Show WORK AT JJ RANGES ALMOST ENDED Last of the Battleships on the Firing Line at Magda Magdalena Magdalena Magdalena lena Bay CHAMPIONSHIP IN DOUBT WEEK OF CLEANING UP WILL FOLLOW TARGET PRACTICE Magdalena Bay March 28 via Point Loma Lorna Wireless Station Cal March 20 29 2 Record target practice for the sixteen battleships of the Atlantic fleet Is rap rapidly rapIdly rapidly idly approaching a conclusion and it is expected that next Wednesday April 1 will vilI witness the final firing on the ranges The Virginia the Kansas and the Vemont Vex were on the firing lines today and they are the last ships to complete their work The Vermont and the Kansas are indulging in target practice for the first time under record conditions and have hac been granted quite a concession in the way of preliminary practice Monday Tuesday and Wed Wednesday Wednesday nesda it Is believed the Kansas and Vermont will have the ranges all to themselves The gun gun crews on these ships ship have had lots of opportunity to prepare for the work at the targets and they Y should make a splendid record The ships sent to the ranges first suf suffered suffered something of a handicap as gun L drilling at sea does not give gie the same chor cho results as when a ship Is lying at an anchor ancho All Doing Good Work All of the ships it can be stated however have been doing splendid work at the targets and it is still a matter of at doubt as to whether the champion championS championship ship gunnery gunner pennant for tor armored ves vessels vessels vessels sels will fly fl from one of the armored cruisers of ot the Pacific fleet or from one of the battleships now here It Is it believed the contest has narrowed down downto to the results of the scores the rifles and espe especially especially I clan figuring in the equation which Is to be solved The records as at 1 I present compiled give gle no certain indi indications Indications of the final result The bat battleships battleships battleships have made high scores with witt their twelve and guns as at atwith with the eight and rifles in It inthe the primary batteries of the Pacific t fleet cruisers I Coaling Comes Next With completion of target practice on or onI L I next Wednesday the crews will turn to coaling and then will follow Callow a week of at cleaning and painting ship for fo the welcomes which await the vessels at atthe atthe atthe the various California ports they the are areto areto ar arto to visit When hen the work of painting is it done the sixteen ships will look as at spick and span as the day da they the left lefI L Hampton Roads and will be maintained I by crews that are trained to the min minute minute minute ute and are ready read for any service t Next Thursday night April 2 a ban banquet banquet banquet is to be given on the Mexican gunboat Tampico which has been here her I ever since the fleet arrived The host hosi of the evening will be Governor San Sat i Guinez of the southern district of ot Low Lower Lower er California who came to Magdalena Magdalen Bay to greet Admiral Evans and theother the th L Lother other American officers as the personal persona representative of ot President Diaz of 0 j I Mexico Covers Coers for thirty will be laid the guest list Including all flag and an commissioned officers officer Following the th i dinner which Is to be an elaborate I Ione one there will be an exchange of ships shipton I Ion on the quarterdeck of the Tampico Governor San Guinez wilt will make malte the address on behalf of the Mexican gov government government and nd the responses will wili be by bI b bRear Rear Admiral C M I Thomas who com corn commands commands mands the fleet in the absence of ot Ad Admiral Admira mimI miral Evans Evana and by br Captain Eaton Schroeder of the Virginia I |