The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-25
Long and Wenrisome vigil Entailed
ny the ManeuVcrs on the Lower
New England Coast.
RELATIVE FIGHTING STRENGTH
POSITIONS OF THE FLEETS At THE
ELIMINATING MOMENT.
Details Of the Four-DRy Struggle tn
Prove the Efficiency of the Na-
tionaI Gordon of Defense.

ROCKPORT. Mass, Aug. A-The naval
search problem on the New England coast
was terminated at $40 this morning by the
signal Surrender: demand unconditional"
from Rear Admiral Higginson's flagship.
and the reply, Accept surrender" from
the fore truck OF the Prairie. Commander
Pillsbury's flagship. The battle between
the blue, or defending squadron, and the
white. attacking squadron. thus
quickly ended eight miles south OF Thatch-
ers island. The enemy had most signally
failed TO make a harbor. having for its
objective Salem. A preponderance of fight
ing strength. relatively 81 points. repre-
sented by the battleships Kearsarge. Ala
bama and Massachusetts. the Scorpion
and a torpedo boat. had overwhelmed the
45 points represented by the auxiliary cruis-
ers Prairie, Panther and supply. To speak
from theoretic standpoint the White
squadron was destroyed by the guns of the
defending battleships. Thus on the fourth
night the game of naval strategy
brought to an End it having covered a
period of unceasing toll. sleepless nights.
of anxious and wearing vigil and of grave
uncertainty to its participants.
The destruction OF Pillsbury's squadron
limit of Gloucester. not over eight miles
southerly from Thatcher's island, off which
had been anchored since Wednesday, when
the war game was declared opened. the
three powerful battleships of the Blue
squadron.
The surrounding and putting out of ac-
ton Of the squadron in command OF Com
mander Pillsbury was the eliminating
incident in the peace history OF the
American navy. For the placing IN
operation Of the maneuvers OF the war
ships off the coast OF New England
the navy had long prepared Itself
and had long looked forward with keen
anticipation. AS planned by the naval au-
thOrites at Washington. two squadrons
We're to be put into the game. one the
blue, the defending fleet. and the other
the white, to be a hostile fleet bent on
eftecting an anchorage in some unprotected
harbor the coast between Cape Eliza
beth to Cape Cod, opposed all the time by
the first-named feet. This anchorage had
for a period of six hours. Commander
Pilsburys white squadron consisted OF the
auxiliary cruisers Prairie (hagship), Pan
The two former boats were each as
signed twenty points of fighting strength.
while the Supply was assumed 10 repre-
sent five points. Admiral Higginscn's fleet
was actually superior in number of its
members, and, by the same arrangement
made as 10 the Piilsbury ships. II repre-
sented a grand total of ninety-sevcn points
of strength. The Kearsarge, the Alabama
and the Massachusetts,. battle ships. were
given twenty. the cruisers Brooklyn and
Olympia eight each, the Leyden and
Montgomery. Gloucester Mayflower and
Scorpion three points each, while a num-
Der of torpedo boats made ap the remain
ing numbers.
INDIVIDUAL CAPTURES.
To win in the mimic war the blue squad
ron had to bring against the attacking
vessels. as il did early to-day. the war
ships superior in their combined assumed
fighting power. Each side had the right to
capture individual craft Of the other fleet
by overcoming them in point of strength
and under the rule OF the game the cap
tured vessels were TO retire altogether from
the field OF action.
In the defeat Of Pillsbury the defense.
with three battleships. the Scorpion and "A
the balance was against the attacking
squadron. Throughout the mimic war
there was placed in operation system OF
coast defense which was admittedly OF
credit TO those who engaged in IT, The
problem was complicated that on the
war vessels here tonight the weeks work
reason, II for no other, that the squadron
has had invaluable practice.
The hnal event Of these war moves
the sequence OF many complicatng devel-
opments. The carture came at the end of "A
night filled with rumors as 10 the location
OF the attacking squadron. At $50 o clock
last night three battleships OF the blue
squadron got under way in a hurry and
sailed 10 the eastward. The intention was
to move Portland. and N that had been
carried out Admiral Higginson. as IL later r
developed. would have swung the balance
of his fighting force TO that end OF the
coast line. az Pllsbury had intended he
should. but which was not done on account
Of heavy seas running outside Cape Eiiz-
abeth.
Higignson. however. DETECTED his course
back 20 Gloucester. after "A swing seaward.
i'm response 10 report that the enemy nad
not been sighted wnen II was believed ha
had been but in the last hours Of the nigh
Pillsbury sailed toward Cape Ann from e
the outside and. as Il proved. right under
the very guns OF the defending squadron.
Commander Pillsbury. when still out TO sea.
after maneuVering. headed straight for
Salem harboT. But the desired vantage
point was never reached.
PILLSBURY SIGHTED
When his boats had arrived OF Magnolia
they were sighted by the signal station on
Bakers island. 4 message was sent 70
the station here. and the torpedo boat
Barney was sent out 20 notify the blue
squadron. The station here had before this
been informed that Higginson's battleships
had been sighted of Gloucester and that
later they had returned 20 their berths
under the lee OF Harper's island. The Bar
ney S commander was mystifed. therefore.
when. after rounding StraitsmOuth. he saw
no evidence or the presence OF the kear-
sarge. on hazard the Barney was steered
sOutherly After HigginsOn's ships had
cruised up and down the coast they went 10
their anchor of Thatcher's island Al this
time the officer on the deck OF the Kear-
sarge was Lieutenant RaystOne with Mid
shipman William Dilworth PuostOn as the
Junior officer in command In contrast
to others. the morning was clear and star
bright. on the bridge dozen jackieS stood
on the lookout one OF these was Daniel
Staehle an apprentice OF the first class
lie stood well forward, peering on the lee
CONTINUED on PAGE S. COL a.