New-York tribune., 1902-08-25
PILLSBURY CAPTURED.
HE WAS CAUGHT RUNNING
FOR SALEM HARBOR.
HIGGINSON HAD STARTED FOR PORT.
LAND, But RETURNED BECAUSE
OF HEAVY SEA

$40 o'clock this morning by the order, Sur
render unconditional" from Rear Admiral Hig-
ginson's flagship. and the reply, Accept sur
render" from the fore truck of the Prairie
Commander PiIlsbury's flagship The battle be-
tween the Blue or defending. squadron and the
White, attacking. squadron was thus quickly
ended eight miles south of Thatcher's Island
The enemy had most signally failed to make
Salem harbor. his objective point
A prepcnderance of fighting strength rela-
lively 81 points represented by the battleships
Kearsarge Alabama and Massachusetts,, the
Scorpion and a torpedo boat Of Admiral Hig-
ginson's fleet. had overwhelmed the 10 points
represented by the auxiliary cruisers Prairie
Panther and Supply. under Comman ander Pills
bury. Theoretically the White Squadron was
destroyed by the guns of the defending battle
ships
The destruction Of Commander Piflsbury's
squadron occurred just within the outer limit OF
Gloucester HarboT. not eight miles south
of Thatcher's Island, off which had been an
chored since Wedno<1~v when the war game
was declared opened. the three powerful battle
ships of the Blue Squadron The surrounding
and putting out Of action of the White Squad
the eliminating incident in Of the
most interesting chapters in the peace history
Of the American navy. For the manoeuvres on
the coast of New-EngIand the navy had long
been preparing itself. and had long looked for.
ward TO them with Keen ANTICIPATION
THE WAY THE GAME WAS PLAYED.
As planned by the naval authorities at Wash
ington. two squadrons We're in the game. one.
the Blue. the defending feet. and the other. the
White, hostile fleet. bent effetcins an an
chorage in unprotected harbor between
Cape Eliza abeth and Cape Cod This anchorags
had to be maintained against the defenders for
six hours. Commander Pillsbury's White Squad
ron consisted of the auxiliary cruisers Prairie.
his flagship. the Panther and the supply To
the two former boats assigned twenty points
each of fighting strength. while the Supply was
represented at five points
Admiral Higginson's fleet vas actually su-
perior in numbers and represented a total OF
ninety-seven points The battleshps Kearsarge.
Alabama and Massachusetts counted twenty
each. the cruisers Brooklyn and Olympia eight
each and the Leyden and Montgomery. Glouces-
ter Mayfower and Scorpion three points each.
while number of torpedo boats made up the
balance
To win in the mimic war the Blue Squadron
had to bring against the attacking vessels. as il
did early to-day. warships superior in their
combined assumed fighting power. Each side
had the right capture individual craft Of the
other seet by overcoming them in point Of
strength. and under the rules the captured YES
sells were 10 retire altogether from the field OF
action.
This morning the defence with three battle
ships the Scorpion and a single torpedo boat
had "a points that the balance was against
the attacking squadron Throughout the game
there vas in operation a system Of coast ds
fence for which those who engaged in 1t 70
ceived great credit.
NIGHT OF RUMORS.
The capture came at the end OF night filed
with r11nors az 20 the position of the attacking
squadron At $50 o'clock last night Admiral
Higginson's three battleships got under way In
a hurry and sailed to the eastward The fnten-
tion was to go t. Portland and if that plan had
been carried out Admiral Higgiuson would have
unintentionally put the preponderaree OF his
lighting force at the end of the coast line, where
| Commander PilIsbury wanted ii. But the plan
was changed on account of the heavy seas run
ming outside Cape EIizabe The Blue Squadron
came back to Gloucester after swing seaward,
and in the last hours of the night Commander
Pillshury sailed toward Cape Ann, right UNDER
the very guns of the defending squadron Com
mander Pfllsbury. when stiu out to sea- after
manopuvring, headed straight for Salem harber.
But the desired point never reached
When his boats of Magnolia they were
sighted by the signal station Bakers Island
\ message sent to the station here and
the torpedo boat Barney was sent 70 INFORM
the Blue Squadron. The station here had before
this been informed that Admiral Hisginsor.s
hatteshipS had been sighted of Gloucester, ana
that later they had returned to their berths
under the lee of ThatChers Island. The Bar
/ news commander was mystified. therefore,
when, after rounding Straitsmouth. he
nothing of the Kearsarge- on hazard tn.
Barney was steered southery-
After the Blue Squadron cruised up and down
the coast il went to it's anchorage of Thatchers
Island At this time the officer of the deck OF
the Kearsarge was Lieutenant Ray Stone. with
Nlidshipman William Di1worth Puleston the
f,Inior officer in command. In contrast others
the morning was clear and bright. On the
bridge A dozen jackies the lookout One
of these was Daniel Staehle. apprentices of
the first class. He stood we'll forward on the
lee side The flagship was just falling into the
trough between two waves when Staehle told
the ensign at his side that ne could the
enemy The officer of the deck called Flag
Lieutenant Evans and Flag Secretary Bristol.
and IL was the work of a moment 70 inform
Admiral Higginson of the probability that the
time for decisive action was at hand.
LIKE REAL WAR.
1t was like real then General quarters
was sounded There was quick rush of many
feet the manning of a hundred posts. the clank
of the anchor chain. the ringing of bells. the
giving of orders and a general clearing for ac-
ton Not many minutes passed before the flag
ship was Under way. steaming at fourteen Knots.
with the Alabama and the Massachusetts fol-
lowing some distance back was the carney,
rapidly overhaung the ships ahead
Ar :. AZ o'clock the three battleships. with the
converted Yacht Scorpion which had chased
IN FROM, the south IN time 10 be in at the finish.
and the Barney which had overtaken the feet.
-. . So-~aSbos about the White Squadron.