The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-18
THE TORPEDO FLOTILLA.
Search Contest In Chesapeake B~ay-Findinr
sIcard,s Fleet ut Might 10 MIIes Mt Sea.

sicard's Fleet Mt NiEht 90 Miles mt Sea.
WASHINGTON. Oct. lit is two weeks since
Lieut. Commander w. w. Kimball left New
York harbor with three boats of his torpedo
boat fiotilla. They were the Gushing. Erics-
son, and Porter, and their first stopping place
was Hampton Roads. Four days later the
Dupont Joined the fotilla. Since then the lit
tie squadron has been having a busy time,
their visit of last week to Annapolis, where the
naval cadets had an opportunity to observe the
workings of these delicate craft, coming as a
sort of recreation after continuous work near
the Chesapeake capes. Letters from the fleet
have reached Washington for more than a
week. and much interest has been aroused in
naval circles in the doings of the totilla. Tho
run from Tompkinsville to Hampton Roads,
which began on Oct. 3, was made between two
gales, ono that was spent and another that was
coming up the coast. The three boats under
Commander Kimball behaved well in the heavy
seas. and made their port with no mishaps. and
were ready for duty on the morning of the next
day.
Commander Eimball is an energetic officer
and is not disposed TO exercise leisure in going
about his tasks. Early on the morning of Oct. 1
he sent the Porter from the fiotilla anchorage to
Hampton Roads with instructions to come out
the next day and try to run past the Ericsson
and Gushing. 1t was to DO what is known as n
search contest" The next day was foggy,
and the Porte. was held at Hampton Roads
by telegraph. while the boats, with omman
or kimball, went poking around Chesapeake
Bay on n hunt for anchorage grounds for tor
pedo boats. Oct. 6 was clear, and the Porter,
as the vessel searched for, and the Ericsson
and Gushing, AS the chasers, started out for n
contest. Tho search was sixty miles long.
The pursuing boats had an allowance of two
1-nat. -, bona ,,ara e,,nl than ,hn D,,,,r
The Porter had an allowance Of five points in her
course. There vas no certainty as to exactly
which direction tho Porter would steer. and
the problem tC find her was worked out by the
use OF search curves, the utility Of which has
been questioned by many naval officers. 1t
Is true that the field Of operations was not
largo in this contest. but the task of picking
up q torpedo boat from the deck OF another
torpedo boat on II haZy day is about the
most difficult work of that kind. owing TO the
limited horizon. The Ericsson and Cushing
were soon at work on the curves that were
laid ont. and after three hours search Com
mnnder Kimball had the satisfaction of picking
up the Porter.
The Dupont arrived from New York the next
day after a fast ran almost entirely by day
light, the run occupying only thirteen hours,
and work was planned for further manpuvres.
j. was decided, with the approval OF the au.
thori!tcs al Washington TO 1r{ TO see Of what
quick COMMUNICATION with n fleet cruising of
the Chesapeake capes any from twenty
TO sixty n..lce. Admiral Sicard's fleet was ON
the drlll ground in that nelghborh0od. and
ConmandGrt d. ! .,n"li; YIN two n1ots, the
Iused Gc'i'r ry al dispatches, much as they
would IL there we're II war gong on and it was
ADVISE bic IN send orders TO the fleet cruising at
sea. The exp, rim cnt WAS tried nj night and
was most successful. The feet was lying sixty
miles away. at the lower linlit, Of the drill
supposftitious despatch in a little over four
hours. 1t was q clever bit Of work. which
drew praise from the officers of sicard's feet,
and It Is known that The Navy Department
officials were much pleased TO know tho result.
After these two tests work was done in tor
pedoing proper for several days and in adjust
Ing and studying compasses. Then the hotil LA
moved. up the Chesapeake. Grilling in close
formation q BIT and 3ourneying to annapolis.
ness the availability of these vessels for some
Of tho tactical problems in naval warfare
that the fotilla will remain in or near Hampton
Roads for some time. waiting for other torpedo
that tho Submarine boat Holland would join
the fotlla unotfcially.. II the changes which
are, being made in that craft will permit, she
will Join the boats soon after Dec. J., and then
prove by a series OF experiments her real value,
both in cooperating with u feet and in acting
Thus far Commander Kimbaiis little squad
ron has met with no serious mishaps or break
downs. Torpedo boats are mighty delicate
partment expects that there, will be delays
occasionally in CARRYING out the plan laid out
one or more Of the boats. 1t would be most
unusual to. conduct operations like. those
Commander Kimball and his subordinate OH
GERS are exercising great caution in this mat
ter. 1t is well known that they dread seeing
some trihing accident, the repairs for which
may occupy only n few hours, blazoned by the
sensational newspapers as an evidence of the
complete failure OF tho expedition. Such
stories have been printed about the big ships.
and kimball and his men do not intend-to give
occasion for any about the torpedo boat .ftotilla
II 1t can be helped.