Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-01
Fleet Now In
Strait of Magellan.

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of 16 battleships, which entered the
Strait Of Magellan at o'clock this al
ternoon. in anchored tonight in Pos
session bay some 20 miles to the west
ward of Dungeness point, where the
strait proper begins. This Information
reached here about o'clock tonight
bv means Of wireless telegraph. The
message said that the fleet would ar
rive at Punta Arenas at noon tomor-
row.
The feet was off Dungeness point at
noon today, according to telephone
adyices from that place, but appeared
TO be scattered on account Of heavy
fog which made the weather very
thick at the entrance Of the strait. The
vessels were assembled again. how
ever, and entered the strait, passing
Dungeness point at 2 O'Clock, proceed
ing in single file. They were next
sighted off Cape Possession, which Is
Is miles west Of Point Dungeness This
information was communicated by
telephone from Cape Possession TO
Delgada point light house, who in the
same way communicated with the city
Possession bay is only few miles
west OF 1dpt IoSoCsSiOAJ 1890
five miles from the entrance TO the
First Narrows 1t affords good anchof-
age and it is thought here that ADMIR-
al Evans decided to anchor the neet
for the night rather than to take any
risk in navigating the First and Sec
ond Narrows between Possession Day
and Punta Arenas.
The Chilean government tenhei
Canez, carrying the local government
officials and others who are mere 10
greet the Americans. will meet the
feet off Magdalena Island. Se'erai
private steamers are preparing |" car
nv excursiOnists out to meet the battIe-
shIps There Is much excitement To-
night among the inhabitants OF thiS
little city, the most sOutherly ON he
globe and much preparation mas Deen
made to entertain the visitors during
their five-days stay in port.
The British cruiser Sappho has ar
rived here and will remain during the
stay of the American fleet The Amerl-
can TRANSPORT Panther came into the
barbor lust before o'clock tonight,
the tug Reynolds having arrived early
In the afternoon While foggy weather
is reported from Dungeness point ana
other places about the entrance to the
strait. it is clear and pleasant weather
at Punta Arenas.
Rear Admiral Evans feet now en-
ters one of the most difficult parts or
its trip to the Pacific. the navigation
of the eastern part OF the Strait or
Magellan.
The first hundred miles of the strait
are comparatively uninterestlng. Inc
land on eitrer side is low and cover
ed with grass with scarcely a tree TO
be seen for the entire distance to cape
Negro. throughout this stretch the
depth of the water rarely exceeds 2o0
feet: there are many banks and shoals
and the tidal streams are rapid, the
tide rising from SO to a feet. An an
chcrage may be obtained in almost
ary BART of the eastern end of the
strait except in the narrows. AT cape
Negro trees are seen and the land
gradually becomes higher. The forests
grow denser and the mountains more
lofty as the middle of the strait and
Puntn Arenas are approached.
In approaching the Strait of Magei-
Ian from the eastward Cape Virgins
usually is the first land seen. 1t is a
white cliff 135 feet high on which
there is a lighthouse and several dwell
inss In clear weather the cape is Wis
able from a distance of 20 to Is miles
Across the mouth of the strait from
Dungeness lie the steep white cliffs of
Cape Espiritu Santos. 1870 feet high.
The distance between these two points
is about 16 miles. Eight miles to the
westward of Cape Virgins is Mount
Dinero, a conical hill, 279 feet high.
From this point the land of the north
ern shore along which the fleet will!
proceed closely continues between 200
and 400 feet high. On Mount Dinero
has been erected pyramidical bea-
con painted white and red bands and
surmounted by q ball. to Indicate the
boundary between the Chilean and Ar
gentine republics. At the entrance TO
the first narrows on the northern shore
Is Delgada point. The lighthouse To-
Gated there is In telephone communi-
cation with Punta Arenas.
The channel, of the first narrOws is
10 miles long and two miles wide,
with steep cliff-like shores and an av-
eraSc depth of go feet. Philip bay
comprises the whole Of the soul
shore between the first and second
narrows ami contains several good
anchorages. The second Earrows. 90
miles southwest from the first mar
rows. are about L. miles long and from
four to six miles wide.
Through the first and second mar
rows the tidal stream runs straight.
but ut each entrance to these mar
rows the volume Of water which has
been pent up between such narrow
walls naturally seeks TO spread itself
oat and consequently causes n strong
sea towards the banks on either side
OF the end toward which the stream
Is running, and corresponding in
draught at the other end. This is felt
much more in the first narrows. where
the stream runs from to eight knots
an hour. On reaching the second mar
rows the Gregory range of mountains.
lying to the north on the Patagonian
shore, can be seen.
From the second narrows to punta
Arenas there are two routes available
Tor large vessels. One is the Queen
channel so named by Sir Francis
a 70