Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-10-26

umn broadsde on to the entrar &c Of
| the harbor. so that simple turn of
the wheel would bring them back in
! line if The enemy appeared. Tic called
! the t.aotaius of the ships aboa rd and
cNplafrcd his idea Of the bloc Nade to
! them. ana also his general pia II OF at
| tack. HIS plan was 10 attack he head
ot the column first and conf use and
! cr;polc each in turn. The pi i et boats
were e. be used as torpedo boat de-
! strnysrs The ships were to maintain
| steam so as Ia be capable of II knots.
! The feet steamed back and. forth be
| fore the entrance Of the har DOR. Nor
| 10 Castle. he thought. was II no time
more than i've miles away. He judged
| this by the diStinctnc$S with which he
| could see the surf. The bottoms of all
| his ships were foul. perhaps a knCt or
Il knot and Il half slower than they
! should have iscn. The admiral eX-
planned how the fleet steamed back
| and forth. using the bold hesidlandS at
night to determine their position with
| the picket boats always inside. Every
night except when rain squalls oc-
Cured and they We're usually brief.
the admiral teStifi al that he could see
the picketS either with the naked eye
or with night SasstaS. He never Went
10 bed without looking for them and
there was not Il night when he could
not distinguish the land and the MORO.
In concluding his description of the
blockade that had In Ell maintained. the
admiral said: That il was sufficient
is shown by the fact that during its
existence no vessel entered OF escaped
from the harDor.
Coming to the reconnaissance of May
81 Admiral Schley said:
"On the 3ls;. while the brooklyn and
tn. Marbchcad and th. Texas were
Coaling ] transferred my flag To the
Massachusetts and determined that |
would develop the Notifications because
Of information which We had on board
from the photographic Office The gen
cral belief was that all the southern
places We're very heavily fortified. In
fact We knew very little about thu, ef-
feet of higher powered artillery either
or shore or aboard ship. and feeling
that | ought to know something about
the fortified tons which defended the
place | determined to go III and take
advantage Of what | believed to be TIL,
longer range Of or guns and develop
fully what these defenceS We're, and
incidentally. If We could. get n shot
into the Colon that was lying exposed
somewhat. To do il. | think we We're
lying in = position perhaps foUr to iiV,
miles 10 the westward. The steaming
in was n slow speed. | transferred my
flag. named Zoo Yards. and Went on
board the massachusetts. When |
boarded her ii was near the dinner hour
and Captain Higginson suggested that
We postpone until o'clock the going in
to develop these batteries. ! aSSentod
!" that. After the meal "" went t.
quarters and steamed in pretty nearly
head on. There. Was not mach oppur-
tunity for anybody 10 seek cover be
hind a turrrt unless h. got behind the |
protecting plate. which was guard t.
the entrance % the rear. Some weight |
has been laid upon the fact that We
we're in white clothes. ] would like To-
invite attention {" The fact that that |
WAS - matter which | cont oiled en- |
tirely for my squadron ana it was !
about the only suitable dress FOR that !
region.
Giving the names 81 the persons VINO |
accompanied him when H., Went on |
board the Massachusetts thu admiral |
said they We're 1-ieutenantS Sears. |
Wells and George +. Graham The As !
ISOLATED Press correspondents Who. H. |
said. had insisted on accompanying |
him. Notwithstanding his protests.
once on board he had. he said en- |
gagged III conversation with Capt ,noW |
AdmiraD HiggnSnn. Il was not cX- |
cited" ne went on. nor nervous. for | |
need not have undertaken tn" recon |
noissanCe if | had not desired to do SO. |
had some regard for those standing |
on the turrets. thinking they We're cx-
posing themselves to danger from |
shock which was unnecessary to them. |
though was differently cirCumstanced |
ard | explained myself. Comman- |
der Potts is entirely in error in Sa ying |
thai | took advantage Of cover. That |
did not do. for | was not concerned |
about myself
Speaking of the range of 1000 yards. |
the admiral said that Commander Potts |
had himself reported on that range and |
that he admiral Schleyl had not |
known tor several days that the range
had been altered
The moment We began firing" he
went on, the shore batteries respond
ed some of them using smokcIcss pow
der. There was quite a stream Of pro-
jeCtilcS. and | was impressed with the
idea that they must be from guns Of
o. or S-inch calibre. The shot from the