Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-11-23
THE MAINE WHIPPED.
The Cushing Easily Defeats Her in
Night Torpedo Attack.
-Four Powerful Search Lights Unable II Find
the Little Fellow.

Newport. r. l., Nov 22.--The battle
ship Maine was successfully plao Ell hors
de- combat twice in succession by the
torpedo boat Gushing, tonight and in
conse luence Lieut. f. e. Smith is reeeiF-
ing congratulations, while the officers Oh
the Maine are wondering what has nap
pened that a boat 80 times less her size
and manned By a crew but 1-sO III NUM-
Der can knock her out ell ecttIaliy Ia Il
mock affray.
In was not until late, today, that Capt.
Crowinshield. knowing that his crew had
buf little search light experience would
consent to a search light drill, as the ship
will sail for Portland, tomorrow.
The rules arranged were similar to
those which governed the drill between
the torpedo station and the Gushing, ex-
cspf that Lieut.. Smith promised not 10
rake shelter behind any obstructiors
within 20UO yards, one STA mile. despite
The fact that the Maine has four search
lights and should consequently 10 i'm
prcgnablc against a torpedo attack, II
there is such possibility with reliance
searchlights alone without other scouts.
The Cushing left her dock and ran ont
TO the ship in mid nartor under running
lights were hidden and the Gushing spea
off toward the channel Search lghs
were thrown upon tire clouded SKY, Whcle
the moon only occasionally showed itself
and WHEN they again swept the waters the
boat WAS nowhere to bc seen
She had doubled Ter tracks, passed
within 1900 yards Of the ship and run out
to sea Then with beams of light FIRE
quently playing over her she gllded up
the channel clo.e under the Fort Adams
shore, and then laid out direct course
for the ship.
She was discovered when within 20
seconds of torpedocing distance, but be
fore all the lights could be trained upon
he. 20 say nothing OF an effective battery,
she had discharged oil three torpcdoes,
rockets ser, ing as such. When the allotted
two minutes had expired, after her dis
covery she was alongside the ship
having approached under reduced speed
For the ship to have scored IA victory, the
lights should have been on the boat two
minutes prior to her coming within 800
yards.
The Cushing again left the ship and
laid over toward the jamestown shore
soon to be, lost to sight of those aboard
the ship, and then there came another
hunt and worse defeat. The Cushing
ran up the bay, thence down past the
training station, until she had a clear run
Of 1000 yards. Her course then continued
toward the ship.
She had run well within the 500-yards
range, when she fired ii green rocket, de
noting the first torpedo, and on fractions
of Il minute, two more green ones were
fired. Up to the firing OF the first rocket,
she had not been discovered, though tn
light was constantly upon her. Thus she
proved herself more than Il match for the
ship.
Her speed exceeded but slightly Il
knots during the attacks, and in the last
attack it did not reach this, since the run
was so short that though fun speed was
ordered, the engineers could NOT get down
TO work before orders were received to
slow down
This is the first time within the history
of he United States navy that torpedo
boat has attacked ship with four search
lights, and it makes the defeat all the
more discuursging for the SHIPS officers,
in the fact that the night was ii good orc
for search lights
The bow light on the Maine is probably
the most powerful in the navy and is of Il
different build from the other lights on
shipboard. Tonight's drill is probably
the most valuable yet held here and the
official report will bs anxiously awaited
by naval officers