The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-08-26

EraSt OF conditions prevailing off shore
this morning and those of yesterday
were most marked and those participant
ing IN or watching the war manoeuvres
of the navy early today found things
favorable to the squadron under Com
mander John E. Piilsbury which is try
ing to make a landing on the New Eng
land coast between Portland, Maine,
and Providenctown, Mass, while Rear
Higginson and his vessels de-
fend the seaboard. This morning a fog
was so thick that the water of the
harbor could not be seen from naval
headquarters, shrouded Cape Ann and
the adjacent ocean. Yesterday, for
miles in the bright, clear atmosphere
objects at sea could clearly be seen.
When the sun came up today the at
mOsphere was as clear as it could be
and extended observation were made
from all signal and lookout stations.
Each reported that ali was we'll and
that there was no sign of the enemy.
The receipt of these early messages in
~terrupted the quiet which had prevail
I'd at the naval headquarters here since
: a. m, unbroken save by one report
received from Portland at 3:45 a.. m.
This report was like most others sent
in, that all was quiet. The report add
I'd that scout boats were sighted put
side the harbOr.
II was not long after sunrise that the
fog set in. 1t was q dense cloud and
first impenetrable to the eye beyond a
distance of ten or a dozen feet. Just
before 3 o'clock there were indications
that the sun WAS bur0i0p tbrOuoh tho
mist on shore.
Aside from the fact that the Kear-
sarge, at least, was still at anchor off
this place, little was actually known
here as to the positions of the various
ships of Admiral Higginson's squadron
ScOuts had been reported off Portland.
The cruiser Brooklyn skirted the end of
Cape Cod early in the forenoon and
went across to Plymouth. Thus both
ends of the line of defense were found
toke we'll guarded and as the naval eX-
pdV here felt reasonably ure theat
the Alabama and Massachusetts, were
with the Kearsarge off Straitsmouth
Point, the center was thought to be
safe. The station keepers here have
beer notified that the lookout line has
beeen extended to Sanctity Head on
Nantucket where the wireless telegraph
station is located. From there all in
coming ships will be queried as to
whether or not they have seen any of
Commander PillSbury's ships and the
results of these Investigations will be
signalled to the scout boats or the land
stations.
By IL o'clock the fog mad lifted and
the battleships were seen in their usual
positions. Observation in the distance,
however, was impossible owing to a
haze which hung low over the water.
All the signal and lookout stations re-
ported during the forenoon showing
-1-.+o-o u-nc intact
All the scout boats were heard from
before IL o'clock either at the station
here or on board the KearSarge.
1t is learned that the rules OF the
manOeuVres in which the vessels are en-
gagged permit the destruction OF the
ships of the opposing squadron n II
appears that tht fear that Pillsbury
may dash in and disable" one Of his
vessels, is n reason why the defending
fleet is kept so compact by Admiral
Higginson.
In the afternoon the weather condi-
lions again were c~hangeable. AT .
o'clock the fog deserted Rockport and
PASSED far out beyond the battleships,
hanging away in the east more in the
form of smoke.
From Straits Mouth Point, the trio
of warships could be diScerned very
plainly. Then suddenly it seemed as
If the bank of fog was engaged In a
race to the coast line dSdln- II Dpb-
tleships could now no longer signal
raCh other and the stations on Pigeon
Hill and Straitsmouth were rendered
sOr the time being out of action.
During the time that fog prevailed
steel fighters remained motionless.
Then confronting Admiral Higginson
and his co-wOrkers was the danger IN
navigating their vessels.
In this case, however. the admiral
concerned himself with the more con-
=equentiaI possibility of Commander
~s.Ilsbury taking 4 position in some o.
lie harDors unobserved-
An hour later the fog again lifted
and piled UP on the horizon. finally
being broken up by a strong east wind
Then black clouds covered the sky, fol-
lowed by thunder. The watchers on
shore believed that the long waited for
battle had actually started. Then de-
veloped on land several rumor almost
~dis-racting in their nature to those who
placed any credencn in them. One of
thee was tina there has been an acct
de-t on the Kearsarge and this was
pr -nptly denied from official sources.
TIE storm continued till dark, when
again the weather changed and the
~+ars shone. Lightning. however. con-
tinued serving now n then to nlumi-
nate the harbor of Rockport, so that
one could see very plainly the W
stake boats which had anchored in side
The breakwater, to serve on the Nor
row during the official trial of the new
battleship Maine. Dispatches from sta
tons along the coast were not as fire.
quent as they had been previously.
There were, however. several very i'm
portant kilograms which were immed-
lately dispatched on government
!. launches TO Admiral Higginson.
~ -
Henry l.. Shattuck, OF Shellsburg,
Iowa, was cured Of a stomach trouble
with which he a been a icted for