The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-12
SHELL HITS PILOTBOAT.
HOLE KNOCKED ~ THE JAMES COR
DOS BENEFITS BULHARKS

skipper Leonard Saw the Missile Coming
and warned the Crew - Nobody Hurt
Except u Man who Jumped Through
n Hntciway -Sceptics ut Sandy Hook.
The crew OF the piotboat James Gordon
Bennett say they hal an experience with a
shell from the Government proving grounds at
Sandy Hook last Saturday which they don't
care to have repeated. The Bennett was lowed
up to Stapleton from the lower bay Yesterday
by the tender New York with a big hole in her
starboard bulwarks, one OF her stauchions
missing and with the several other marks said
to have been made by u shell which came
aboard while the Bennett was cruising on her
station on Saturday morning. Hnd the shell
hit about Ave feet lower than It did. the Ben
nett's crew say. their bont would now probably
be lying ON the bottom.
The Ben nett's station IL known as the light
ship station. and whom she isn't trying to put
pilot aboard some incoming essel she 10 gen
orally cruising little to the southwark Of Scot
land lightship and about seven IN lies southeast
of the Hook. where tho hig guns are fired.
The firing at the proving grounds. according
to the Benefits crew. begins about o'clock
In the morning. and 10 stopped IN the afternoon
when the sun begins to go down. Most OF the
shots are fred along the beach. hut the crew OF
the Bennett say that firing out to sea Is becom-
ing more and more frequent.
On Saturday morning. according to the pilots
story. about half dozen shells had been arcd
out to sea before the ono came along that gave
the crew such scare. Those shells struck the
water generally three times in the course OF
their flight hut the last time they never fell
nearer than half a mile away. and after two or
three had been seen to drop into the sea at that
distance the crew on the Bennett ceased nay
ing any attention to them. The potboat was
the only vessel anywhere near the lightship for
several hours and for this reason the eunners
probably thought they were safe IN throwing a
shell seaward now and then.
About l o'clock in the forenoon, tier tho
firing had been going on about two hours, a
schooner was made out northeast OF the pilo'
boat heading In. w. u Leonard. one OF the
and when the schooner was discovered he gave
orders Tor chase. The crew Of the pilot boat
number four men and a boat kectet. aud when
most - them went forward ~ haul down some
Of the headsali,4. They had hardy got 70. work
noise which shells make In their passage
through the mir. and NJ u" same time warn
shsI s,r lr III. wsrr nhom Rnf T mic r SS
the pilot boat II was making nbliluely for tho
Bennett when no sung nut To the men to run
reached the pilot boat, Edward Rtcrdan: one Il
the others. but the fore hatch was omen aud with
one leap he was below bruised li,tle but
otherwise unhurt. t"orgc AlcmiNOn. IN" hont
keeper tried TO get aft before the shell struck,
but he tripred and tel and tho shell
deatcncd him. The shell Just grazcd n
small boat which was fastened down
9rDs shs d ssL, on ,hS port sds TN;
! thing II hit was bucket amidshirs
about three feet as'ern Of the foremost,
IL took piece out Uf the bucket. and
followed this m 10y striking u block secured
Ia tn" deck. tearing 1t IN and thrnwing II and
the rin into the water some distance to star
board. The shell then struck the fourth
stanchon from the how in the statbOarl hui
wnrk- cut IL on level with the deck and made
a hole n the hulwarks about two feet long and
foot high.
The pilot hoat remained on her station until
yesterday morning when thu New York came
down and tow-d her In for repairs.
tn" BENEFITS story IL doubted At tho Sandy
they keep sharp lookout eiore fring gun.