would do without
them. But we haven't had chance
to change the tunes for three months.
BUSY times await us when we reach
port" said another officer. we nave
to keep the ship going just the same.
The time is scheduled pretty. closely
Then comes the social function. 1t
takes all the spare time. We are glad
to be so heartily received, and appre-
ciate the good will. But it makes a
long day when you have all your ship
duties to attend to, and in addition
have two dinner parties, then have to
go to ball at night lasting until a.
m. and have to get up at o'clock that
same morning to prepare for parade,
saw. as at San Diego. And it is just as
dull at sea as it is gay in port"
MANY of the officers of the fleet be-
lieve that Artist Reuterdahl was cor
rest in his criticisms concerning the
location of the armor plate, only they
affirm that instead of moving the plate
IN which would leave the lower part
of the ship exposed, an extra strip OF
arnor plate should be placed above the
present armor line.
"It is impossible to have men from
the state for which the ship is named
make up it's crew." remarked an officer
Yesterday but it is peculiar how peo-
Die will come aboard and ask If you are
from the state of New Jersey just
simply because you happen to serve on
the battleship bearing that name.
The burial at sea of one of the mas
cots of the fleet, a goat belonging to the
New Jersey, was performed in all due
form by the sailors, who saw that
every detail of the ceremony was car
ried through with the utmost care.
All the ships of the fleet, it was said
at the Long Beach free Information
bureau, are over manned, so that when
the men whose time expires soon leave
at San Francisco there will be others
to take their places. Thus every one
l1ST a H1N FmU You avoid troubie u