Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-04
ENGLAND,s wAsrEp powpEn.
HOW Admiral Whyts Defended Bantry
Bay Against Admiral HOskins.


LONDON, July 1.-The naval man.
@uvres off the West and South coasts of
ireland, which have been in progress for
the past five weeks, eliminated to-day in
sham battle for the defense of Bantry
Bay. The special squadron organized for
this occasion included sixteen of the finest
British men-ot-war now in commission
The orders which sent them to Ireland
were issued at a time when everybody
supposed that war with Russia was i'm
minent. Their destination was kept a
secret for weeks, and their preparation
for sea was accepted as a proof Of the
alertness of the Admiralty office. The
squadron was under the command of
Admiral Sir Godfrey =. Horribly, with
Rear Admiral Sir Anthony II. Hoskins
and William Henry Whyte commanding
the two wings into which the squadron
was divided.
In the sham battle to-day the problem
was TO force an entrance into Bantry bay,
in the south western corner of Ireland.
The defense Of the bay was intrusted to
Admiral Whyte, and the attacking fleet
was commanded by Admiral HOskins.
The former naturally chose for his base
Bear Island, which occupies command
ing position on the north side of the en-
trance to the bay. He disposed his fleet
so that every practicable channel to the
bay was covered by heavy guns, and
awaited the attack. This began at mid
night, and was adroitly planned by max
ing feint of a flank attack at Fairhead
while most of the advancing feet was
closely hugging the shore off Sheepshead,
on the other side of the bay. The idea
was to compel the defending fleet to atten-
uate its line so that if the coasters could
not get through on the south side of the
bay, the reserve vessels could be formed
in echelOn and driven wedgewise through
the defending Gordon. The attack was
splendidly managed, and at first seemed
certain OF success. Observers ON Bear
Island believed at one time that Admiral
Hoskins had eifectually forced the lines,
and dispatches announcing that the at
lacking fleet had won were sent to the Ad-
mir atty office. The bay was covered with
smoke, and it was difficult to discern
either the signals or the movements of the
two fleets, but at last the fiagshap of Ad-
miral HOskins was seen to be in retreat
and signaling to withdraw the other YES
sells of the fleet.
At the moment when victory seemed
secure to the assailant, the defending
fleet had opened an enfilading fire, which
promised to cut off the flagship altogether
and to leave the rest of the echelon to be
battered to pieces at the leisure of the de-
tenders. The victory thus rested with
Admiral Whyte, and he promptly followed
it up by an attack upon the scattered
vessels of Admiral Hosklns, which would
have sent some of them to the bottom If
the guns had been shotted. From naval
point of view the maneuvres and the
sham fight have been highly sIccessful
but the people Of Bantry Bay do not want
any more Of such pageantry. The natives
declare that they have not slept a wink in
a week for the noise Of the big guns; that
the fish in the bay are all killed by the
shock. and that the best service the Eng
lish Admirals can do Bantry Bay is to
keep away from it.