Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-02
ARMY SEEMS THE VICTOR
Tsrt Guns 0utpOint Those Of Attacking
Naval Forces.
MARINES, HOWEVER, ARE SAFELY LANDED
OIympia Dashes Into Port ana seiss'
Telegraph ana Cable statens-
Block Island Bombarded
by HigginsOn.

FORT ~TRUMBULL, NEW LONDON,
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF DEFENSE,
Sept. AIT Just 1920 last night the big
guns Of Forts Wright, Terry and Niche
belehsd forth almost simultaneously and
there was no longer doubt that the first
attack IN the war game was in effect. For
an hour Of cannonading continued and the
result from the army standpoint is best
stated in this oficial notice posted at head
quarters at 1920. -
Movement to pass through the race began
at 1920 p. m Forts, Miehie, Wright ana
Terry engaged fifty minutes Apparently
the ships entering have been put out OF
action by points scored by the army guns,
The result! however, will be determined
later By the board OF arbitration.
All was quiet at army headquarters,
when suddenly the reports Of the big guns
were heard and General Macarthur Ms
tened -attentively. The attack was on, but
II CAME sooner than was expected by the
major general commanding. When the
booming Of the big guns sisnsied the be-
ginning Of the attack. for the moment all
communication with the forts being cut OF
by telegraph and telephone. General Mac
Arthur boarded HIS yacht Kanawha and
proceeded to Fort Wright. Far out In the
races. the ships commanded by Admiral
Hlgginson we're sighted, and just as soon
as they came within firing distance the
fort guns opened on them. There was
quick response from the enemy.
It seems the feet Of the enemy had been
divided. the squadron under Admiral Cogh-
Ian not being seen during the first attack.
Admiral Higsinson came from the east TO
the race and there the fight commenced
with all the realism as far as possible Of
actual war. The ships lights were out, and
It was evident the admiral hoped he could
get nearer the forts before he was discoV-
cred, but In this he was folled. 90 the army
officers claim, and his ships, including
Massachusetts and Indiana, were put ont
of action, the ships h~urrying to the vest
ward out Of the firing zone. Just exactly
where the feet went was not known defni-
tely at headquarters.
Marines Landed by Enemy.
WOODS HOLE, Mass. Sept. THE
United States cruiser Olympia dashed into
this port this forenoon, landed a force and
seized all telegraph. telephone and cable
stations. thereby cutting of ell com
munication with Msrtha's Vineyard and
Elizabeth island.
OF course, the seizure and destruction OF
telegraphic and cable facilities were
ngurative and Il required the decision OF
an umpire to make plain whether or not
the point attempted by Admiral Hisgin-
son had been wen. " the landing was
made the telegraph and telephone ofhces
were entered BY sufficient torce to have
destroyed the property, or at least the In
struments, and et the same time a boats
crew had located the cables with Crap
ping hooks and had held them a sufhcient
period to- have allowed the cutting Of
them. there seemed to have been 20 ques-
tion that the move had been entirely sue
cessfu1.
Olympia appeared OF this port suddenly
early this morning and immediately two
Boats put on toward shore. One was a
launch and the other a whaleboat and in
them was n detachment under Lieutenant
L. n. Eyerhardt. The launch landed here
while the whaleboat lay on shore and at
once. began graphing for the cable. The
men under Lieutenant EverhRrdt rushed
TO the ONCE Of the Martha's Vineyard
telegraph company and then to the tele-
phone station and carried out their orders
to make the seizure. Having accomplished
this work. they returned to their launch,
Joined the whaleboat and returned to their
ship.
THIS move cut OF the only communica-
ton with the islands. Nantucket and
Martha's Vineyard. which are very i'm
-NaSA
Dombarded over Two Hourn.
BLOCK ISLAND. r.. l., Sept. 1.-The
Beacon Hill signal and wireless telegraph
station established by the army In con
nection with the extensive war maneuvers
was captured by the feet representing tn,
enemy, under command Of Rear AdmIraI
Higginson, just after 6 o'clock this morn.
ing
The station was abandoned after a bonn
bardment Of two hours and a quarter b,
the battleships and the guard escaped be,
fore q superior force OF marines which had
landed under cover OF the nre from the
vessels Mt Great Salt Pond harbor. EighI
hundred marines are now holding the sta.
ton and guarding the approaches, Will,
the Meet is anchored on shore.
1t was scarcely midnight when the patro
Of the Block Island Hfe-saving station dis.
covered the feet OF the eastern side Of tn,
island. The signal station at once wal
warned and the men considered an attach
imminent. They had four hours leeway
At Ans the battleship ran in and opene,
fire on the island. The range raked tn
Great Salt Pond and the Beacon Hill sta
tion. The reverberation shook the island Il
its base.
The firing was continued until $50
when a collier and dispatch boat entere
the hafbor and landed a force Of mer
Before the attack OF this detachment. hav
ing been reduced BY the previous bombard
ment, the men at the station made thei
escape. The landing force OF 600 was d
vided and squads were stationed on eac
side Of the breakwater and At other point
along the shore, while another force wa
sent TO occupy the Beacon Hin station. A
the feet lay on shore seventeen vessel
could be counted. including ~eollisrs.
Cats the Cable.
MARTHA's VINEYARD. Mass. Sept. l.
The United States cruiser Olympia ha
landed q detachment Of men At Gayhea
and the cable from that point to Pasqu
island has been cut In connection with III
war maneuvers.
PAsouA ISLAND. Mass. Sept. 1-Cuttl
hunk island reports a battleshlp havn
passed that point. headed for Aenemsh
Blight. about $40 a. N. There was a "a
on the sound.
POINT JUDITH. r. l.. Sept. f.-1til5
matter 4 period OF heavy firing of Bloc