The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-22
Torpedo Boats Sent HurriedIy from
One Place to Another ON AdVfces
from the Signal Men.
STRANGE CRAFT SIGHTED
WHICH STEAMED AWAY WHEN PUR-
SUED BY THE DECATUR.
Cruiser Brooklyn Mistaken for One of
the Vessels Belonging TO the
White Squadron.

ROCKPORT. Mass, Aug. 22.-At mid
night thirty-six hours had passed OF the
possible 10 for the naval conflict between
the attacking squadron, in charge of Com
mander Pillsbury, and the defending squad
ron. commanded by Rear Admiral HigEin-
son. The coming Of another day was
corded, but the anticipated meeting between
the hostile fleets had not come TO pass AZ
ter a day which had been. on the whole.
devoid of many sensations the night. thick
and cloudy it was, with the moon quite
obscure. developed so many confusing
situations and so many extraordinary re-
ports that the Higginson squadron had
just cause for grave uneasiness. Some
how the feeling grew that it would not be
such a difficulty attainment after all for
the three auxiliary cruisers OF the White
Squadron TO slip in and anchor at some
harbor. protected as they would be by the
inviting darkness which prevailed. Per-
haps the greatest danger which came TO
Admiral Hfgginson was that OF yielding
to the temptation to withdraw the Kear-
sarge and leave only the Alabama and the
Massachusetts to go in search OF the
enemy reported on apparently reliable au-
thority 10 have been sighted at either this
reports were. in fact, made
In the early part OF the night the stati n
on the Isle of Shoals notified the nearest
mainland point by the use Of torches and
the secret code of the navy that "A large,
strange, two-masted craft had been sighted
outside the shoals. Admiral Higginson's
wonderful system OF signals worked 10
perfection. Almost in a moment, it seemed,
tho dpSfrOxer necaft1r xuas rockofod fror,
Portsmouth to pursue the mysterious
conner, and in another moment the De
catur. with smoke belching from her four
great stacks, was plowing furiously
through the heavy seas. The stranger
turned and fed at full speed. and this fact
led to the decision that she may have been
one OF the attacking fleet passing onward
on scout duty. At later hour the De-
catur had made no report.
At II o'clock came another report of
strange ship sighted south of Eastern Point
light, Gloucester. Admiral Higginson at
once ordered the torpedo boat Bagley TO in
vestigate. but the Bagley found TO her sur
prise that ii was the cruiser Brooklyn.
which had come down from her northern
station pursuant TO the privilege extended
by Admiral Higginson.
The reason that the admiral steadfastly
refused TO leave his anchorage i'm the har-
Dor here was that he dared not leave Rock
port exposed to the enemy, which, taking
advantage of the needless passage OF the
defending batteships 10 another port,
might easily creep in and drop anchor at
the very heart of the operations OF the blue
squadron. IL was these considerations that
forced Admiral Higginson TO the conclusion
that on none but the surest authority would
he leave the Rockport station 10 join other
members OF his squadron in the work Of
putting the enemy out Of action.
The complications which developed to-day
in the shape of undoubted news that Com
mander Pillsbury had secretly landed some
OF his officers ashore TO SPY on the move
ments Of. the blue squadron, served only
to increase the perplexity of Admiral Hig-
I ginson's position, and this reported shore
| system of spying was one Of the things
\ which led the admiral 10 establish the new
signal station off Straitsmouth point, and
/ also TO remove his ships as he did early
in the evening TO a point just inside
] Thatcher's island.
! In the early morning the position OF these
boats had not changed The Kearsarge held
the outer berth and the Massachusetts was
! innermost