Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-03-06
BATTLE SHIPS SAIL.
start on Long Run, from CsIIao
for MsadaIena Bay.

Callao, Feb. 29.-The American feet
sailed today for Magdalena Bay, in
Lower California, territory of Mexico.
Signals went up from the Connecticut,
the flagship, this morning, and shortly
afterward the battle ships were steaming
slowly out to ocean for the long run to
their next stepping place.
The fleet described semicircle, the
great white ships moving to the south
west, and when they passed the Peruvian
cruiser Almirante Grau, from which
President Pardo and Peruvian officials
viewed the departure, each of the war
ships fired salute of twenty-one guns.
The cruiser replied when the Connecticut
was passing, and there was a dipping of
flags from the other vessels in the har-
Dor and a ringing farewell from the thou
sands who had gathered to watch the
ships of friendly nation as they swung
msjestically out to the open sea.
THOUSANDS SEE FLEET SAIL.
The steamer Cachapoal, crowded with
spectators, accompanied the fleet some
distance from shore, but as the battle
ships gathered speed she was left astern
with the enthusiastic Peruvians still
watching and waving flags and handker-
chiefs. Thousands of sight.seers on
points of vantage on land witnessed the
magnificent and imposing scene.
The newspapers both at Lima and Cal
lao are full of expressions of regret at
the departure of the visitors, and they
pointed out that President Pardo voiced
the sentiments of all the people when, on
his visit to Rear Admiral Evans, he said
that the attentions shown the fleet were
"a spontaneous demonstration of the sim
cere and old friendship which unites the
two countries"
The next stopping place of the fleet I'M
der Rear Admiral Evans is Magdalena
Bay, where, according to the schedule,
the vessels will arrive March IA. The dis
lance from Callao to Magdalena Bay is
3,l02 nautical miles.
MONTH FOR TARGET PRACTI e.
The dates for the departure from Mag
dalena Bay and the arrival at San Fran
cisco have not been definitely determined,
as they depend upon the completion of
the target practice at Magdalena Bay,
which will probably occupy thirty days.
There are no wireless telegraph stations
on the coast of South and Central Ameri-
ca between Callao and the next stopping
place, and the fleet therefore will not be
able to communicate by this means.
This is the longest lap of the long voy age,
and unless news of the passage of the
war ships is brought ashore by some pas
sing steamer, the vessels probably will
not be heard from again until they APP
proach Magdalena Bay.
inhr Coll
bring Panama abeam, and the vessels will
then be practically clear of South Ameri-
ca. Counting the long stops made at
Trinidad, Rio de Janeiro, Punta Arenas,
and Callao, they have made the circuit of
South America is approximately seventy
three days.
MEXICANS PREPARE FOR FLEET.
Magdalena Bay has suddenly appeared
on the map as a Commercial center"
according to information transmitted to
the State Department by American Con.
sui General Gottschalk, at the City of
Mexico. The Mexican government hav-
ing declared Magdalena Bay a port of
entry for an indefinite period from Feb
ruary Is last, Senior d. Rafael Castro
Montana has been appointed "adminis-
traitor of the Magdalena Bay custom
house and captain of the port"
Many Mexican houses are sending sales
men and stocks Of goods there for the
purpose of trading with the 5000 men of
the American feet during the months
stay at target practice. At present. it is
reported, one house comprises the NUM-
cipality.
San Francisco, Feb. 29.-The cruisers
Washington and Tennessee, of Rear AID.
miral Sebree's command, left San Fran.
cisco this afternoon for Magdalena Bay
1t is expected that they will remain in
southern waters until March 80.