The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-25
MOCK MARINE BATTLE
MIMIC FIGHT BETWEEN wARsHIPs
OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY.
Victory for the Fleet That Was De-
Tending Ncwport-Assistedb by
the Shore Batteries.

NEWPORT, r. l., Sept. 3, l a. m.-From
out of the darkness a hostile squadron.
made up Of the battleships Kearsarge and
Indiana and the gunboats Eagle and
Scorpion, together with the fleet of six
torpedo boats. attacked an opposing squad
ron made uD of the Massachusetts, the
New York, the vixon and Leyden, sup
ported by the land batteries, and from
what can be at this hour through the
smoke that overhangs the bay after the
battle. the defending squadron was tri-
umphant. Captain Folger, OF the Kear-
sarge, commanded the attacking craft.
and Admiral n. Nj. Farquhar directed the
defenders.
The manoeuvers last night, which COM
menced at 9:45 o'clock and last nearly
three hours, was in reality a night battle
TO test the effectiveness of an attacking
squadron aided by torpedo boats against
a naval force aided by shore batteries. N
which the searchlghts for the time being
were used in place of Shells a well d.
rected ray for certain time putting the
craft out of action. If a torpedo boat
could hold within range of her search
light one of the hostile ships by firing q
red rocket, the craft the defensive was
out of action, the fact that the torpedo
boat had the opportunity TO blow her up
constituting victory. If, on the other hand.
battleship got an opposing craft within
range of her light and was able to keep
that vessel under rays for the required.
time. the battleships' victory was shown
by a blue rocket. The preparations for
the mock sea fight were carried out in de-
tail to the extreme. with as much attention
almost as If a real fight were impending.
-x-ar hfe
ashore and afloat were manned, and there
was great anxiety on the part of the de-
tenders as the first faint trace of the foe
was discerned coming out of the darkness,
Ii was 9:45 when the roar of an attacking
gun awoke the echoes which rolled back
from the jamestown shore, and in quick
succession came the heavy bark of a large
caliber gun. and then the short metallic
ring of light ordnance, the flashes and
thunder telling the hundreds of civilian
spectators on shore that the attack had
begun and that the port defenders were
ready to repel the enemy. The incoming
squadron attmpted to pass Fort Adams
and Fort Wetherill. which defend the east
channel, and Fort Preble on the west. The
torpedo boats Gwynn and Rogers did sue
coed In passing Fort Preble I'm safety un-
searchlights the Massachusetts and had
signaled that she was out of action when
the Vicksburg in turn put out of action the
smaller craft. Then the Rogers figure
atively blew the vicksburg out of the
water. Thus for over two hours the battle
ragged and owing TO the vigilance of defend.
ing force. only the torpedo boat Rodgers re-
manned in action.
The decision as to the victor will come
from a board of arbitration appointed to
judge the battle by the points scored by
each individual ship. The defending squad
ron is generally believed TO be successful
for the reason that the shore batteries and
assisting squadron repealed the attack and
left only one of the hostile boats afioat.