Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1902-08-22
Higginson's Ships Watching
For the enemy" to At
tempt an Attack.
HOSTILE FLEET WAS SIGHTED.
Rear Admiral Higginson Received In
formation Wednesday-An Attack
Was Expected Last Night, on Ac-
count of the Rough Weather.

mander-in-chief OF the North ALlauLle
squadron, off Straits Mouth.-Rear
Admiral Higginson, commanding the
North Atlantic squadron, while an
chored at Sandy Bay harbor at Rock
p,rt, Wednesday, received informa
ton that an enemy's fleet had been
sighted off the New England coast
The telegram was received on the
ragship at 11:40 a. m. Immediately
all was hustle and excitement and
tie mimic war manoeuvres scheduled
Cor the navy Of the summer OF 1902
were under way. Orders were given
in rapid succession, quickly followed
bv the blare of bugles and the setting
Of signal flags. From that moment
the flagship Kearsarge and the other
vessels of the defending fleet have
been in readiness for the approach OF
the opposing vessels under Comman
der John E. Pillsbury.
Movements of the Ships.
When the orders to move came
Wednesday the Mayfower and a tor
pedo boat were the first away, start,
ing out Of the north entrance OF the
harbor of refuge for stations of Port
land. The Brooklyn and Olympia
were close behind, steaming IN a more
easterly course. The Scorpion took
ner course about southeast, while the
Montgomery and Leyden also went to
the southeast.
The Kearsarge, Massachusetts,, Ala
hama and Gloucester took general
station about five miles off Thatcher
light. The point is about midway be-
-ween Portland and Provincetown.
Up to midnight the movements OF
the ships were not very important
The battleships passed back and forth
Until Just before midnight, when the
commander-in-chief signalled orders
+ come to anchor about mile north
CT Thatcher's island. Directions were
given to keep fires in the boilers, SC
that a start could be made at a mo-
ment's notice. No lights were per
nitted.
Twice during the first part OF the
night torpe do boats lightly and noise
lCssly steamed in and out through the
feet. but receiving no signal from the
flagship. they quickly departed to their
stations. Sleep was not INDUCED in
to any extent. The admiral was on
The bridge up to midnight. At 5
o'clock yesterday morning he again
made his appearance on deck. A few
C the scout ships came in, but re
ported nothing of consequence.
Aboard the flagship the regular
Thursday morning duties were OBJ
served. At $50 general quarters were
sounded and for an hour practice
work was INDUCED in.
Not for a moment during yesterday
afternoon did the battleships give UP
their watchfulness. Soon after the
noon hour heavy storm came on, the
sky being decidedly black. In the
driving rain the impression enter
tanned by the sailors was the proba
bility that Commander Pillsbury
would strike his blow on such night
as it promised to be.
But the adverse weather made the
stations of the defending squadron
along the Atlantic coast line all the
more active and alert. Messages
came in from various points, from
Portland to Provincetown, with re-
luarkable quickness.
To Puzzle "Enemy's" Spies.
In an hour the rain had passed, but
the thick weather remained, and as
dusk came on a mist crept over the
surface Of the water 1t was a dark
right. The darkness was just com
Ing on when Admiral Higginson gave
the order to his battleships to weigh
anchor. So hurriedly had messages
been given and so many trips did the
dispatch launches make between the
shore and the Kearsarge that it was
thought the move this time was out tc
sea. The admiral, however, allowed
The squadron to pass but a little tc
tie south; in fact, nearer in shore
and within hailing distance OF
Thatcher's island. The change of an
chorage was brought about for two
reasons. The admiral wished to keel
his ships in varying locations and tc
puzzle the spies of the white squad
ron. whom it was firmly believed were
strung along the coast. Again the ad
miral wished to get in touch with the
Straits mouth point life saving sta
ton, where was established last night
an elaborate system of ricket sig
railing.
AS the night wore on the sky lost
little of its blackness, and the fact
that a constant stream of messages
from the north to the south showed
clearly enough that the defending
squadron feared the approach of Com
lnander Pillsbury.