The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-10-23
OF
AMERICAN NAVY
Results of the Mimic Warfare.
Vessels on the
Stocks.


partment has received Admiral Farqu-
har's report on the recent maneuvers of
the North Atlantic Squadron off New
port, R. l. The Admiral comments phi
narly on the zeal and enthusiasm the
mimic naval warfare awakened among
the officers and men. The exercises prop
e. began on September oath, when the
red squadron, consisting of the Kear-
sarge, Indiana, Texas, Scorpion and Ea-
gle, accompanied by six torpedo boats,
put to sea to effect a blockade of New
pert. The remaining vessels, the New
YORK, Massachusetts, Leyden and Vicks-
burg, were stationed as defenders of the
harbor ana constituted the blue squad
ron. The general plan of defense follow
e. by the inside squadron was to place
a battleship on each side of and just in
side the mouth of the harbor, so as to be
concealed from incoming vessels Here
with decks cleared fer action, batteries
trained forward and full steam up, the
New York and Vicksburg lay in wait
ready to fire into and ram any venture
some member of the red squadron. Pick
er boats armed with rapid-fire guns and
sharpshooters were provided with a sys-
tenn of signals to warn all hands of the
approach of the enemy and powerful
searchlights at Fort Greble and other
general plan followed by all vessels was
not to turn searchlights until the ap-
preach of torpedo boat was reported by
a picket boat.
The plan of placing picket boats was
very successful, and not a single torpedo
beat got beyond them without being re-
ported. With n sufficient number of
starchlightS on shore it is doubtful if YES
sells could be piloted a night into a har-
Dor which is at all difficult of entrance.
The bow wave and wake of torpedo
boats was the first object that aided in
picking them up in the darkness.
In this connection says the Admiral
Il would suggest the ACCESSIBILITY of the
departments Keeping as many torpedo
boats or destrovers as practicable with
the squadron at all times to accustom
both officers and men with their general
characteristics, movements, etc, and N
orCer to carry on exercises with them in
all the various ports visited.
The Holland unfortunately in her at
tack upon the Kearsarge the second
night did not reach her objective point
until after several torpedo boats had ar
rived.
The second nights operations consisted
of an attack upon the outside or red
squadron, by five torpedo boats and the
Holland. AS rule the torpedo boats
were successful, although this would
scarcely have been the case with an eff
fic;ent boat service.
Every condition of battle was simulated
as nearly as was possible, although blank
charges from the small rapid-fire guns
constituted all the firing. While much
was wanting, says Admiral Farquhar
beth in time and material, to carry out
the maneuvers on a large scale, still a
number of professional points were
brought out which will be of great value
in the future. The value of searchlights
was particularly impressive, as was also
the work done by the Holland, of which
Captain Folger says in an additional re-
pert: 1.-THE Holland type will play very
serious part in future naval warfare.
PROGRESS OF NEW VESSELS.
WASHINGTON, Oct u-Admiral HIGH
born, chief of the Bureau of Construction
and Repair, has made public statement
showing the progress of the work the
vessels now under construction for the
Navy.
OF the big battleships, the Maine and
the Ohio stand respectively at SO and &c
per cent of completion; the Missouri, az
Newport News, stands Is per cent, and
the Illinois, at Newport News, is set down
at IS per cent.
| Work is progressing satisfactorily or
the six new sheathed protected cruisers
although they are all in the first stages
of construction. The monitors Arkansas
Florida, Wyoming and Monitor No. the
latter as yet unnamed) are each about
half finished. The sixteen torpedo boat
Idestroyers, as well as the sixteen torpedo
boats, are for the greater part in the last
stages of their construction. Of the sub
arine torpedo boats the Plunger stands
a. So per cent and of the remaining six
the Adder Moccasin, Porpoise and SHARK
are set down at 6 per cent, while worl
has not yet begun on the Pike and th'
Grampus.