Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-09-06
TIE WAR GAME OVER.
Ends in a Spectacular Night
Battle at Forts Near
Newport.
The Fleet Succeeds in Forcing
Passage and Entering
the Harhor.
Umpire will Decide as to Which
Side Won the Vic.
tory.

Newport, r. l., Sept. Ga spectacu-
lar night battle in which almost the en-
tire fleet of Admiral Higginson engaged
Forts Adams Wetherell and Greble
brought the war game" to close las
evening. The object of the attacking
naval fleet was to force the eastern
passage and enter the harbor. In this
the invaders were successful, but what
damage was suffered from the heavy
land guns and the effect of the defend.
ers' efforts upon the ships remain fol
the board of umpires to determine.
The encounter made brilliant scele
which was much enjoyed by the crowds
of cottagers and others who filled the
fine viewpoints along the shore.
Admiral Higginsons fleet appeared a.
about 10 o'clock drawn up in line OF
battel and moved majestcally along
in front of the Notifications Win tne
s,earchlights of the latter playing con-
stantly upon the warshlps.
There was heavy firing all along the
line for about half an hour, when the
hostile fleet came to anchor within the
harbor. 1t was followed few minutes
afterward by the secondary fleet oil
smaller vessels. Admiral Higginson re-
manned in the harbor half an hour, after
which he and his naval forces sudden
ly steamed away.
This attack was the second OF the
closing day of the maneuvers. The
enemy" made demonstration In the
afternoon against the army defenses on
Narragansett Bay. but did not attempt
to come into close quarters with any of
the forts.
A landing was effected. however. at
Prices Neck, where the searchlight and
range station on which the mortars at
Fort Adams are sighted and fired. were
put out of action for an hour. During
that time the battleships kearsarge and
Alabama engaged Fort Wetherell, the
cruisers Olympia and Brooklyn ham
lnered Fort Greble in the west channel.
while the battleships Massachusetts
and Indiana and the monitor Puritan
destroyed a signal station at the en-
trance of Seakonet river
After two hours of fighting the fleet
drew off shore, where it assembled just
before sun set for the night attack.
The main point of the afternoon at
tack was at Prices Neck. the object
being to put that station out Of actios
before the mortar batteries could be
fired more than once or before twice.
This would give the larger vessels a
~, no roc
ular batteries The task was hard
one in any case, but today it was
doubly so, for the air was like crystal
and the movement of the fleet could be
watched at great distance off shore.
But under the rules Admiral Higginson
was obliged to engage the Narragansett
Bay forts just as earnestly as he had
those in Long Island Sound and at New
Bedford He was unfortunate, how
kver, in choosing the clearest day OF
the week; still he went at it bravely.
and the whole affair this afternoon
was well planned and carried thru with
The fleet was all the forenoon as
about eight miles north of
Block Island, and when all the vessels
had arrived there was council of war
on board the flagship.
About 2 o'clock the ten largest yes
sells of the fleet separated into four
squadrons. and, leaving the tugs out at
sea, the attack was begun. The move
nent was spectacular and was wit
messed by large number of the social
colony of Newport as well as those at
Pier.
To the east steamer the battleship
Massachusetts, followed by the Indiana
and the monitor Puritan: toward the
west and the Narragansett shore went
The Brooklyn and Olympia, while
straight into PRICES Neck came the
followed by the May
lower and Scorpion. The Kearsarge
md Alabama held off until the attack
developed.
The Montgomery was within two
niles Of Prices Neck before she began
firing at 1925 o'clock, and she sue
,eeded in getting in thirty or forty
shots before the station obtained her
Sixteen imaginary shells from
he mortar battery at Fort Adams came
.umbling down on her ten minutes
alter. The Maytiower came into action
1T 2:40, and five minutes later the
nortars We're again fired.
1t is n question for the umpires to de-
tide as to whether the fort was not
demolished by the rapid-firing guns of
he ships before the mortars were
ired.