The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-18
FLEET NOW IN FOR A FRoLIC.
THE REAL WORK OF THE WEEK
OFF CHARLESTON CLOSED.

Secretary of the Navy Herbert to
Reach the City This Morning with
Attorney General Harmon, Admir-
al Gherardi and "a Party of PrOmi-
nent PeOpIc-Thc Firing by the
Squadron Believed TO Have Been
Entirely SatisFactOry-The Work.
ing of the SearchIights Not So
Successful.
Charleston, s. c., Feb. 17.-It is under
stood that the maneuvers of Admiral
Bunces fleet, off Charleston, are about
over, and the remaining days which the
ships will remain in these waters will be
spent in feasting and pleasure. There will
doubtless be a review in the presence OF
Secretary Herbert of the navy, when
he sails out in the Dolphin, which came
into port this morning, tomorrow, but the
work for which the ships came to Charles
ton has been accomplished, and the fleet
win break up Saturday.
1t is understood that the New York,
Columbia, Massachusetts, Indiana and
Fern viii proceed direct to Hampton
roads for coal, and from thence to New
York, where they will arrive not later
than March 3
The Dolphin and Vesuvius will go to
the Florida coast, looking for filibusters,
and the Maine will proceed to New Or
leans. Should the Terror join the fleet
in the meantime. she will go to Norfolk
with the flagship. The Amphitrite will
remain here until Monday.
Tomorrow Secretary Herbert. Attorney
General Harmon, Admiral Gherardl, and a
distinguished party of ladies and gentle
men will arrive in the city. They will be
guests of Charleston during their stay
here. Gov. w. H. Elerbee, all the chief
state officials. and the members of both
houses of the general assembly, will also
be in the city for the occasion. A reception
will be held by Secretary Herbert in the
afternoon at the city hall, and at night
dinner viii be given by the Chamber of
| Commerce. Speeches will be made by
Secretary Herbert, Attorney General Har-
mon, Mayor Smith and others. Friday
night military and naval ball Will De
rendered the visitors by the city. And
this will probably conclude the blockade
of the port of Charleston.
1t Is impossible just now to rightly es-
| innate the results of the maneuVers Of
| ficers, who will discuss the matter at all
| express great satisfaction with what has
| been accomplished. This consisted mann
! ly in exercises with the search lights and
| guns of the ships. Nightly there was
/ practicing with the lights on ships boats
| sent out for the special purpose. The ship
| would pick the boat up and then following
| it with the light a record would be made
| of the observations taken at all distances
1 untils the limit of the light was reached.
1.-The practieing with the main batteries
was especially important and interesting.
| With the smaller guns considerable accu-
racy was developed some of the ships
| striking their floating targets frequently.
/ The work with the heavy pieces was less
| accurate but far more instructive, as the
men needed this practice the most The
! New York, for instance, struck her tar
/ get no less than twenty times during the
| practice with both of her batteries. Whlle
| the officers do not say so, it is probable
! that the work with the search lights was
| somewhat disappointing at times. on
| clear nights the lights achieved perfect
! results. but they proved utterly inadequate
to cope with heavy fog or mist; On the
night which the Vesuvius ran the block
! ade the lights did not carry nVe hundred
The Maine will leave the fleet tomorrow
| and proceed to Port Royal, where she Will
| coal 1t is stated positively by persons in
| a position to know of what they speak
that the ships stood the firing OF the great
| guns well, neither the guns, tufrets OF
| gear of any kind receiving any injury.
| From an official source 1t was learned
! tonight that two shots remarkable in the
annals OF gun99e&fy & %ef9 Irga Lfo 5e
| setts during the exercises yesterday. The
| battleship used for her target on this oc-
| casion a slender rod capped by streamer
only to render il visible. 1t was placed
| 1000 yards from the ship and twice dur
| ing the day the miniature flag stan was
struck, once with shot from slX-incn
and again with one from a thirteen-inch
| gun The latter feat is possibly unpar-
aIleled in the annals of gunnery, but this
| information is secured from a source
which should render 1t entirely trust
worthy.
Washington, Feb. 17.-Secretary Herbert
left Washington for Charleston this after
noon in a private car over the Atlantic
| Coast Line. accompanied by his daughter
| Miss Herbert, and Mrs. Benjamin Micou,
| Mrs Richardson Clover, Mrs. W. ii. II.
| Senator M. G. Butler, Col. T. S. Farrow
| and Lewis H Finney Attorney General
! Harmon and Capt. Wintz of the British
! navy will follow the party this evening.
| The secretary will arrive at Charleston at
! s o'clock tomorrow morning and after a
| short stay at the hotel, the party VIII en-
| Colfax to review the fleet and visit the
| flagship. Returning at p. m, the secre-
| tary will hold reception at the city hall
! and will speak at the banquet OF the
! chamber of commerce In the evening. Fri
| day morning the party Will drive about
the city and make calls and attend the ball
| al night rendered the secretary and Off
| GERS of the fleet. During his visit, the
secretary will review the fleet, probably on
seeretary Herbert took with him to
Charleston a handsome gold medal TO be
| presented to Seaman Creeiman of the bat
| tleship Maine, who sprang from the Ves-
| sel when men were washed overheard in
| the violent storm on that Vessel'S cruise to
| Charleston. The medal, which is nearly
the size of a silver dollar, bears on It's re-
verse a picture of the Main in high relief
and on It's diverse the inscription:
| william j. Creelman, United states Navy,
For Extraordinary Heroism,
FEB. 9th, 1897. Presented by the Secre-
tary Of the Navy"
The medal Is hung from heavy har on
blue ribbon and supports massive gold
anchor.
MIGINLEY BETTER.