The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-07-04 00:00:00

NAVAL SHAM FIGHT.

On Tuesday the long-promised contest between the
two divisions of the Particular Service Squadron,
under Rear-Admiral Whyte and Vice - Admiral
Hoskins respectively, was brought to an issue, and
proved to be ono of the most instructive and interest-
ing of the operations in which the ships have been en-
gaged for sense time past,. The general idea upon
which it was arranged that the engagement should
proceed was that Sir Geoffrey Hornby, having estab-
lished in Bantry Bay a temporary base for offensive
movements along the coast, found it necessary to
protect his fleet against possible attacks from a
powerful enemy known to be hovering in the offing.
The enemy, however, chose to play a waiting game,
carrying on skirmishing operations with torpedo
boats, and did not deliver his main attack until
nearly midnight on Monday. His fcrce con-
sisted of four ironclad, two corvettes, one sloop,
thirteen steam launches, pinnaces, and pinnace cutter
armed with the Whitehead torpedo, and numerous
rowing boats, all carrying guns. The defending force
consisted of ten ironclads, two sloops, one torpedo
depot ship, four gunboats, and four torpedo boats,
besides a numerous flotilla of steam pinnaces, launches,
barges, and rowing boats. The fight was, as a war-
like spectacle, the greatest possible success. At half-
past one on Monday afternoon war was declared,
and the belligorents, having their plans already
settled, proceeded to carry them out. Bere Island,
being in the possession of the attacked squadron,
was strongly garriEoned by both Marines and Blue-
jackets, all available positions being guarded by
field guns previously landed. A line of sentries
extended the whole length of the coast on the
outer side of the island; the main road was also
taken possession of by a strong detachment, who
closely questioned all civilians who passed, and
any not having the countersign of " Berehaven "
were made prisoners of war until the action
ceased. At eleven p.m. the enemy attacked the
eastern boom, which was defended by all the avail-
able force that could be spared in armed boats, nearly
all of which carried guns. After a short time the
scene became indescribably grand, as the guns from
the shore and boats kept up a terrific tire on the
approaching enemy, who endeavoured to jump the
spars, but, with few exceptions, unsuccessfully. The
electric light showed all their movements, which were
so plainly seen that in actual war the shot and shell, and
mines which were fired byelectricity, would have blown
the attacking boats out of the water. The infernal
machines when fired, instead of destroying the ships
and boats engaged, only caused an explosion, and
emitted light of various colours, according to the
description of mine. Meantime, a second party left
the Glengariffe end of the island, and attacked the
western channel.

Upon the defences enormous labour had been spent.
They chiefly consisted of massive booms which
entirely closed the eastern and western entrances to
the bay, which are about four miles apart. These
booms were formed of the ships' spars lashed
together with wire ropes and chains, net-
tings being placed at some spots both
above and below water. Hawsers and grass ropes
were in addition, stretched from shore to shore under
water, with the design of entangling the screws of
torpedo and other boats that might endeavour to
attack the booms. Before these could be reached
by the hostile fleet a distance of 1500 yards had
to be traversed thickly studded with mines, which
would explode either by contact or by electricity.
At the eastern entrance the Hotspur was sta-
tioned, and just outside the mine field, close to the
Eastern boom, lay the gunboats Medway and Medina.
Near Bore Island was the Shannon. Captain Britten,
of the Minotaur, was in charge of the eastern boom,
the western one being under Captain Robinson, of the
Agincourt. The gunboats Snap and Pike were
stationed at the ends of this barrier, close to Minane
and Bracklah Islands, the former of which had three
guns in position, as also a fortification adapted to
rifle fire, and named Fort Rupert. The latter island
had a defence of three guns, called the Agincourt
Battery. Captain Robinson, of the Penelope, had
supreme command of the force landed on the eastern
end of Bere Island, and Captain Boyle, of the Iron
Duke, that of the western.
Hostilities were supposed to commence at half-past
one o'clock, and, shortly after that hour, the Blue-
jackets and the Marines, who were to occupy Dere
island, were landed, the Sea Horse taking the men
for the western end, the Express for the eastern.
Two first-class torpedo boats of the defending ferce
were at the same time sent out to search for the
enemy. It was not, however, until four o'clock that
a corvette and two torpedo boats of Admiral Hoskins's
fleet were signalled as being off the Bantry shore, and
some time later the Mercury and four torpedo boats
were reported as chasing the defenders outlying
small craft. The superior force of the enemy, and
great speed of the Mercury, enabled them to
capture two of their opponents. About ten
o'clock a rocket announced that the enemy were
in sight off the Eastern Channel, and soon after
the attack began. The electric light from the
gunboats shone upon the boom, showing its sur-
roundings as clearly as if it were day, while
that of the Heels searched the mainland. The Mer-
cury, with the attacking. flotilla, flashed her light
everywhere, endeavouring to discover the weakest
part of the boom. At this moment the scone was
very impressive. The Hotspur and the gunboats
opened fire, many of the mines exploded, and as the
enemy's boats approached nearer, the batteries on
shore and the guns of the boats moored near the
boom, poured out a continuous fire. Four or five
boats managed to jump the obstruction, but only to
be captured on the other side. Some were entangled
in the nets, and before they got clear were put out
of action, according to the umpires' rules. The
patrolling of the harbour was carried out by
torpedo boats, two at each end, and nothing
could exceed their diligence, but no boat got
further than the boom either east or west. About
midnight the western boom was attacked unsuccess-
fully; a boat belonging to the Conquest managed to
get over, but she was at once made prisoner. The
guns of the Snap and Pike would allow nothing to
live under their fire, whilst the Fort Rupert and
Agincourt batteries did great service. About half-
past one Admiral Hoskins signalled the recall, and
the "cease fire" sounded on both sides. Through-
out the signalling was perfect, both by day and night.
The opinion generally entertained is that the attack
signally failed.