Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-20
OFFICERS DO THEIR DUTY
Admiral HigginSOn Praises Those Engaged
in the Naval Naneuvers.
SEhRCHLlGHTS OF DOUBTFUL VALUE
with Rays Thrown Directly ON the
Vessels They Could Not Always
BE seen by Observers
on the Shore.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19.-In his report
to the secretary of the navy upon the com
bined operations between the army and
navy Admiral Higginson Is most generous
in his distribution of praise among the
officers of the squadron and especially does
he commend Rear Admiral Coghlin for his
very able and efficient assistance. His lead
ing the squadron into Newport at night,
through binding searchlights and smoke
and against a strong current, Is pronounced
to have been a brilliant piece Of navigation
requiring a steady and undaunted nerve
Great credit is awarded to Captain Lyon
OF Olympia for his cable-cutting operations
and to Captain Brownson of Alabama and
Captain Nancy of Masss chusetts for their
able work. In fact nearly all the squad
ron officers receive their share of praise
in the admiral's report, wherein is noticed
the particular service which each rem
dered.
Touching the operations themselves, Ad-
miral Higginson says:
The whole and only intention was TO de-
velop, IL possible, any weak points In the
line of defenses established by the army,
mains to be decided by the Board of Ar.
bitration. The work has been arduolS and
trying, including much night navigation
in which 1t has been carried out by the
officers and men of the squadron.
Value of seRrchIights.
The admiral strongly upon
some of the lessons to be learned from the
maneuvers. For instance, he says:
Much valuable knowledge in regard to the
searchlights has been obtained during these
S % re- iSai t anG sRe s sene 80 eS qP1nifSe as sef has
at night the ~searchlights would Hash very
49, .lNaa a2kNHn0 IN OnanLa
stack and hull, so that large print coult
easily be read. and everyone supposed th'
ships had been discovered, but the search
lights would turn away and, evidently, thi
observers had not seen the vessels. u
rainy or misty weather the value Of search
lights is, 1 think, decreased from % to o
/ had, unfortunately no opportunity Il
test the value OF fog for running past bat
ming past Fishers island and into Newpor
to select clear nights, army nights wheri
every chance was with the enemy, and
had little hope OF a successful issue, bu
as my guiding motive was TO help tn,
army test their equipment rather than u
gain points, l did not hesitate to take tn
One point in connection with the search
lights established was that L. all otheI
we have In the s%earchlights OF the eneml
a SUFFICIENT guide for an approach TO hi
position.
Experience Proves Invaluable.
To those officers not in the Spanish wa.
the experience of keeping position an
cruising at night without lights has beel
invaluable and has educated them to wa
conditions, and 1t Is for this purpose, In m!
opinion, that these exercises should be con
tinued each year.
The naval militia in the squadron wa
from Massachusetts, Connecticut and New
York, and rendered good service and N
doubt gained Yaiuabl knowledge OF nava
methods and work. To Lieutenant Com
mander Craven, In m OF Aileen
1 am Indebted for his able and intelligen
management OF that vessel.
The work Of the marines is said TO hsv
been Of great value and their efficiency 1
said 10 have been greatly increased b
J their stay on shore. The army onheer VIII
acted as observer on board Alabama 81