New-York tribune., 1902-08-23
PILLSBURY KEEPS AWAY.
SHIFTING FOG MAKES DE-
FENDER.S ANXIOUS.
WIRELESS STATION ON NANTUCKET
ISLAND AN AID IN DEFENCE
SIGNAL SYSTEM WORK
ING WELL.
ING WELL.

Rockport Mass. Aug 22-Commander Pills
bury and his feet Of three auxiliary cruisers are
still at sea Unless he makes an attempt to
reach harbor within sixty hours from midnight
his efforts TO win a victory in the game of war
will fail, for IL Will he considered that he has
found the blockade established by Admiral Hig
gnson from Portland TO Cape Cod cannot be
broken. It is only fair to say that naval
r,erts believe that Admiral Higginson's defence
is good.
Everything to-day favored attack by the
enemy but no scout of the Blue squadron re-
ported signs Of Commander Pillsburys fleet.
Fog and storm swept the coast during the after
zoon. and while for a time tonight the sky was
clear tne haze the water continued To-
night Admiral Higginson's three battleships
were still at anchor off Thatchers Island, and
beside them were two torpedo boats. nasty
sea was running and the lightning occasionally
illuminated the bay. At midnight the fagships
launches found difficult work in making land
ings and incoming craft reported q wild sea
outside on the hattleships the men are wide
awake. as every one expects to get word Of the
enemy before daylight
The contrast in the conditions prevailing off
shore this morning and those Of yesterday was
most marked. This morning fog so thick
that the water Of the harbor could not be seen
Yesterday objects at sea could be seen clearly
for miles Yesterday it was declared that il
would be useless for PilIsbury to attempt 10
draw near To-day It seemed as though ne
could pass within 4 short distance Of any ship
without his presence being known.
When the came up this morning the at
rnesphere was clear. At that time extended OBJ
servations were made from all signal and look
out stations. Each reported that all was well
and that there was no sign Of the enemy. 1t
was not long after sunrise that the fog set in
II was dense cloud at first, but about Q o'clock
there were indications that the was burning
through the mist on shore, and by IL o'clock
the fog had lifted and the battleshps were seen
in their usual positions. Distant observation
was impossible, however. owing to a haze which
hung low over the water.
All the signal and lookout stations reported
in the forenoon. showing that the message sys-
TEN was intact. All the scout boats were heard
from before II o'clock. either at the station here
or on the Kearsarse- The station keepers here
have been advised that the lookout line has been
extended TO Sankaty Head, Nantucket Island,
where the wireless telegraph station is: From
there all incoming ships viii be queried as to
whether they have seen any Of Commander
Piiisburys ships. and the result will lie signaiied
10 the feet from the shore stations.
IL II aeoti it-'i lflat iEe rules OF lfit
permit the destruction OF the ships OF the op-
posing squadron. The fear that Piilsbury VIII
dash in and disable one of the vessels is one
reason why the defending feet is kept so com
pact by Admiral Higginson.
In the afternoon the weather conditions again
We're changeabie. At ; O'Clock the fog deserted
hockport and passed far out beyond the bat
teshlps- Then suddenly il seemed as thoush
the banks Of fog were engaged III a race I" the
coast again The battleships could not longer
signal each other. and the stations on flseoh
Hill and Straitsmouth We're put out OF action for
the time being
an hour later the fog again lifted and piied
lpon the horizon finally being broken up 10y d
Strong east wind. Then black clouds coFeieu
the sky and thunder crashed. The ANXIOUS
watchers on shore believed that the long walteo
Tor battle had started.
Many rurnors developed on shcre- one was
that there had been an accident on the heai
sarge. but this promptly denied from ON
oial sources. The storm continued uhii uai a
when again the weather changed ana lhe sldi
snone. Lightning. however, continued, ser rElile i
now and then illuminate the harbor- DIS
patches from stations along tho coast were ho'
as frequent they had been previously lheTe
We're, however, a number Of very important tei-
esrems. which immedia tely carried ps
launches Admiral Higginson-