The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-23
Nasty Sea Running Last Night. and
the Water Was Lighted Up Occa-
sionally by Lightning.
PLANS OF JOINT MANEUvERS
RULES WHICH WILL BE ENFORCED
By GENERAL MACARTHUR.
Correspondents VIII Not BE Admitted
to Forts-Moving Targets for
ArtilIerymen.

ROCKPORT, Mass. Aug 22-Com-
mander Pillsbury and his fleet of three
auxiliary cruisers are still at sea. Unless
the commander of the white squadron
makes an attempt to reach harbor within
the next sixty hours from midnight. his
efforts to win a victory i'm the game OF
mimic war will fail. for theoretically it
will be considered that mis- ships have sunk.
or he has found that the blockade estab-
lished by Admiral Higginson from Port
land TO Cape Cod cannot be broken. 1t
is only fair to say that naval experts be-
lieve that Admiral Higginson's defense is
good. Everything to-day certainly favored
attack by the enemy, but no scout OF
the blue squadron reported signs OF Com
mander Pillsburys fleet. Fog and storm
swept the coast during the afternoon and
while, for time tonight. the sky was
clear the haze on the water continued
Tonight Admiral Higginson's three battle
ships were still at anchor off Thatcher's
island and beside them were two torpedo
boats, but nasty sea was running and
the lightning occasionally lighted up the
bay. At midnight the hagship's launches
found difficult work in making landings
and incoming craft reported a wild sea
wide awake, everyone expects to get
word Of the enemy before daylight.
This morning Admiral Higginson has his
three battleships at anchor in the same
position that they occupied at sunset
last night. With steam up they are ready
to start for any point at the slightest
warning Thick fog obscured the vision
of the lookouts on the ships early this
parent on board than has been seen at any
previous time since the maneuvers began.
as IT was the opinion that il was an on
perfume time for Commander Pisbury and
his fleet TO make a dash under cover of
the fog and land at some convenient point
selected during the previous clear weather
The possibilities were fully discussed on
board the flagship to-day Ii was learned
that Commander Pillsbury's authority en-
abled him TO take possession of certain
steam craft, such a tug or a steam
yacht, that came in his way TO be used I'm
his plan of attack. IL is figured that II
he should do so he might place aboard
such a craft force from his ships and
under this disguise land them near some
lighthouse or signal station used by the
defenders and thereby interrupt the sys-
TEN of communication maintained by Ad-
miral Higsinson and cause any amount OF
trouble.
Matters certainly are on a war basis on
the defending fleet. Yesterday afternoon
drill was dispensed with, and officers and
men dllke stored up plenty OF good SifGD
in anticipation OF the enemy being located
during the night. The watch slept on deck
prepared for instant call. Once during the
night there was an exciting moment At
IL O'Clock a flash signal came from shore.
When the message was completed there
was a tumult, for it stated that the enemy
was entering Salem harbor. An instant
later, however, the message was amended.
it having been discovered that the feet in
cluded three-masted schooner, "A yacht
and a scouting torpedo boat One other
alarm m In 10 gQd n
sence OF of the torpedo boats. which
was not reported within reasonable time
Later, however the missing craft was To-
Gated
1t the afternoon the weather conditions
were again changeable. At 3 o'clock the fog
deserted Rockport and passed far out be-
yond the battleships. hanging away in the
east and more IN the form OF smoke: from
Straitsmouth point the trio OF warships
could be discerned very plainly. Then sud
denly il seemed as IL the bank Of fog WAS
engaged in a race 70 the coast line again.
The battleships could now no longer signal
each other and the stations on Pigeon Hill
and StraitsmOuth were rendered for the
time being out of action. During the time
that the fog prevailed the steel fighters
remained motioness. Then confronting Ad-
miral Higginson and his coworkers was
the danger in navigating their vessels In
this case. however. the admiral concerned
himself with the more consequential possi-
blity OF Commander Pillsbury taking a
position in some one OF the coast harbors
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. followed by thun-
der. The watchers on shore believed that
the long waited for battle had actually
started. Then developed on land several
rumors almost distracting in their nature ID
those who placed any credence In them
One Of these that there had been an
accident the Kearsarge, and this
promptly denied from official sources
The storm continued till dark. when again
the weather changed and the stars shOne
Lightning however. continued, serving now
and then 10 illuminate the harbOr OF Rock
port. that one could see very plainly the
two stake boats which had anchored inside
the breakwater TO serve on the morrow
during the official trial OF the new battle
ship Maine. Dispatches from stations along
the coast were not frequent as they
had been previously. There were. however
several very important kilograms which
were Immediately dispatched on the launch
es 10 Admiral Higginson.