The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-12-11
Mayaguez Taken bv Sumner
Without Resistance.
THE HARBOR THEN MINED
Higginson in Command of the Blue squadror
Cutwitted by the Excellent Manner in
Which Summers Plans are Put in
Execution.
(By the Associated rress.)

notable victory was achieved this morn
the White Squadron, with the Iowa, I'LL
nois, Albany and Chicago.
He captured Mayaguez without resis-
tance at 500 this morning and imme-
diately mined the harbor. The Nashville
and the Eagle subsequently entered the
channel and reported that the Atlanta
and San Francisco had last been seen off
Ponce and that they perhaps had been
overtaken.
Admiral Summers victory was due to
the careful execution of his plans At
Trinidad he directed the White Squadron
to proceed to point within a circle with
radius of T20 miles, the centre of
which was latitude Is and longitude As
The White Squadron was reported to Adj
miral Higginson, commanding the Blue,
or opposing squadron, at six o'clock in
the afternoon of December 5. Admiral
Summers objective point was MayagueZ,
Guayanilla, Ponce, Ensendada, or Guile
bra.
Under the rules. the White Squadron
would win if it entered the port selected
and worked for one hour laying mines
before the arrival of Blue Squadron
so per cent. superior, or If it entered its
harbor and completed the work of mining
before the arrival of a Blue Squadron
double it's strength.
While at Trinidad, Admiral Sumner
found that Admiral Crowninshield, COM
manding the European Squadron, with
which the South Atlantic Squadron COM
bined, had prepared plan of procedure
similar to his own. Having ascertained
that the Nashville. Atlanta, San Fran
cisco, and Eagle were slow, Admiral
Crowninshield suggested that upon the
arrival of the squadron within the curve
these vessels be detached and ordered to
proceed deployed as scouts, by the near
est route to a point one hundred piles
south of the eastern end of Porto Rico
and then north to a point twenty miles
southeast of Ponce in order to deceive
the enemy as to the whereabouts and in
tention of the remainder of the squadron.
The White squadron sailed from Trini-
dad the morning of December 5. The
Iowa, Albany, Illinois and Chicago, form
ing an indented column, left the remain
der of the squadron and steamed at the
rate of twelve knots an hour to latitude
1920, longiture 1924, which point they
reached at 3 o'clock in the afternoon Of
December s. The four vessels then
steamed north in line with the islands.
The greatest care was exercised to pre-
vent discovery. No lights were shown
and only small red and blue flags were
used The flag officers did their night
signalling by whistles and shielded
lights. There was clear weather through
out the run. An especially careful watch
was kept December Z, when the four
vessels were due north of Culebra Island,
which A dmiral Sumner supposed to be
the centre of the north and south line
of the Blue scouts. In order to avoid
these scouts, Admiral Sumner kept over
200 miles away from the land. On De-
cember 8, the Iowa, Albany, Illinois and
Chicago ran parallel with the north shore
of Porto Rico until directly north of the
Mona Passage, when they turned to the
south with the intention of making Santo
Domingo, sneaking along the shore of
that island and making dash across the
Mona Passage, under forced draught,
to Mayaguez.
When entering the Mona Passage, at
o'clock this morning, the squadron stop
ped for a short time. No Blue scouts
were sighted unil dawn glowed in the
east then the Olympia, Cincinnati De-
troit, and Montgomery were seen.
All preparations for mining the har-
Dor had been made when the four vessels
of the White squadron dropped their an
chors in Mayaguez harbor at "a minutes
past six o'clock this morning. The last
vessel to anchor was the Chicago. Boats
were lowered at once and the mining of
the channel was finished in "a minutes.
Upon the appearance of the White squad
ron the Hist discharged green and red
signals and attempted to escape. NO
effort was made to prevent her. The
other scouts of the Blue squadron, fear
ing capture, fastened away to search for
Admiral Higginson. The commander of
the Blue squadron was last reported at
Viequez Island, where he will be advised
of Admiral Summers victory.
After the four vessels of the White
squadron were in the harbor, Admiral
Crowninshield signalled the following
message to Admiral Sumner:
Congratulations upon your great sue
cess to which bold navigation contribu-
ted"
Thank you; accept my congratulations
upon the beautiful way in which you
mined the harbor."
1t is expected that Admiral Sumner
will sail tonight for Culebra Island, where
he will transfer his flag. Admiral Dewey
will then organize the fleet; Admiral Hig-
ginson will have command of the frst
squadron; all the battleships will be IN
the second division, which will be under
command of Admiral Crowninshield. The
second squadron, to include all the cruis-
ers, will be under the command of Admi-
raj Sumner.
The San Francisco and Atlanta arrived
here this afternoon, thus completing Ad-
miral Summers squadron and making his
victory greater even than it was this
| morning. Captain Walker. commanding
the San Francisco, who is senior officer
of the division. which took the Carib-
bean course to Porto Rico. explained to
, Admiral Sumner the route he pursued and
showed that he successfully deceived the
scouts of Admiral Higginson's fleet.