Show WI WHERE HERE OUR FLEET RESTS MAGDALENA BAY LOWER california IN DREARY WASTE anchorage and strategic facilities ex 1 cellena cel lent but shores desolate ships to engage in target practice washington uncle sams greatest armada in history numbering 53 ships of war wa r 19 battleships 17 crul cruisers sers and 17 auxiliaries Is now assembled for target practice inthe in the magnificent port at Alag magdalena dalena bay lower Cali fornias grim harbor of tragedy and romance which has been leased eased by mexico to L the united states for three ahree years as aa a coaling station admiral evans fleet which passed around the horn sat sailed led from callaton callao Calla oon on february 29 and arrived in fine condition at Alag magdalena dalena bay on march 12 j it was the longest lap on the eventful 1 voyage a distance of nautical 1 miles there are no wireless telegraph stations on the coast of south and central america and was no communication ni by this means the vessels were not heard from until they reached the bay the torpedo squadron will arrive april 6 G the men will there engage in the usual spring target practice magdalena Alag dalena bay Is the only deepwater harbor and perfect shelter from storm on the long barren coast of southern california it Is one of the few great harbors on the pacific coast and compares favorably with the best in the world located in the vast solitudes of a forbidding and unproductive coast it Is of such proportions that it could handle the traffic of now york and liverpool without congestion the bay proper exclusive of lows lagoons and tributary inlets Is 19 17 miles long and 12 miles wide inside of the five fathom line of the depth of 30 feet which would be safe anchorage for the biggest ships there are square miles of this safe anchorage ground ranging in depth from 30 to feet in the village of Alag magdalena dalena there are ordinarily 25 houses and 50 inhabitants but today to day tho the place Is a community with only one entrance safe and wide but easily defended the great natural harbor of lower california Is declared by naval experts to bo be the tha finest station in the world for a naval base the right to use it as a coaling station and for the rendezvous of tho united states navy was a concession secured by secretary of state root from the mexican Alex ican government during hla his recent trip should the united states acquina magdalena Magdal cna bay ae ac has been recently aror proposed 1 sho bho would I 1 have anve the facilities for one of the greatest coaling stations on tho the pacific const coast located at a point between panama and san diego it might bo be of great value first visited by europeans in tho the days of the conquistador cortes in various centuries the gathering place of voyagers from the spanish main galleons gal leons from tho the philippines buc cancers from england and the nether lands american filibusters anti and whalers chalers from now england ports it was less than 40 year sago the favored property of a powerful boston and now york syndicate presided over by gen john A logan in tho the sands southward toward capo cape san lucas lie burled buried the surplus riches of many a treasure ship in 1847 lower calif california califia ia passed into the hands handa of the united stated upon tho the outbreak of the Alex mexican ican war admiral selfridge landed a body of marines and two companies of now york volunteers and took possession of the country with but slight opposition the treaty of guadalupe hidalgo however restored the territory to mexico respite le spite the avowed intention I 1 of president polk and his cabinet tor for its retention few of the navies on the california peninsula care to risk a journey JA IV FRANCISC CS dos I 1 Q location of magdalena Magdal cna bay through the arid regions reaching down to Alag magdalena dalena bay for thirst marks the wilderness with skeletons etow 3 of those who have bave died crying for water although the great bay Is large enough to accommodate all the navies of the world and be heedless of their presence yet it counts an incoming sail an event the explanation la Is thirst for every man who has ever visited this superb Ill starred bay has baa felt the want of water |