The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-11
MAKING BELIEVE FIGHT.
Naval sham Battle in British Waters.
From the London Times, august 30.l
HER MAJEsrY's SHIP ACHILLES,


From the London Times, august 30.1
HER MAJEsTY's SHIP ACHILLES,
BANTRY BAY, August %, 1873.
The picturesque shores OF Bantry Bay we're to-
day startled into reverberating echoes by the
thunder Of broadsides and the quick rattle Of rnes
for inside that beautiful bay was fought a sham
battle between the two divisions OF the First
Reserve squadron, now completing their summer
cruise OF the south coast OF Ireland These ships
lett Portland the 18th of August, and until the
ed OF August have been at sea, going through
their various drills, maneuvres and steam tactics.
The weather generally has been rainy and uncom-
Portable, and q sufficiently strong wind has been
experienced to give one more proof OF the already
well-tested qualities OF the ships composing this
SQUADRON ON Friday, August 20, they sailed
aP ivy the Of sa
where they have since lain at anchor.
This morning the weather was tolerably fine,
though now and then rain cloud passed over. At
hafpasr ten A. NJ. the Hector. eighteen guns the
Achilles twenty-six, the Vanguard, fourteen, ana
were ordered TO go and anchor in Glengarin Bay,
about four miles distant from the remaining ships
Between one and two PM.
THE FIRST DIVISION
began to move from their mOOrings, at the same
time clearing away for action. The fine wooden
line -ofbattle ship Revenge, thrtytw0 guns, carry
ing the nag Of Rear Admiral Edmund Heathcote,
bore down first, and was followed by the Black
lant eighteen. The seamew ana the ,gunboat
GOshawk acted as tenders, the former being at
tached to the second division. The attacked ships
were not backward in preparing to receive the
enemy. They got in their jibbooms and sent down
topmasts and spars In a very short space Of time,
and then, crossing the enemy's bows, received and
returned few rounds rom the Revenge and the
the second division were to retreat for time,
keeping up mischievous fire with their stern guns
in answer to the enemy's bow guns. At length the
Revenge overlook the Valiant and
A BROADsIDE ENGAGEMENT
commenced. The second division stopped steam
ing and allowed the other ships to range up along
side, and then the battle became general The two
divisions were In single line ahead, opposed to one
another, ship TO ship. They were now, however,
to come to closer quarters, and, forming line
abreast, they bore down on one another. In an
actual engagement there would, no doubt, at this
time have been some ramming and the short and
long ships'wOuld have proved their relative merits.
As it was, the perfection of their broadside airing
was most satisfactorily shown, all the guns OF a
broadside sounding almost like one, as they were
fired by galvanIc batteries. All this time MUIR
In the tops. For short space there was lull and
the lines recrossed, firing as before.
FEW SCENES CAN BE IMAGINED FINER
than that presented BY the squadron at this time.
Heavy clouds had been rolling up behind the desc
late savage range OF hills which run from behind
with the most desoate and barren OF all, the lofty
Hungry HILL well named L we may Judge
from o distance. The white smoke from the
guns was driven over the water until 1t seemed
to form = wall at the loot OF these hills
and cured up the sides in fantastic shapes. 1t is
to be regretted that this very thinlynhaDired part
OF the country could not furnish an admiring
crowd, who from the adjacent hills, would have
had q very fine view OF these interesting ma
n9uvres. However, 1t Is most satisfactory to know
that such very useful exercises are carried on dur
ing their months cruise by those ships which, dur
ing the rest OF the year, lie SO quietly in their re-
spectlve ports. From
THIS MIMIC BATTLE
various useful hints could be picked M by those
who studied IL with professional eye, and the de-
lection OF the many mistakes which were I'M
doubtedly made by individual ships shows where
would be the weak points in our naval warfare, Of
n nc we u s"ch assrcsss WALL
Another advantage OF such sham fight Is that the
drills for the men. both in shifting the spars, fight
ing the guns. and the other multitudinous employ
ments VIII. en- such an occasion produces, are rem
dered more Interesting than the ordinary drills by
the extra excitement which Is created and the
emulation between ship and ship.