The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-01-20
An Object Lesson to Spain.

Charleston is to have early next month
the greatest and most interesting exhibi-
ton of a navy in action ever given or
contemplated in American waters. TWen-
ty of the finest ships in the new navy are
to assecnb BILE off Charleston. and for some
days will drill and manouvre. The big
guns will likely be used, and the exercises
will include every movement that could
bo thought Of in war to repulse Or attack
an enemy. But the chief feature Of the
affair will be the rigid blockade of Charles
ton harbor. This will be accom- p!ished
By the battle ships and cruisers, and the
smaller craft will act as blockade runners.
It will be grand display Of the arms OF
the country, and an exhibition Of what
the United States could do if the necessity
ever arose.
The fleet which will take part in this
! magnificent naval display will include
the best ships of the navy. The monster
floating fort, the Indiana, which so many
Charlestonians visited at Port Royal last
winter, will be hsre, with her twin, the
Massachusetts. The Maine and Texas,
also in the class of battle ships, will take
part. And then the cruisers New York,
Brooklyn, Columbi Newark, Raleigh,
Montgomery, Marblehead and Castine
will be here The cruiser Raleigh has
is well remem bered. The sight OF eight
of these fine ships in and about Charles
ton would alone be worth going long
ways to see. The ram katahdin is in the
list of vessels assigned to this drill, and
after that it is mentioned that the monitors
AmphitriCe and Puritan are to take part.
The Amphitrite has been twice in Charles
ton harbor, and her long guns and white
turrets are still fresh in the memory of all
who saw this splendid coast defense Yes-
sci. The torpedo boats Gushing and
Ericsson are to come. The latter men,
toned boat has been in Charleston, and
was remarked as a marine curiosity.
The other boats to come are the dispatch
boats Vesuvius and Dolphin, and the
transport Fern.
Just to see these vessels together would
be a grand and imposing sight, but
Charleston is to see them in action and in
the various and interesting manoeuyres
only performed on rare occasions, or in
actual engagements.
In the dispatches announcing the event
it is stated that the vessels will 60, some
of them to Port Royal for supplies, and
this conveys the impression that most of
the fleet would find 1t possible to enter
Charleston harbor. This is not a fact, for
with the exception of probably four or
five all the ships could come IN safely and
easily. Charleston has twenty-three feet
of water on her Bar, and the large ma
jority of the squadron draw less than that
amount. The battle ships are, Of course,
too deep of draught to enter, and possibly
one or Two of the cruisers might not be
able to pass the Bar, but all the others
could certainly come in.
The naval drill is going to be great
thing for Charleston in several ways. In
the first place it will attract great many
visitors TO this city from all over the
United States. It will occur at season
when there will be thousands of tourists
in the South, and an event of this nature
will bring them to Charleston with rush.
Then the advantages of Charleston as
point to be, perhaps, held by an enemy
will be impressed upon the authorities,
and better Notifications, garrisoned and
provided with modern guns, may be
result.
The date for tho 'blockading of Charles
ton harbor" has not yet been definitely
fixed as yet, but it is likely to be within
the next thirty days. and it is already be-
ing anticipated with great interest, not
only by the people of this city, but by
the people of the State and places con-
tiguous-NeUS and Courier.