Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-07-13
May BE HERE SOME DAY;

May BE HERE SOME DAY.
me PrsbAbss PA. - to the RIsss Of Tor
peao Bsaes.
Quite Q good deal of interest il te-
ing taken all along the river in the
effort that is being made to have the
feet of torpedo boats which will visit
the Mississippi river towns this sum-
mer manned during the time Of their
stay BY the naval reserves. Lieut..
Hickmann. Of Quincy, has written
Commander Dsggett, Of Moline, On
the subject. and received . letter
from that officer. in which he states
that he has taken the matter mp with
the authorities Of the navy depart
meat at Washington. While in the
east few weeks ago Commander
Daggett interviewed . number Of
officers on the subject, and ~ they
all favored the plan. 1t is very likely
that the secretary Of the navy will
issue the necessary orders. The
purpose Of the voyage of the feet up
the river is to give the people along
the Mississippi chance to see the
torpedo boats, and how they work,
and it would be right in line with
that purpose to drill the reserves on
the fleet.
The plan, 80 far as outlined, is to
have the feet, when it reaches ILL
nois water, anchor for 4S hours or
longer at each point where there is q
division Of the reserves, that is. at
Alton. Quincy and Moline. AtAlton
the Alton division would be taken on
board, and they would man the feet
to Quincy. There they would give
way to that division, and the Quincy
reserves would man the feet to Mo-
line, where the division of that city
would be taken on board. The ex-
perience would be of vast advantage
to the youthful tars. and the public
would take great interest in it.. The
feet will sail from Newport this
week, and it will probably be the
last August or later before it reaches
Keokuk. Other cities along the river
are projecting various plans for the
reception Of the torpedo boats. At
Burlington, for instance, they pro-
pose to have q sham naval battle.
The Burlington Gazette says:
The veterans of the army and
navy in Burlington and vicinity are
| plan ming one of the most unique and
novel forms of entertainment ever
undertaken. for the day that the six
torpedo boats of the United States
| government will be at Burlington.
1t is nothing more nor less than q
naval sham battle to take place on
the broad bosom of the Mississippi
In front Of the CITY. The naval bat
tie which the old soldiers and sailors
expect to give will be something
never undertaken on the Mississippi
before. as is now planned, and it il
expected that thousands of people
will be down to this city from inland
and other towns to see the products
of the United States navy, and az
ILLUSTRATION of a navy battle. So fal
rs known there are only two ex.
United States sailors in this city, and
they will be in chief command of the
proposed celebration. The present
plan is to get an old barge, and rig
IL up ike gunboat with gun. tor.
pedoes and powder. As the torpedo
boats approach, this sham boat viii
be showed out into the river and
down stream by one of the steam
boats and then set Oh fire. It il
expected that the explosion Of the
powder-laden craft will create CON
sternation among the six torpedo
boats and their United States tars
An attendant bombardment will
cannon from the bluffs is also on the
program. and it may be decided I,
add fireworks display. A commit
tee has been appointed to tax,
charge of the naval battle and to cor
respond with the United States navy
department at Washington to gel
its consent and cooperation with
the plans as proposed"