The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-23
PILLSBURY IS NOT SEEN
The Fog Lifts, But Seaward a Haze
Still Drifts.
THE LOOKOUT LINE IS NOW ExTENDtO
The Wireless Telegraph Station on Nantucket
is included in Il and Incoming Ships
will be Questioned as to Pills
bury's Whereabouts.
(By the Associated Press.)

Rockport, Mass, Aug 22.-The con-
trast in the conditions prevailing off
shore this morning and those of yester-
day were most marked. and those par
ticipating in or watching the war
manoeuvers Of the navy early today
found things favorable to the squadron
under Commander John E. Pillsbury,
which is trying to make a landing on
the New England coast between Portland,
Maine, and Provincetown, Mass, while
Rear Admiral Higginson and his vessels
defend the seaboard., This morning
fog so thick that the water of the har-
Dor could not be seen from naval head
quarters, shrouded Cape Ann and the ad-
jacent oceana Yesterday, for miles in the
bright, clear atmosphere objects at sea
could clearly be seen.
When the sun came UP today the at
mosphere was as clear as it could be and
extended observations were made from
all signal and lookout stations. Each
reported that all was we'll and that
there was no sign Of the enemy. The
receipt of these early messages interrupt
ed the quiet when had prevailed at the
naval headquarters here since a. m,
unbroken save by one report received
from Portland at $40 a. m, this re-
port was like most others sent in. that
all was quiet. The report added that
scout boats were sighted outside the
harbor.
1t was not long after sunrise that the
'og set in. It was a dense cloud and at
first impenetrable to the eye beyond
distance of ten or a dozen feet. Just be-
fore nine o'clock there were indications
that the sun was burning through the
mist on shore.
Aside from the fact that the Kearsarge
at least, was still at anchor off this place,
little was actually known here as to the
positions of the various ships of Ad
miral Higginson's squadron. Scouts had
been reported off Portland. The cruiser
Brooklyn skirted the end of Cape Cod
early in the forenoon and went across to
Plymouth. Thus both ends of the line
of defense were found to be well guarded,
and as the naval experts here felt rea-
sonably sure that the Alabama and Mas
sachusetts were with the Kearsarge off
Straitsmouth Point, the center was
thought to be safe. The station keepers
here have been advised that the lookout
line has been extended to Sankaty Head,
on Nantucket, where the wireless teIe-
graph station is located. From there all
incoming ships will be querried as to
whether or not they have seen any OF
Commander Pillsbury's ships and the re-
suits of these Investigations will be sig
nailed to the scout boats or the land
stations
BY II o'clock the fog had lifted and the
battleships were seen in their usual po-
sitions. Observation in the distance,
however, was impossible. owing to a
haze which hung low over the water
All the signal and lookout stations re-
ported during the forenoon showing
that the message system was intact All
the scout boats were heard from before
IL o'clock, either at the station here or
on board the Kearsarge.
1t is learned that the rules of the
manouevers in which the vessels are en-
| gagged permit the destruction of the ships
OF the opposing squadron, and it appears
| that the fear that Pillsbury may dash in
| and disable" one of his vessels is one
reason why the defending fleet is kept
so compact by Admiral Higginson.