Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-09-05
Isl HIRING AT F0RT WRIGHT
HIgginson and CoghEan Bring Up
Their Fleets and Guns Make
Lively Exchange.

FISHERS ISLAND, N. Y. Sept. 4.--Fort
Wright was again attacked tonight and II
would appear that Admirals Higginson and
Coghlan have brought their fleets together
for the purpose Of silenclng. II possible,
the guns Of the fort, which is admitted to
be the most strongly fortified on Long ISL
and sound.
Admiral Higginson's mAneuver tonight
was an excellent one and brought out the
finest points OF the game Of war. He came
down upon the forts in two sections. The
cruisers were sent ahead with the apparent
purpose of having the FIRE concentrated upon
them. He then crept up with his battle
ships and opened nre with the purpose Of
crumbllng the fort to pieces.
1t was at 1906 tonight that a general
alarm rang out over Fort Wright and all
the troops were called to arms. At that
hour search light No. picked up the cruiser
Brooklyn as It was speeding TO the west
ward toward the race At hrst Il was sup
posed that the cruiser was on its way to
New York for repairs, but t came so close
to the island that a warning shot was fired,
and to the surprise of the oficer II replied
vigorously. This action leads TO the belief
that the reported accident 10 Brooklyn has
been exaggerated by the navy officials for
the purpose Of throwing the defenders Of
the fort off their guard.
The firing had been on bat few moments
when Olympia was sighted closely following
Brooklyn and it too opened up on the fort
with every available gun. After these two
vessels passed through the race, three bat
tleships were picked UP BY the searchllghts
and fears that landing would be made
caused the officers to send a relief with a
gatling gun down to the dock, the only
safe place at which a landing could be made,
The battleships. we're soon recognized as
Kearsarge, Massachusetts, and Alabama and
they we're proceeding toward the race in the
order named. AS they passed the forts
they opened fire. Every gun at Fort Wright
was blazing away, and Forts Terry and
Niche were also making valiant attempt
to put the ships out of business. The range
was about 1000 yards. The dense smoke,
both from the guns of the battleships and
forts now enveloped the former. The ships
soon took advantage Of this and scudded
away through the race.
At 1115 the ten-inch implacement an
nounced that the ships had anchored five
miles of the island to the westward. The
second relief was hurriedly recalled five
minutes later.
At midnight Forts Terry and Niche were
firing an occasional shot with their long
range guns. The first shot was fred at 10
o'clock from ten-inch gun and the order
to cease firing was given at 11;15. The
ships were therefore unS1T an iTossssat fTs
for exactly one hour and Ave minutes. The
six-inch battery fred 11s shots all told. The
ten-inch battery fired thirty-one shots at
Brooklyn and seven at Olympia The NOR
tars we're brought into play on the battle
ships. sf
Olympia turned its searchlight on the
range finders station aud made It impossi-
BILE for the mep stationed there to use their
telescope. The men on duty are ready at a
moments notice to man the guns and the
second relief is sleeping beside their arms.