The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-08-27
NAVAL aaNGuVERs.
ha attacking Squadron Met And
Captured BY White Squadron.

Captured BY White Squadron.
ockport Mass, Aug. The
naval search problem on the New Eng
lsnd coast was terminated at 5. 40 this
morning by the signal surrenoer;
demand and uneonditionas' from Rear
dEnirai Higginson s flagship, and the
reDly. accept surrender from the
tore truck Of the Prairie, Commander.
S5lsbusyss flagship. The battle be-
tween the Blue, or defending squad
ros and she White, or attacking
so uaGlron. was thus quickly ended
Sss sssriiaSs niles south Of Thatcher's isl
and: The enemy had most sIgnaIiy
faiied TO make harbor, having for
Is object Salem. preponderanee OF
ting strength, relatively 81 points,
Esrepresented hy the batslashIps kear-
sarge, labama and Massachusetts,,
corpion, and torpedo boat, had
heimed the 45 points represented
BY TIE auxiliary cruisers Pralrle,
anshes and sappiy. Theoretically,
TIE White squadron was entirely de-
stroved By the guns of the defsndlng
batglesh Thus on the fourth night:
I Ehe game OF naval strategy was
brought TO an end, it having covered a,
persod of anceasing toll sleepless
nights, Of anxious and wearing vigil
ard grave uncertainty to It's parSlel-s
aants. The destruction OF PlHsburys s
squadron occurred at 5. 40 this morn
ITses a5 B POINT Just within the outer:
5aai Of Gloucester harbor not over.
esght niles south OF Thascher's island,
Ehsre the heavy ships of Admiral
Higginson had been anchored since.
Wednesday, when the game vas de-.
eIased opened.
The Surrounding and ss pusting out
of action q OF the squadron IN COM
znand of Commander PiIlsbury was.
Ehe eliminating incident in one OF the
most interesting chapters IN the peace
hIstory of ths american nayy For the
piacing In operation of the manoeuyress
Of ths Warships off the coast OF New
England, the navy had long prepared
l5seIf, and had long looked forward to-
them 81 keen anticipation. AS
plannea By the naval authorities at
WASHINGTON two sqHadroDs we're to be-
put ITO the game, one TIE Blue, the
defending Heeg. and the other the
White, 80 be the hostile heet bent
Do1 sfecting an anchorage IN some
unprotected harbor on the coast from
CaDe Elizabeth TO Cape God, opposed
.aII the time By the first named feet.
This anchorage mad to be maintained
againss she defenders for period of
ssx hours. Commander Pillsbarys
hite saaadron consisted of the auxII-
5ary cruisers Prairie flagship j, Panther
ard Supply. ahte two formers boass
we're assigned 90 points Of fighting
stra1gt llfle the Supply assumed
30 protect 5 points.
Admiral Higginsonss feet was actu-
allv superior in the number of It's. j
members, ana BIZ the same arrange
aents made as TO the Pil ilsbury ships,
Is represented. grand total OF 81
points of strength. The Alabama, the |
Keargarge and the Massachusetts,, bait
Sleships, we're given 20, the cruisers
Broolslyh and Olympia 8 each, the
CEcinnati and Montgomery, GloIces.
ser, MaYhoWer and Scorpion 8 points
aach, while number OF torpedo
boats made up the remaining num-
bsers.
u 10 VIII Inc IDlIllCss .WsaI b4S 3 iSleLO
squadron had 10 bring against the att
lacking Fesselss as it did early this
morning, warships superior IN their
combination assumed fighting power.
Each side had the right to capture In
diriduaI craft of the other feet by
overcoming them in point OF strength,
and under the rules Of the game the
capsured vessels we're to retire altogeth 4
eY fFam the field of action.
the defeat Of Piiflsbury, the de-
tense, With three baStleships, the
Scorpion and with a single torpedo
boat, had 81 points, SO that the bal
aDce was against the attacking squad
ron. Throughout the mimic war
shere was placed in operation a system
OF coast defense which was admittedly
OF credit TO those VINO engaged IN it.
The problem Was SO complicated that
on the war vessels here tonight thel
weeks work IS viewed with satisfac-
tion FOR the one reason, if for no 9th
er, that the squadron has had inValu-
afs1a nPactice