The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-06-07
Maneuvers to Be on Most
Ambitious Sea e Navy
Has Attempted.
CULEBRA THE RENDEZVOUS
Department Orders Indicate Reliance
Upon Practice as Against Theoretical
Lectures-Healthy Rivalry in Drill
and Gunnery to Be Encouraged.

and Gunnery to Be Encouraged.
Orders for the grand maneuvers to
take place in the West Indies next
winter, in which three squadrons Of
were issued by the Navy Department
yesterday. They provide for war prac-
tice on a more ambitious scale than
was ever attempted by this Govern
ment. Fully fifty fighting craft will be
engaged, and with the additional col
Eers. provisioners, distilling ships, and
a repair vessel, the feet will probably
be even greater than that which block
AIDED Santiago in the summer of 1898.
The orders show that it is intended to
have the North Atlantic, the South At
lantic. and the European Squadrons,
with all available destroyers and torpedo
boats, modified at Culebra Island, near
Porto Rico. or Guantanamo, Cuba, near
Santiago, about January 1. 1908. Be-
tween the receipt of the orders by the
squadron commanders and that time
each squadron will be exercised indefi-
nitely, SO that its officers and crew
may be proficient in the more advanced
fleet drills and maneuvers which will
take place in the West Indies. A tenta-
tive list of the lighting vessels to par
ticipate is included in the orders. 1t
consists of the following:
An Imposing Fleet.
Battleships Kearsarge, Iowa, Massa-
chusetts, Illinois. Alabama, Indiana,
and the new Maine. if ready in time;
total, Z; armored cruiser Brook
lyn; cruisers Olympia, Baltimore, Gin
cinnati, Raleigh, Albany, Chicago, San
Francisco, Newark, Atlanta, Detroit
and Montgomery. total, IL; gunboats
Nashville. Marietta, and Machias, to-
tai, 3; twlve torpedo boat destroyers
and fifteen torpedo boats; grand total.
40. Other fighting vessels may be added
to this list. The Bureau of Steam En-
cheering has been directed to fit up a
collier as a. machinery repair ship. and
the appropriate bureaus will furnish the
necessary supply vessels. The maneu-
vers will last until about March /. 1909
Assembling of Squadrons.
Separate instructions were sent to
Rear Admiral Higginson. commanding
the, North Atlantic naval station. and
Rear admiral Crowninshield. command
ing the European naval station, to as
semble their vessels, at specified points,
in time to enable them to participate
in the exercises. The European squad
ron will arrive at Gibraltar not later
than November %. and after filling with
coal will go to the Cape Verde Islands,
reaching there by December 10. More
coal VIII be taken at the Cape Verdes.
and on December 10 Admiral Crownin-
shield will report the squadron in readi
ness to sail. The Navy Department will
then telegraph further instructions. Tho
vessels of the South Atlantic squadron
will assemble at Bahia, Brazil. not later
than December 5, and after filling with
coal VIII be ready to start for the
West Indies By December r. Admiral
Summers orders direct him to begin ct
once system OF progressive drills and
instructions. The orders to Rear Ad-
miral Higginson, of the North Atlantic
squadron, are more COMPREHENSIVE than
those to Admirals Sumner and Crownin-
shield. They furnish an idea OF what
the Navy Department expects to accom-
plish by the maneuvers. Secretary
Moody wrote as follows to Admiral Hig
ginson
What Is Hoped For.
THE department will assemble the
vessels of the North Atlantic station
dc w
Der Is, 1902. for the purpose of forming
a squadron to proceed TO Culebra or
other points and make the necessary
preparations for the assembling of the
North Atlantic, European and South At
lantic squadrons a feet. With this
end In view. you will please give such
orders as will maintain the present ef-
of the squadron, and increase it.
Also, you will issue such orders as will
insure the readiness of the ships at that
time.
THE instructions in the departments
letter of November 2. 1901. and the rou-
tine of drills resulting therefrom will
be continued, but the department does
not consider that tiresome lectures to
enlisted men are advisable, and recon-
mends that any lectures be brief and de-
livered to petty officers only.
Rivalry in Gunnery.
Healthy rivalry between divisions
and gun crews is believed to be essen
tial, and drills will be held with the
idea Of inspiring such rivalry. officers
and men will be encouraged to invent |
appliances and improve the speed of
ammunition and the speed CT |
loading the guns, but actual time will In |
all cases be taken to insure that an in |
vention is practicable and of advantage |
over existing devices; any such inven-
lions that prove OF value will be re-
ported in detail to the department Gun
pointing will be carried on frequently
and in such a manner as to enable the
gun pointer to observe the results.
1T is confidently expected that Off
GERS will take that interest in these
matters which their gravity warrants.
and will keep such personal records OF
individuals as VIII enable them to select
The best gun pointers and petty officers"