Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-09-20
IS A Doubtful UTILITY
Admiral Hiseinson Says Search
lights Are Not An Aid In
Coast Defense
REPORT ON RECENT MANEuvERs
General Opinion That searchlishts Are
Not So Effective as Had Been Sup
posed-Men on Shore Unable to See
Ships in Full Glare Of Powerful
Lights.

Ships IN run 1iaFe "
Lights.
Washington, Sept. 2O.--In his report
10 the secretary of the navy upon the
combined operations between the army
and navy, Admiral Higginson is most
generous in his distribution of praise
among the officers of the squadron ana
especially does he commend Rear al
miral Coghlan for his very able ana
efficient assistance. His leading the
squadron into Newport at night thru
binding searchlights, smoke ana
against a strong current is pronounced
to have been a brilliant piece OF naVl-
cation requiring steady ana I'M
daunted nerve. Great credit is awarded
10 Captain Lyon, of the Olympia, for his
cable cutting operations, and TO cap
tain Brownson,of the Alabama'a ana zap
tain Manney, of the Massachusetts, Tor
their able work. In fact, nearly all the
squadron officers receive their share OF
nraise In the admirals report, wherein
is noted the particular service eacn
rended. Touching the operations them
selves, Admiral Higginson says:
"The whole and only intention was
to develop If possible any weak points
in the line of defense established by the
army. but whether we have done so or
not remains to be decided by the board
of arbitration. The work has been ar
duous and trying, including much night
navigation, and can not speak too
highly of the way in which 1t has been
carried out by the officers and men OF
the squadron"
The admiral comments interestingly
upon some of the lessons to be learned
from the maneuvers For instance, he
says:
Much valuable knowledge in regard
to the searchlights has been obtained
curing these operations and the general
opinion seems to be that they are not
so effective as has been supposed. In
approaching positions at night the
searchlights would flash very often up
on the ships. lighting up smokestacks
and hull so that large print could easily
be read and every one supposed the
ships had been discovered. but the
searchlights would turn away and evi-
IDENTIFY the observers had not seen the
vessels. In rainy or misty weather the
value of searchlights is, think, de-
creased from 25 to 90 per cent. I had
unfortunately no opportunity to test
the value of fog for running past the
batteries. was, therefore. obliged in
running past Fishers Island and into
Newport to select clear night, army
nights where every chance was with
the enemy, and had little hope of a
successful issue. but as my guiding mo-
tive was to help the army test their
equipment rather than to gain points. l
did not hesitate to take the losing side.
"One point in regard to the search
lights established was that If all other
aids to navigation have been eliminated
we have in the searchlights of the enc
my a sufficient guide for an approach TO
his position
Secretary Root has approved the
findings and recommendations of the
board appointed to conduct the testing
and report upon the value of disappear
ing gun carriages for sea coast de-
lenses. Colonel Wallace Randolph was
president of the board, which is COM
posed of the artillery, ordnance and ma
Wy officers and one civilian member.
The board Is unanimous in recommend
ing the continuance of the manufacture
of disappearing gun carriages for eight,
ten and twelve-inch guns, without re-
gard to high or low sites. 1t recon-
mends that no more six Inch guns be
mounted on disappearing carriages, as
the developing of rapid-fire six-inch
guns has made it essential that they
should be mounted on barbette car
riages. The board recommends in
creased allowances in order that ex-
pert mechanics may be induced to en-
gage in this branch of work. 1t also
suggests that more protection be given
to gunners, who are the only men serv-
ing and much exposed, by providing
small movable shields. In conclusion
the board says: The board desires to
record that the general mechanical
principles involved In the chief ele-
ments and movements of the Buffing-
tom Crozier disappearing carriage are
admirably adapted to their purpose"
Secretary Root issued instructions
yesterday to reduce the transport sery-
ice between San Francisco and Manila
to one ship each month, such sailings
to be on the first of each month. Here
tofore two transports have sailed each
month. Secretary Root has decided to
turn over to the navy department. the
transports Grant, Hancock, Lawton and
Relief, which were offered for sale
some time ago.