The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-21
MIMIC FIGHT is ON
MANEUvERS OF AMERICAN NAVY
ARE BEGUN.
THE COAST IS THREATENED
WHILE HEAVILY ARMED FLEET is
ACTIVE IN DEFENSE,

tory Occupation Must Continue Six
Hours Before Discovery-Admira
HigginsOn in Command of squad
ron of Defense-HOstiIe Fleet Is
Now at Sea and Whereabouts I'm
known.
Rockport, Mass, Aug. 20.-The unique
war game in which the rival fleets of
Admiral F. ]. Higginson and Com
mander John Pillsbury are pitted
against each other, began at noon to-
day. The North Atlantic coast is now
threatened by a theoretically powerful
squadron of ships, from the attack of
which an equally able fleet will attempt
to defend
This is the first series of maneuvers
in which the ships will participate and
it will be under the direction of the
Navy Department alone. Such prac
tice as follows the conclusion of this
first contest will be the joint work of
the army and navy departments.
Commander Pillsbury's fleet, which
is known as the White Squadron, sailed
from Provincetown on Monday, and is
now at sea. Its present whereabouts
is unknown to Admiral Higginson,
whose force is known as the Blue
Squadron.
In Search of the Enemy.
It was understood that the latter
fleet, which made it's appearance in
this harbor last Saturday, would I'M
der the rules of contest remain here
until this afternoon. At any time af
ter that Admiral Higginson was free
to sail in search of the enemy"
1t will be the object of the White
Squadron to effect landing at some
unfortified place along the coast as
soon as possible after the fixed hour
and occupy the position without inter
ference for at least six hours. 1t is
the duty of the defending fleet to pre-
vent the invaders from accomplishing
their purpose. If Admiral Higginson
finds the hostile vessels before they
can get within striking distance the
victory is with him. If Pillsbury with
his ships should elude ,Higginson and
land his force he must occupy the
place he has captured and~be free from
discovery during the six-hour period
agreed upon. If he is located before this
time expires it is scored as a defeat
for him.
No Semblance of Fighting.
The first series of maneuvers is pure
ly technical and there will be 10 SEM
blance of an engagement between the
ships. No shots will be fired except
possibly upon the discovery of the
hostile fleet at night when the firing
would be entirely for signaling pur-
poses and to announce the discovery of
Pillsbury'S squadron.
Admiral HiQpfnSnn lOef M fIr1,a IN,
getting under way after the hour
agreed upon for the beginning of the
contest had arrived. During the fore
noon the ships were getting up steam,
and at about II O'Clock they began to
weigh anchor and half an hour later
all except the flagship Kearsarye had
started out.
First the Mayf1ower and one of the
torpedo boats headed outside the
breakwater, bearing toward the north.
The second torpedo boat followed to-
ward the northeast. The Brooklyn
and Olympia moved out together, with
the Alabama astern of the latter, and
the Massachusetts at the end of the
line. These ships seemed to make di-
rectly east. lust before noon a tor
pedo boat came in from the south and
after joining another vessel of the same
class, both steamed out together, ac-
companied by the Scorpion.
Waiting for the Flagship.
The Thornton and Gloucester went
out by the southern passage Just be-
fore o'clock. AT about the same mo-
ment. the Montgomery, accompanied
by the Leyden, moved out to the south
west. This left the the KearSarge and
one torpedo boat inside the breakwa-
ter. All the ships after going two
miles off shore dropped their speed and
lay-to, apparently waiting for the
Kearsarge to join them.
The big vessels of the squadron, when
the morning sun broke upon them to-
day, were as motionless and gave as
little sign of life as the rocks on the
nearby shore. The little torpedo boats
were not far from the larger craft. AS
the forenoon advanced various signs of
prospective movement were noted
Signals were exchanged and small
craft were lodging about. The tor
pedo boats began to throw out black
smoke, and then the larger vessels
showed that their fires were being
freshened.
The crowd of spectators increased
and, from every advantageous point
the proceedings were eagerly watched
The ships of the squadrons.
Commander Pillsbury's squadron in
cludes the auxiliary cruisers Prairie.
Panther and Supply.
Rear Admiral Higginson has his
flagship, the Kearsarge, and two other
battieships, the Massachusetts and
Alabama, and the cruisers Brooklyn.
Olympia and Montgomery, besides sew
en- torpedo boats, two unarmed gum
boats, two tugs and the converted
yachts Mayfiower and Gloucester.
The torpedo boats are the Shubrick
Decatur, Thornton, Stockton, Bagley
Barney and Biddle. The gunboats are
the Scorpion and the Peoria.
While the vessels of the White
Squadron are understood to represent
an attacking force of great power, in
reality II can hardly be compared with
the defending complement. Comman-
der Pillsbury's three auxiliary cruisers
have an average displacement of G, 600
tons and an average speed OF 10 knots
Adm9ral Higginson's squadron in
cludes battleships of nearly II, 900 tons
average displacement and nearly II
knots average speed: cruisers, the
slowest of which is a 19-knOt vessel,
and torpedo boats good for &c to 20
knots
BaffIeshiDs Are VigiInnf.
The flagship Kearsarge weighel an
Choir at 2:l5 p. m, and slowly steamed
out Of the harbQs. proceeding by the
north passage from the harbor ~ ref
uge. Outside she Joined the Msssachu-
sets Alabama and Gloucester.
The three battleships returned 10 the
say this evening, but did not anchor.