New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-20
NAVY'S PARTIN WAR GAME
ADMIRAL HIGGINSON'S REPORT TO
SECRETARY MOODY.
WHAT THE NORTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND MEN
HIGHLY PRAISED
lBY TELEGRAPH To THE rR1Rrxr

lBY TELEGRAPH To THE rRrRrxrI
Washington, Sept 19-AdmiraI Hige1nson's renor-
| TO the Secretary of the NAVY on the combined
manoeuvres at the eastern approach to New-York
| City is follows.
g. on Block Island. r. L September s 1sl2
First-I have the honor to report that the COM
olned 9perat9ns between the and navy were
seeond-Purng the week the following work has
| An attack upon PUN I<lznd frcrn the north and
2. A day attack on the batteries Of Fishers ISL
| An attack on Fort Rodman
>. day attack Newport
BLOCK island and M6nt &c TisPat stat1ons-sy Head
s. scouting expedition to develop the enenv's
searchlights and alarming their pckets
Island VI i''iiei
10, cable cutting expedition severing connection
Il, The clearing of the Newport Channel Of tor
pedoes and counterminng manner VI 'oi
The reports of these many operations will be
duly forwarded. The whole and only intention
YVES to develop, if possible. any weak points in the
line of defence established by the army but
whether we have done not remains to be
decided by the board of arbitration
CREDIT GIVEN TO OFFICERS AND MEN
The work has been arduous and trying. inc1ud-
too highly of the way in which it has been car
ried out by the officers and men of the SQUADRON
am deeply indebted to the second in Command
rear Admra! Coshan, for his very able and
both north and south Of Valiant Rock at night
he mad full charge of the attack on Fort Rodman
night through binding searchlignts. smoke and
aeai iti a strong current was a brilliant piece of
ndsisdti DH; recurring steady and uudaunted
nerve; THIS officers reputation as a captain has
battle of Manila Bay and by the Observation-Disclosures
OF admiral Dewey and take great pleasure in
AFFINITY as a rear admiral and in charge of indie
CAPTAIN BrOWnSnn IF tho AIab,roa Gan
tam Manney OF the Massachusetts deserve my
ni - e. 'lIhS lor thelr ready cooperation ana
command These officers have now been under
my mrnand for over year and I
implicit reliance upon tham in any manceuvre
any duty which they may called upon to per-
To 70, Captain Lyon of the olympia great credit
graPaIc connection with Martha's Vineyard, and
ne reports mat ne is especially indebted to Lieu
Of the cable cutting expedition.
Gaptaln HemphilL chief Of staff. rendered most
VaIudDie service both chief of staff and cap
tam OF the rkearSarse and TO Lieutenant Evans
my personal staff. am indebted for valua ole aid
and counsel.
= The Indiana took part in the bomba rdnent of
Fort Wright the morning of September 3. and
am mucn indebted to her commanding officer.
captain Emory. for the able manner in which that
vessel was handled.
desire TO express my thanks TO Comma nder VII
son Tor the very efficient capture of the sigma sta
ton at Montauk Point. This expedition pro-
posed by him, and he given entire charge and
directed 10 carry out his own IDEAS neg leave 20
call the departments attention to the report OF
a praiseworthy grasp Of the problem before him
The work OF Lieutenant Commander Boush in
finding channel south of Gardeners Island Is
also most praiseworthy- The new channel found
by him indicates that the sea should receive a
thorough resurvey at an early date.
The work of Lieutenant Robinson and Lieutenant
Pe15es and conntsrmiEins, Vas most eficienty
and intelligently performed. and reflects great
The Indiana and the Puritan participated in the
attack upon Plum Island to the southwark ana IN
the day attack upon Newport and am indebted 10
their commanding officers for such services as
In the operations against Fort Rodman New
Bedford the Brooklyn ran upon an uncharted oo~
structon. but fortunately escaped serious injury
1 have TO recommend that the waters OF this bay
he thoroughly reSurveyed. feel conntent: from
the reports received that the official investigation
will MOI ind ANYBODY to blame for this accident
She continued with the squadron until the close
of the manceuvres showing that her injuries were
slight.
SEARCHLIGHTS NOT OF GREAT VALUE
Much and valuable knowledge in regard 10 search
lights has been obtained during these opera tons
and the general opinion seems to be that they are
not so effective as has been supposed In approach
ing positions at night the searchlights would flash
very often upon the ships. lighting up smokestacks
and hull so that large print could easily be read.
and every one supposed the ships had been discov
ersd h,If rhe se5rchfghts would away. and
evidently the observers had not seen the vessels In
rainy or misty weather the value OF nghtS IS. |
think decreased from y to 30 per cent. | had
fortunately, opportunity TO test the value of
fog for running past batteries was therefore
obliged. in running past tlShTr isiana anu INTO
where every chance was with the enemy and had
little hope OF succeSStui issue. put as my SudlnS
motive was to help the army test their equipment
RI her than To gain points. did not hesitate to
take the losing side one point in regard to search
Navigation have been eXtnEuiShed. We have in the
searchlightS of the enemy SlGlClent guide Tor an
To those officers NOT in the Spanish the ex-
perence of keeping position and cruising at night