The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-18

Charleston, Feb. lit is understood
that the maneuvers OF Admiral Bunce's
teev off Charleston are about over. and
the remaining two days which the ships
will remain i'll these waters will be 5, ent
in feastng and pleasure There will
doubtless he IL review in the presence of
Secretary Herbert to morrow, when he
sails out in the Dolphin, which came into
port this morning, but the work which
the ilect came to Charleston for has been
accomplished and the fleet will break up
Saturday.
1t is understood that the New York.
Columbia, Massachusetts, Indiana and
Fern will proceed direct 70 Hampton
Roads for coal and thence to New York,
where they will arrive not later than
March .
The Dolphin and Vesuvus will 20 TO
the Florida coast, looking for filibnstcr-
ers, and the Maine will proceed to New
Orleans. Should the Terror join the fleet
i'll the mcaLtimc she will 90 to Norfolk
with the flagship. The Amphlrite will
remain here until Monday.
To morrow Secretary Herbert, Attor-
ney General Harmon, Admiral Gherar,li
and Il distinguished party of ladies and
gentlemen will arrive in the city. They
Will he the guests Of Charleston during
their stay here.
Governor w. II. Ellcrbe, all the chief
State officials and> members of both
houses of the general assembly will also
| he III the city for the occasion. A public
reception will be held by Secretary Her
bert III the city hall, ana at might din
ner will he given by the chamber of com.
merce, Speeches will he made ny Score.
| thrN Herbert, Attorney General Harmon
| Mayor Smith and others.
Friday II military and naval ball will
be given the visitors by the city, and this
will probably conclude the blockade of
! tile port Of Charleston.
1t is impossible just now to rightly
estimate the result of the maneuvers
| Officers who will discuss the matter MT
all express great satisfaction ut all that
has occurred. They consisted mainly in
exercises with the search lights and guns
of the ships. Nightly there was practic.
ing with the lights on ships boats sent
out for the special purpose. The ship
would pick the boat up, and then follow
ing it with the light, Il record would be
made of observations taken Mt all dis
tances until the limit of the light was
reached.
The practicing with the main batteries
was especially important and --interest.
ing. With the smaller guns considern.
BILE accuracy was developed, some of the
I
quently. The work with the heavy pieces
VAS less accurate, but fir more instruc-
tive, as the men needed this practice the
most. The New York, for instance,
struck her target no less than twenty
times during the practice with both of
her batteries.
While the officers do not say it, il is
probable that the work with the search
lights was somewhat disappointing at
times. Or clear nights the lights
achieved powerful results, but they proved
utterly inadequate to cope with heavy fog
or mist. On the night which the Nesu-
vius ran the blockade the lights did not
carry five hundred yards.
The Maine will leave the fleet to.moI-
row and proceed to Port Royal where
she will coal 1. is stated positively by
persons in position to know of which
they speak, that the ships stood the firing
from the great guns well. neither guns.
tirrets nor gear OF any kind receiving
any injury.
REMARKABLE GUNNERN'.
From an official source it was learned
Tonight that two shots remarkable in
the annals of gunneiw were fred from thc
main battery OF the hattleship Massach,l-
sets dlring the exercises Yesterday. The
/ battleship used for her target Oh this DC
/ clslon slender rod capped by II streamcr
only to renter it visible. II was placed
/ 1000 yards from the ship, and twice dur
/ ing the day the miniature flagstaff was
/ struck, once with II shot from Il siX-inch
and aglin with one from Il Is inch gun
The Inter feat is possibly unparalleled
/ IN the annals o; gunnery, but this infor.
nation is secured from IL source which
should render it entirely trustworthy.