Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-15
SHIPS MANEUVER
WITH PRECISION
FLEET SHOWS EXCELLENCE IN
NAVAL DRILLS
NO ACCIDENT MARS JOURNEY up
THE COAST
Distance Between Magdalena Bay and
San Diego Is Covered In Sixty
nine Hours-Land Sighted
Early in Morning
By Associated Press.

ABOARD THE UNITED STATES
SHIP KANSAS, April 14,-The 6oO-odd
miles lying between Magdalena bay
and San Diego were traversed by the
Atlantic fleet in exactly sixty-nine
hours. 1t was a journey without spe-
cial incident of any sort. the run was
mostly at nine-knot speed, with Varla-
tion of a knot or two at different
times.
The fleet formation all the way was
in line of squadrons, or double line
of eight ships each, the two squadrons
separated by 1900 yards and the shlps
by 400 yards, measuring from foremast
to foremast.
The most interesting event of the
tourney was the start, when the SIX
teen battleships weighed anchor IN
Man of War cove at Magdalena pay
and slowly got under way for Calilor-
mia. The ships were scattered ABOUT
the bay in apparent utmost cohluslon
! Connecticut, was anchored nearly IN
the middle of the fleet. For twenty
four hours the sailing orders were 1or
PAGE ane
"Get Under Way
Promptly on the hour and minute, as
eight bells sounded. the signal shot up
the halyards of the flagship: Get under
way and form fleet column. Al the
same instant the small black and white
| flag, famiiarly called "the hVe or
| clubs" and which denotes the guide
shin of the feet, ran up the Connecti-
cut maintop. ,
In complete unison the sixteen battle
ships began to weigh anchor. Slowly
the huge chains were drawn IN across
the polished forecastle, dripping Wet
with the waters of the bay. Inc shtps
1,,oHa fully ready for
sea. All boats had been hoisted ana
made fast, quarters had sounded ana
hlue Jackets stood in ranks upon quar-
terdeclx and forecastle. The captain or
each ship paced the flying bridge. Inc
navigators were at their posts, ana
commissioned officers only were oi
watch.
"The anchor is away, sir" was the
first report the captain received from
the officer of the watch. 1.-The anchor
is up. sir" quickly followed.
All of the ships of the great meet
were ready to move. Slowly the con-
necticut began to forge ahead, steer
ING directly for a point midway where
the Kansas and Vermont lay. The Gull
goa. the only auxiliary, hastily backed
away to clear the path.
"The Connecticut is under way, sir.
again reported the lieutenant on the
bridge to his superior The flagship
SLOWLY. Wltn SDetu COilcS lltll up ~
scribed the arc of a circle, passing out
toward the entrance, the Kansas and
Vermont falling in line behind her as
she came between them. The bows of
the other ships all pointed after her
as the steering engines turned them
around.
Order Comes from Confusion
In an instant order came out of the
seeming confusion and a straight col
umn of ships began to steadily stream
out toward the entrance or the pay
from their miscellaneous anehorages.
The Louisiana followed the Vermont in
line. The Georgia, flagship of Admiral
Emory; the New Jersey, Rhode Island
and Virvinia followed, and the first
squadron was complete. The Alabama,
heading the second squadron with Ad-
miral Sperry's flag at the mainmast,
fell into line with her sister ship, the
Illinois, close behind. The kearsarge
and Kentucky came up. The fourth
division, the Maine leading, the Ohio
and Missouri next, and Minnesota last
in line, brought up the rear.
With the whole feet in single COL
umn the line extended from the cove
well out toward the mouth OF the pay.
AS the entrance was reached the Con-
necticut turned sharply to starboard
and headed straight out Here was one
of the difficult feats of navigation
the turning in column and bringing up
directly in line again on the altered
course The ships came around the
curve in rapid order.
"Well done, Vermont" was the sig
nal that went up from the flagship as
the Vermont rounded the course. well
done, Georgia" was the next compli-
ment the courteous admiral bestowed;
and so on down the line. the ships
which failed to round the turn in true
form being passed over in silence by
THE critical eye of the senior officer.
1t was o'clock when the last ship
in line passed out between Point En-
trada and Point Redondo, with a mute
adieu to Magdalena The course was
nearly westward for a time, and then
altered to the northwest.
All night and until Q the following
morning the compact order of ships in
single column was maintained. Then
| the order from the flagship, Form line
of SQUADRON" Immediately the engines
of the eight ships of the first SQUAD
ron slowed down, and the bows or the
last eight ships in line turned sharply
to port They veered rapidly OFF to the
left of the column, the Alabama lead
ing. III twenty minutes the second
squadron was opposite the first the AL
| ALBANIA exactly abeam the Connecticut
| and 1900 yards distant. The fleet again
resumed the regulation speed of nine