The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-21
Batt1eships, Cruisers and Torpedo
Boats Ready TO RepeI the Attack
ing Fleet Day Night.
PILLSBURY GIVEN FIVE DAYS
TO OUTMANEUVER HIGGINSON'S BIG
''BLUE" SQUADRON.
Former Is Handicapped by Having
Only Three Auxiliary Cruisers. and
the Chances Are Against Him.

ROCKPORT, Mass. Aug. 2O.-The New
England coast from Portland Harbor to
Cape Cod is on a war basis and will be
for some time to come. The men who are
the most interested are the officers and
crews of the vessels of the North Atlantic
fleet, which Rear Admiral Higginson COM
mands. To put the situation in a few
words is TO say that somewhere in the At
lantic is feet supposed by the North At
lantic fleet 10 be a hostile one, which by
strategy purely intends reaching the New
England shore. On the other hand. Rear
Admiral Higginson is to use mis- fleet to
stop that enemy. 1t is a war game to be
worked out with real men manning actual
fighting machines. under unavoidable con-
ditions of wind and wave, with the prob
abilities of fog and storm, and, what is
more important, the ever present danger
of disaster on the reefs and shoals which
naturally guard much of this coast line
The war game began at noon, when Rear
Admiral Higginson moved his fleet out Of
the harbor of refuge here and went in
search of the enemy. Tonight the picket
line has been established. and mimic war
without the burning of gunpowder may
begin at any moment The conditions,
however. make it appear certain that Com
mander Pillsbury will not attempt to land
until tomorrow night; in fact his attack
is expected then.
The question which confronted Admiral
Higginson as he studied his maps on the
Kearsarge tonight was the location and
hour of attack of the opposing squadron.
He has his naval intelligence bureau con-
Meeting all points along the shore from
Portland TO Providencetown, and the CEN
trail point is in a shed on the shore of
the harbor of refuge. By telephone
communication the flagship can be in
formed of the appearance of any strange
vessel off the coast, and in such an
event the admiral can quickly assemble his
fleet, proceed to that point and endeavor to
crush the enemy. All was activity on the
defending squadron tonight. although the
night was one of the most beautiful Of the
summer, making it almost certain that
Commander Pillsbury would not be rash
as to attempt to run into the coast when
his craft could be seen miles away.
PLAN OF THE CAMPAIGN.
The rival squadrons, respectively, are
designated blue and white" The lat
ter, under command of Commander Pills
bury. being the attacking squadron, was
supplied with confidential instructions.
which went into effect at noon. The prob
lem for the white" squadron, which is at
sea, is to>effect landing between Portland,
Me-, and Cape Cod, before Aug. Is. To be
successful the attacking squadron must
seize some undefended anchorage between
the points named-Portland harbor being
included, but not Casco bay-and hold it
for six hours without being opposed by
superior force. The instructions define the
harbor seized one that must be capable
of gun and mine defense with not less
than six fathoms Of water, anchorage for
several large ships and in all respects suit
able for an advance base for an enemys
fleet. including heavy ships. Under the in
structions defining the character of the har-
Dor ne must seize Commander Pillsbury is
considerably restricted. The Prairie, which
is the heaviest draught vessel in the squad
ron, draws slightly under twenty-five
feet the Panther eighteen feet two inches
and the Supply twenty feet.
This is the first series of maneuvers in
which the ships will participate and ii will
be under the direction of the Navy De-
partment alone. Such practice follows
the conclusion of this first contest will be
the joint work of the Army and Navy De-
partments. Commander Pillsbury's feet
Saited from PrOVincetown on Monday. Its
present whereabouts is unknown to Ad-
miral Higginson, who lost no time In get
ting under way after the hour agreed upon
for beginning the contest had arrived.
THE START.
During the forenoon the ships were get
ting up steam and at about l o'clock they
began to weigh anchor. First the May
flower and one of the torpedo boats headed
outside the breakwater, bearing toward
the north. A second torpedo boat fol-
lowed toward the northeast. The Brooklyn
and the 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 directly east Just
| before noon a torpedo boat came In from
the south and after joining another vessel
of the same class, both steamed out to-
/ gether. accompanied by the Scorpion.
The Thornton and Gloucester went out by
/ the southern passage just before ? o'clock.
| At about the same moment the MOntgom-
1 cry, accompanied by the LeydOn. moved out
/ to the southwest. This left the Kearsarge
and one torpedo boat inside the breakwater.
\ All the ships, after going two milese off
] shore. dropped their speed and lay 10, ap-
/ parently waiting for the Kearsarge 10 join
l them.
The big vessels Of the squadron, when
! the morning sun broke upon them to-day.
/ were as motiOnless and gave little sign
/ OF life the rocks on the nearby shore. As
/ the forenoon advanced various signs of a
prospective movement were noticed Sig
I nails were exchanged and small craft were
| upuSlhS aooAe. Ahc tOiPCuO DOd1S DtSdu 10
/ throw out black smoke and then the larger
\ vessels showed that their fires were being
! freshened. The crowd Of spectators in
creased and from every advantageous point
\ the proceedings were eagerly watched.
Commander Pillsburys squadron includes
the auxiliary cruisers Prairie, Panther and
\ Supply Rear Admiral Higginson has his
/ flagship, the Kearsarge, and two other bat
/ tleships the Massachusetts, and the Ala
\ bama, and the cruisers Brooklyn. Olympia
\ and Montgomery, besides seven torpedo
/ boats two unarmed gunbOats two boats
| and the converted yachts Mayfower and
| Gloucester. The torpedo boats are the Shu-
] brick, Decatur (destroyer), Thornton,