Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-09-06

NEWPORT, Sept. 5.-Two cruisers and
three battleships Of Admiral Higginson's
neet ran the guns of Forts Adams and
Wetherill tonight, getting within broadside
range for all their guns before they were
picked UP by the searchlights of the forts.
The fact that Brooklyn got to the mouth
Of the harbor before IL was picked up by
the searchlights is considered by the naval
men to be victory for the feet When,
ashore and ahoat, the cannonading was At
its height the scene was one Of grandeur.
The racket awoke Newport as never be-
fore. The big guns had to be deserted
after short time and the secondary guns
were quickly manned; the rapid fire guns
made the racket worse, II anything, than
the big guns.
The ships ran to within short range of
the torpedo station, and then appeared to
anchor The firing stopped and II was
supposed the great battle was ended In
half an hour the ships suddenly steamed
out OF the harbor in the same order as |
coming in, Brooklyn leading. The shipe
did not fire gun, but Fort Adams gave |
them a few broadsides, and when Brooklyn |
and Olympia were abreast OF Beavertail !
Light, Fort Greble opened for the first |
time tonight. The feet escaped, IL such |
was the idea, toward Block Island. Dur.
ing the battle the smaller craft were in |
squadron formation to seward and did not |
attempt to enter the harbor. Puritan and
Indiana were not seen. As there was not
time for communication between the shore
and tie ships, the maneuver of the feet
was mystifying The army claims that not
only would its guns have swept the ships,
SSt 10 mines would have wrecked som,, OF
them In the narrow channel, SO The escape
would have been impossible for any that
reached the harbor.
Macarthur Makes Report.
NEW LONDON, Conn, Sent. 5-Ma,or
General Arthur Macarthur, commanding the
Department of the East, this noon made
public statement of the progress of last
nights engagement between Forts Wright.
Richie and Terry and Admiral Higginson's
neet, together with the movements of the
meet before and after the engagement as
reported from the various signal stations,
The statement says that Fort Wright
nred S29 shots, all calibers, the fort con
mander claiming the destruction of the en-
tire fleet by three or four times the number
Of points required.
Fort Niche batteries fred at all the
ships until the last cae was out of range
md claims to have put out Brooklyn, In
llama and Alabama. Fort Terry, in the
meantime, was engaged at long range. The
statement adds:
It was a very clear and brIgbt staruabt
1ight and even IL all searchlights are ruled
(ut by the fire from the cruisers the battle
,,nlps were easily seen and suffered severely
rom the batteries at Wright and Niche
After the engagement the feet proceeded
o anchor several thousand yards west of
Fort Terry. Shortly after o'clock the
'attieships passed through the Race, re- >
urning apparently to Block island. At this ,
line no firing was done by the ships and ,
lone by Fort Wright. ,
Later Panther, Prairie and Mayfower left :
heir anchorage north of Montauk and !
moved east At $40 Fort Adams reported ,
he fleet in line OF battle heading in at ,
1000 yards. At 1928 Fort Adams reported )
'eoria entering the harbor flying a flag of I
ruce.
Anchor on Point Judith.
POINT JUDITH. Sept. Slight ships of I
Brooklyn, Alabama, Mas
aohusetts, Indiana, Puritan, Montgomery
nd Topeka-came to anchor three miles
outheast of here during the forenoon. The I
quadron left the anchorage at New Har-
or, Block island, at o'clock this morn
ng, The battleships moved slowly in the
Erection of Point Judith but tho other
essels made a detour. some arriving from
he westward and othsrs from the south L
rest. Il
The officers and men at the signal station II
ere using the utmost vigilance and every b
recaution has been taken by Colonel Reber U
} ward on or evade a seizure of the sta .
on AS soon as the vessels had anchored Y
Il the captains went aboard the flagship. II
While the war balloon was being re- I,
loved from it's hiding place to the station u
oday gust of wind struck the partially II
He'd bag and swept II across fields and p
tone walls. The men who were in charge u
ere dragged unceremoniously in its wake Al
nd halt came only after a great hole N
ad been torn in the canvas, letting out -
he gas. II was nearly noon before the
ole had been repaired and the work of
ling commenced.
other MRneuVers
BRENToN's POINT, NEWPORT. n l.
'pt. b.-Five battleships rounded Point o.
idith at about $3.50 this morning and o
saded northeast, apparently with the in N
ntion OF getting to the eastward of this II
lint and then running in. The ships. h
hich are in line, were as follows: Kear- j.
rye, Massachusetts,, Alabama, Indiana and g
rookiyn- A small tug accompanied them. M
The weather was remarkably clear and al
oyements could easily be followed twelve u
hfteen miles OFF shore.
The gunboat Peoria came in today under /
nag Of truce and an ofhcer from Fort :,